Username:

Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;DRTDEVL, post: 3859631, member: 106279&quot;]Alright, this post is quite simple.&nbsp; For those who have been on both sides of the fence, which way should I head?&nbsp; I will be retiring from the Army&nbsp; (88M with nearly two decades on the Heavy Equipment Transport System), signing out in about 3 months.&nbsp; I currently have an offer from two different OTR companies, non-megas, with the better one offering 37 cpm.</p><p><br /></p><p>On the flip side, the oilfield intrigues me.</p><p><br /></p><p>I own an older 38&#039; diesel pusher RV that I can live out of full-time, provided I find a space for not too much money.&nbsp; I currently reside in El Paso, so I am only about 4 hours away from the Permian and can come back to see momma on a semi-regular basis for cheap.</p><p><br /></p><p>I will eventually receive my disability rating from the VA.&nbsp; With Combat Related Special Compensation, once everything is approved, I will likely not need to continue working and would be recommended to draw SSDI instead.&nbsp; I suffer from Lupus, two forms of arthritis, 3 herniated lumbar discs, two ruptured discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1), had two shoulder repair surgeries in the last 18 months from excessive grinding via heavy combat gear among other, more minor, issues.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>My wife is concerned that my body will quit on me once I hit the oilfields and is leaning towards OTR (what wife prefers OTR?).&nbsp; She also likes the security that one company is literally awaiting me signing out on leave and I can start the very next day with a personal orientation before heading out to make money while still on leave.&nbsp; I, on the other hand, see the earnings potential out on the oilfields and can&#039;t look away.&nbsp; I am used to being gone from home for months on end in austere environments with harsh weather while working 12-18 hour days non-stop.&nbsp; Considering I can make better money in those environments without hajji trying to blow me up or shoot a rocket at my living quarters while I sleep, its a no-brainer to me.</p><p><br /></p><p>So, what say you, truckers in the oil field?&nbsp; Should I follow the plan my wife is more comfortable with and go OTR, or should I live my mantra of &quot;you gotta risk it to get the biscuit&quot; and take a shot?&nbsp; If I hit the oilfields, with my medical issues (don&#039;t worry, I passed the DOT physical last month), what line of work should I head towards?&nbsp; I have my Class A with NPT, I passed the H/X endorsement but haven&#039;t paid the money for the background check yet (not going to be an issue, currently possess a SECRET clearance) since I wasn&#039;t going to make money off it yet.&nbsp; I am always willing to work provided it is safe to do so, thus I would only work for a company that will not fire me for refusing to move based on safety.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your username or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?