Air Force to trucking, looking for some prior military advice

Nedrudt,
I am not sure what the retention rates are in the Air Force but in the Navy only about 50 percent stay in after their first tour. There is nothing wrong with deciding to transition to civilian life. The key is to have a plan and do your research prior to separating and it looks like you are already doing that. From looking at Schneider if you use the Apprenticeship program it will use 12 months of GI Bill entitlement. I assume you are doing the same thing i am and also using the GI Bill for your CDL school while you are on terminal leave. Schneider (Tanker) is also on my list as well as ROEHL (Flatbed), Rinaudo (they only hire within 150 miles of Jacksonville.) and MTL. just dig in to all of the threads here and you should be able to find a list of companies that hire out of your area. Research those companies and make your decision on which ones to apply to.

 

Definitely go with the Post 9/11. If you go to GIBILL.VA.GOV and look up the apprenticeship program you will see you get more of your Military Housing Allowance (MHA, navy calls it BAH) than with the Montgomery GI Bill. But one thing to look at as well is the first 6 months you get 100 percent of your MHA the next six months it drops to 80 percent and the next six months it drops yet again. personally it seems like a waste of your GI BILL benefits but that is your decision. If you were to save that just in case trucking does not fit then you still have something to fall back on. remember that it pays up to 19000 a year toward tuition as well as your BAH. Just a thought. I did my research and decided not to use the apprenticeship program.

 

One more thing. If you use your GI Bill during terminal leave and you are still receiving Military Housing Allowance then you will not get that benefit from the GI Bill because they are not allowed to pay it to you twice.

 

It will be a challage to do your drill time, I do not think you can do it, I would ask you to stay in then drive later, I stayed in for 22 yrs, then drove. You can always shift services.

Good luck

 

I-O!!!!!!!

Look into dedicated. could help you satisfy being able to do your drill. Can always switch divisions after the fact.

 

Reading some of these posts everyone is an expert on the military retirement system. I recently got out of the Army, not by choice but the great government cut backs. I had 17 years and they let me go. I am in the reserves as well to finish my time. I just got hired on with Schneider. It was a good move, but here is a piece of advice. You mentioned keeping your benifits stay with Tricare. You will pay less then commercial insurance and have the same coverage. That is what I am doing and you get 6 months transitional tricare when you get out.