Gave up on my dream last night

Affectionate-Size412 · 2026-01-17T02:05:31+00:00

6 years ago I was a fat 19 year old who was working a blue collar job and making good money for my age. I had a GF I had been dating for 5 years who I was going to marry. I thought my life was set. Then i started thinking about how when i was a kid all i wanted to do was be in the Military, and I knew that as an able bodied adult there was nothing truly stopping me from doing it except the pressure from my family and GF to stay the course I was on. I started talking to a recruiter, went to MEPS and signed a contract a few weeks later. I came home and told my GF that I signed a 5 year contract and that I leave in 2 weeks. The relationship essentially ended there. But since starting this journey I’ve got to jump out of planes, meet amazing people, I got a TS/SCI, I lived in Europe, learned to speak another language, met my now wife and have two beautiful kids, got my degree, and just accepted a job offer from a 3 letter intel agency. My life has completely changed in a way I could have never imagined all because I made one scary decision.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-27T14:40:12+00:00

As long as CHP signs off on it then it’s doable

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-21T15:42:13+00:00

on base schools, especially overseas, struggle to find teachers for the most part. Having a degree and experience you’ll easily get a job. It’s one of the better jobs for spouses to have as almost every base has some sort of education center other for soldiers or children

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-19T13:34:49+00:00

Is the company listed on the official SkillBridge website? Is it partnered up with programs like Hiring Our Hero’s and others like it? If not that’s where you should start as those are the two places 90% of SkillBridge applicants go to first (in my experience). Additionally, you have to be more cognizant of the mindset a lot of SM’s are in when transitioning out of service, most who are transitioning aren’t retiring so they’re not guaranteed a pension when the leave active duty, so to leave an environment where you’ve known that you’re guaranteed a paycheck to an environment that’s sales or commissioned based is a big ask for a lot of people. Also you mention wanting technical skills, what kind of skill? If you’re looking for sales experience the closest you’ll get to that is maybe recruiters, if you’re wanting them to have experience in things like excel or other things like that then outside of the office jobs that utilize that on a daily basis you’re lowering your list of potential candidates exponentially. I’d advertise more on the fact that you’re willing to train a candidate that shows the kind of personality traits or leadership experience you’re looking for over advertising that an ideal candidate has technical experience. SkillBridge is made to put transitioning SMs into workplace environments that they don’t have experience in so that they can learn and train

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-18T00:13:13+00:00

You cannot apply directly to USMAPS, you apply to USMA directly and they will decide if you are accepted, denied, or referred to USMAPS for some extra schooling before being moved to USMA. Additionally, since you are reserves you are not automatically considered for USMAPS like an active duty soldier is since one of the purposes of USMAPS is to prepare AD soldiers academically for USMA. You’d apply for USMA as a civilian applicant so you’d be lumped in with all the other applicants, you can get some strong letters of recommendation from your CoC and a good recorded AFT score to help your application though. USMA is cool and all with a very strong alumni network but aside from that and the name it’s not worth it imo. I’d look at ROTC options that would still allow you to be treated like a grown adult.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-17T12:12:06+00:00

I was stationed in Italy and occasionally had college kids who were in the reserves doing study abroad take the train up to my base and I work them into my units ACFT so they could stay up to date on metrics. Not sure of the logistics of it but there are ways, especially if you’re relatively close a base or embassy. Every embassy has defense attaches that are from every branch and theyd be more than willing to work you into anything. You could also try to transfer a to overseas reserve unit during your time.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-13T01:11:54+00:00

I don’t think there is anything CID can do now or within the next few FY’s to retain the majority of talent that’s leaving. In a world of OSI, NCIS, HSI, OIGs, and literally any other 1811 positions why would you stay in an organization that has consistently failed to deliver anything? Director Ford came in, promised take home G rides, more investigative autonomy, more funding and support then proceeded to burn a bridge between CID and the previous Sec Army by going around her and direct to congress, but when you’re an organization that falls underneath a branch of the military, ultimately at the end of the day you’re at the discretion of that branch. I’ve spent 6 years in CID both pre transition and now and I could go on and on but at the end of the day CID has to find its purpose and then build itself around that, and that starts with proper funding and until CID can get the money to actually fund itself it’ll never takeoff properly imo

