Retired Military

Well my neighbor is retired Army Colonel and they do OK but he doesn't drive a truck he's really retired. You don't say what you've been doing in the Air Force but I'd say with no civilian skills as a driver you'll start at the low end of the pay scale as I don't know what trucking companies accept as experience from the military. Sorry that I wasn't more help. I'm sure some one knows more than I.

 

I retired almost 10 years ago from the Navy, and live in SW Michigan. For a driver, this part of the country is a pretty decent area, There are lots of highways, plenty of cities for cargo to move between, and steady work. For example, I primarily run regional, and mainly work in In, Il, Oh, and Mi, Doing a lot of loads from Chicago to ohio, then picking up in Ohio and running back to Chicago. or Running to someplace in Indiana from Chicago, etc. Think of Chicago, Indy, and Detroit as big economic engines and you realize how productive this part of the country can be.

Can you make a good living? Yes, but there are a few provisions that go with that. As in any other business, including the military, you start out at the bottom of the pack, and that includes pay. Most companies that run training programs tend to be ones that want their drivers to do long haul work with minimal home time and the pay is not spectacular. Once you get in a year of clean accident free driving, then the opportunities start to open up, and you find more chances of picking up a job locally or regionally that pays better and presents better opportunities.

Here is the big advantage that you have over the average person coming into this business. One, you are already used to the concept of starting out and seeing things improve with time. Many of the ones that start tend to believe that they should be starting at least somewhere in the middle, if not well above that. And the real big advantage is that you can afford to take a little bit of time and look for the right job. Most people working in the civilian world have no backup income. When they aren't working, they aren't eating or are going through their savings at a prodigous rate. Because you have a retirement check that puts food on the tanle and heat between the walls, you can afford to take a bit more time and look for the right situation. And being able depend on the extra money means you are never going to be bound into a bad situation because you can't afford to walk out of it.

While your military skills may not transfer directly over to this kind of work, your attitudes and abilities will. You will find out very quickly that career military guys are highly prized in the civilian world because of the work record, sense of responsibility, dependability, and other abilities they bring to the table.

Welcome to the forum. I will shoot you a pm with some of the financial info in a little bit.

 

For wha it's worth, I am a Chief (E7) in the Navy and about to retire in a few months after 22 years of service. I will be getting my CDL and starting my 2nd career as an OTR driver. Anyways, I figured roughly that with my retirement pay, I only need to gross about 40k a year in order to maintain the same lifestyle my family and I have come acustomed to. In my research of the industry over he past couple of years, 40k gross is VERY doable.....good luck to you!!

 

I retired in 96 as an E8 (MSgt) from the Big Green Gun Club (USMC) and have been driving 2 years now (taught high school for awhile). The way I make my money is not having to pay health insurance or contribute to retirement account. Last year I ran 161,000 miles and put $72,000 in the bank (that's trucking, not including my retirement or my wife's pay). I have a good tax man and get all the deductions I can, including 30% disability for military activities... I lease a truck and am going that route (started as a company driver, of course). Got my CDL at Central Tech in Oklahoma, tution was paid if u worked for a company in Oklahoma (I did..Arrow Trucking), got my training (6 mos), went to Prime where I've done real well. There is no trucking company that is right for everyone and every situation. What works for me might not work for u. Just keep on asking questions and experience will teach u to separate the bull crap from the straight scoop. Good luck to u and if you u want to talk, email me: robert3405@earthlink.net
Semper Fi brother.
P.S. I'm back on the road tomorrow 2Jan so this is my last post.