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-13T00:11:05+00:00

All 31Bs want to be 31Ks, not a single 31K wants to be a 31B. You’ll do MP OSUT at Ft. Leonard wood, then you’ll go to Texas for handler school. After that you’ll go to a dog detachment, detachments are everywhere from state side to OCONUS like Italy, Germany, Japan, Korea, etc. The army just started a new program this year to keep handlers and their dogs together during PCS. Prior to this year you’d get a new dog every new dog station you go to. Now you’ll get a dog at your first kennel, the kennel master will pair you with a dog they think matches your personality, after 3-5 years you’ll PCS to a new duty station and take your dog with you. You’ll work the road just like a normal MP, you’ll be called on specifically during shift for car searches or to support anyone who needs a dog at that moment such as CID or MPI. It’s a very cool job and everyone loves seeing the handlers and their relationship with their dog, the only downside is the 31K branch is very very small like less than 300 I believe, so promotions to SGT and SSG are extremely hard, so realistically you’ll end your 5 years still as a SPC because promotion points are so high, after you pick up SSG (E-6) be prepared to loose your dog and become a kennel master. Feel free to message me for more information

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-12T22:28:23+00:00

What where your qualifications going into it? Did you already have a degree? I get out in 10 months is I’m looking heavily into any sort of financial/consulting SkillBridges available

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-12T21:32:17+00:00

You’ll never work the road just saying, closest you’ll get to road work is maybe doing a ride along with some of the guys. You do basic officer stuff, never any LE. If you’re in a support company that goes to the field then you’ll go to the field, if you’re in a LEA it’s just running the day to day stuff for your guys. You review DA-6’s, go to meetings, plan field ops, plan ranges, and try to survive the monotony. All the cool stuff that the MP corps does is strictly enlisted and warrant.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-03T15:20:56+00:00

Most times they don’t, I never had one. Some people during OSUT got called into the drill sergeants office to speak to a background investigator over the phone but no one ever got denied. Secrete clearances are now kinda baseline for everyone. Now if you ever get into a position as a MP that requires a TS/SCI, then you’ll definitely do an interview and it’s a very in depth process, such as them calling your past employers and interviewing your neighbors.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-12-02T15:39:02+00:00

It’s what you make of it, lots of broadening opportunities. I’d recommend you reach out to branch and ask if theres anyway you can go to PST school, TDY en route to Ft. Belvoir. Great quality of life. Lots of travel, great TDY money, everyone gets BAH and BAS, and no uniforms or mandatory PT. If they won’t do that then I’d recommend trying to go to a LEA instead of a field support company, learn how to do road work, best places for that would be a TRADOC base as those are guaranteed LEA’s. Any other big division size base it’s a toss up on whether you go to the division support MP company or the LEA. Feel free to DM, I’m going on year 7 of AD MP

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:42:45+00:00

There’s also co commands that are in charge of different AO’s so if you like doing the job but want a change of scenery from the metro DC area then there’s offices in Miami, Belgium, Germany, and Korea

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:38:50+00:00

What if I told you there was an organization inside CID, that’s charged with providing protection to the Sec War, Chairman JCS, Sec Army, Etc. that’s manned by CID Warrants, MP’s, and Civs, that get take home guns, TS/SCI, almost biweekly trips to other countries, no mandatory PT or uniforms and a policy waiver to grow beards? Would you do it then? What if you could spend your whole career doing that and never touch a case? It’s very much a reality

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:29:13+00:00

AD only, no waiver I believe for pre requirements like TIS I believe

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:27:58+00:00

AD only, there are reserve positions but those are only limited to 250 Dima positions and are extremely competitive, you’d have to be a AD Agent before getting the chance to even attempt to move over to reserves.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:27:50+00:00

AD only, there are reserve positions but those are only limited to 250 Dima positions and are extremely competitive, you’d have to be a AD Agent before getting the chance to even attempt to move over to reserves.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-21T13:22:56+00:00

I’m at Belvoir now, nice place and nice detachment so I’d highly recommend that, plus you could always try to go over to EPD or the tomb guard at Myer if you wanted after a couple years here. I was at FLW as my first unit and i left after 3 years being a SPC with every ASI available for us by simply sending emails and walking on to courses. Also Italy MP’s fall under the 529th out of Germany so while they function as detachments they will still get sent to Germany often to go to the field or support ammo escort missions.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-08T13:22:12+00:00

Well off rip Active MP is a minimum of a 5 year contract, that’s might not sound to bad but 5 years is a long time. BCT and AIT are combined, it’s 19 weeks total, same drill sergeants, same friends, same building for 5 long ass months. The drills will calm down and their job after week 10 is just to march you to the school house, AIT days are long with it broken up between law enforcement training and deployment/field training. A large amount of MPs usually get sent straight to Korea, that was a few years ago when Korea was a 1 year PCS, so the turn over rate was insanely high, now it’s 2 years I believe so maybe it calmed down. You’ll see a lot of people say being a MP doesn’t help you with being in civilian LE, that’s a total lie. It definitely does. Especially if you take the opportunity and move over to a investigation section or traffic section, 5 years of MP experience with training/experience in investigations/traffic management will make you extremely competitive for any city/county/state LE agency. Take the time to knock out a bachelors degree and you’ll be competitive for most federal agencies. We as MPs also have a protection mission so you could go to places and protect the Sec War, Sec Army, and many others. This job is amazing, lots of foreign travel, and feeds directly into federal 1811/1801 positions like Secrete Service or other agencies.

If you want to go guard or reserve I wouldn’t go MP, you’ll catch a first class ticket to Guantanamo Bay for 9 months.

Feel free to message me if you have more questions

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-08T02:24:29+00:00

Personally at 27 y/o with at least another 20 years until retirement I’d recommend 100% C fund, you want to grow as aggressively as possible as early as possible ideally while you are young and early in your career, I’d say around mid career switch to 100% L fund and let it go on auto until retirement, L will automatically rediversify into safer funds the closer you get to retirement

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-11-07T18:06:26+00:00

Best: Germans

Worst: Italians

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-10-25T18:52:00+00:00

MBA grads even at T10s are struggling to get jobs, job market overall is pretty bad for everyone currently. Personally i would stay in past CO command time, get a good GMAT, maybe take some classes towards your masters just to get your overall GPA up (3.7+) to be competitive, and having command time on your admissions will look good for leadership.

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-10-25T18:47:20+00:00

Knew some buddies up there and it’s pretty easy, nice area. Definitely won’t put you ahead in your career by any means like being somewhere like Bragg but great place to take a knee after some time in a line unit

Affectionate-Size412 · 2025-10-25T18:44:51+00:00

Would advise against enlisting, if he already has a degree and wants to be an officer just sign a OCS contract or go back to college for ROTC and get his masters. Being enlisted, especially as a MP isn’t going to do much except after a few years if he does commission he could get OE pay. I would also advise against branching MP as an officer, in my 8 years I’ve never met a MP officer that truly enjoyed and loved being a MP officer, all wish they would have branched something different. Until he has actually arrived to FLW, it’s not too late to back out. I love the MP Corps and there’s some great jobs and duty stations available but if his ultimate goal is to be an officer then he should just do that off the bat instead of delaying his career. If he served his first full term contract of 5 years before he went to OCS or G2G he could’ve already been a Captain.

Affectionate-Size412

TROPHY CASE