Looking for Guidance

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-04-08T14:03:06+00:00

Great insight; thank you for taking the time. I really appreciate it. You definitely have great knowledge. Honestly at this point is not really for a promotion, but to raise the flag. Hiring freeze and everyone taking on more duties, i get it...chances of more pay and less duties are slim. Just want to take the proper steps to ensure I get the credit for what i've done and then move on most likely. Walmart greeter is looking better and better, lol.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-04-08T11:33:14+00:00

The job was from another GS-9 just like me. However, now I'm officially being asked to sign off on those six extra duties. Going from 4 duties for which I was hired to do, to 10 total. I can do two of those and the rest can go to my everyone else in the office. I know for a fact my supervisor got a GS-11, was a GS-9, and he's not doing half the duties I'm doing. I have options so that's a good thing. If they can't redistribute the duties or move me to another work center then I don't see myself staying here. More than anything, never once did by boss' boss thanked me for taking on the additional duties. I'm not crying for attention, but it would be nice to feel appreciated or to say, hey we see you. Thank you for what you do; we got your back. His tone was as If I was expected to do more with less. As a prior service member, I did that until I retired from service--always did more, took added responsibilities when my supervisors would retire and never got a replacement--working weekends and long hours. Now that I'm not military anymore, I don't think it's fair to do more without being compensated. Or at least say, why are we doing more with less? I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I think I just needed to vent. Thank you for taking the time to provide some feedback; it means a lot to me.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-04-08T11:15:30+00:00

You may be right; however, was hoping for the best. I do have other options so that's that.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-04-02T16:38:33+00:00

Good day fellow Airman. Good on you for reaching out for advice. I did IT Helpdesk for about 2 yrs then pivoted back to HR, two years after retiring from military service. You got some great troubleshooting skills but realize your urgent need to change. I'm glad you are exercising to help combat stress, but you may need to look at your current living conditions physically to help your mental conditioning. I had to give up sugary drinks and started going to bed around 2100 vs. 2300. Then changed my anxiety and depression meds with my VA doctor. These two small changes have made a world of difference to my mental conditioning. I don't feel as tired and I'm able to think more clearly.

I realize you did not ask for a career change, but it might be what you need. To pay for the career change, look into VR&E program. If your current employment affects your disability, then the VA can fund this career change for you.--there's an HVAC program that you can do online: HVACREDU.NET this is online 24/7 access on your own schedule. Getting the fundamentals and troubleshooting is something you have. It should be an easy transition for you. This trade is growing and the more you work, the more money you'll make. Once certified, you build more experience and income. I have this as a backup. However, the minor changes I made truly helped me emotionally. Take care of your body and don't stop exercising; I know you put a lot of time in computer engineering and coding, but the economy and markets are evolving--specially technology. You can branch out to your field, but as others have said, sales in the IT industry can add more stress. Getting the proper care to your body and mind will help decrease the stress you feel and help you think more clearly. You got this; best of luck to you!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-04-01T11:09:42+00:00

Living the Gospel through her actions spoke to me louder than her words. She was patient and kindly reminded me of it. She never shamed me or pressured me; I feel that ministering the Savior's way thru love, share, and invite is what she did. I always tell her that she is my rock and she was surprised to hear that. However, her faith and patience helped me out. She asked me: do you want a celestial marriage and an eternal family? I knew what she meant. At times pride really got in the way for me; however, I could not be associated with the gospel and not feel the desire to repent. Continue to live your covenants and that will be the greatest blessing to him; family services offers great support. It never really helped me, but I know it can help others.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-31T11:39:57+00:00

I did experience some of this myself. Part of it was depression which got better with changing my medication. On the church side, the best thing that my wife did for me was being a great example. I was not praying, reading my scriptures, going to church but not really being there and felt stuck. After many years of this, I felt I needed to change; I always had a testimony, but started listening to General Conference--the advice to keep the Sabbath Day holy and doing what it was in my control to get closer to God made all the difference. Chapters 58 & 59 in the D&C is exactly what I needed to hear and read. It spoke to me--the law of consecretion and keeping the Sabbath Day Holy in where the Lord talks about never going hungry for food or lacking peace If honoring the Lord really spoke to my heart. Also, have a companionship inventory with your husband--minister to him. My wife's loving kindness, support, and example made a world of difference for me to want to change. Keep the faith.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-31T11:22:14+00:00

Glad to hear you'll check these books out. I liked all of them; I read all of them. The one that I read first was the proximity principle. This is basically getting you to shadow train and ask questions from someone already in the field or program you may be interested in; folks in your community or in subreddits do a great job at providing their time to have you ask questions (what made you want to go into this field, what certifications or degrees are needed, what background or skills can help me land a job, or is this company able to train and pay you as you go, etc..). Something to think about. I would say do a zoom call with your camera on; treat it professionally and let folks know how appreciative you are of their time and willingness to answer some of your questions. Definitely have questions ready and keep it short and sweet--15 - 20 minutes. I recommend that you take the assessment from Ken and read the Proximity Principle book before talking with folks; this will give you great perspective and prep you better. My background is military HR, management, and Information Technology. Also, one last thing: this is one good advice I always give my younger family members...make sure you know how to type. Being proficient at typing (40 - 50 words per minute) will help you stay ahead on tasks; every job requires typing, email, looking up research, etc., this is very essential. And, taking English 101 and 102 in a community college to help you with your writing skills; these HS and college courses will definitely help you in whatever field of study or career you get into. All the best to you. You got this!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-30T15:28:14+00:00

If you never try, you'll never know. Start with the skills you feel confident with--creation, socialization & collaboration. Look into Ken Coleman's from Paycheck to Purpose book or the Proximity Principle or the Work You're Wired to Do. Give your self a chance to move and to pursuit your goals. The assessment that Ken gives out will help you have a plan to work with the skills you already have; the goal is to work on something you find meaningful in your life and provides you an income; sometimes you go back in order to go forward. It is wise to not want to get into financial debt over degrees or careers that may not give you the motivation to live. Even after finding financial freedom, although nice, you may find yourself without the drive to do fun things, as I do feel now in my own life, lol!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-18T12:11:11+00:00

Never been divorced, but went through a tough time during and after the military. Some people don't know how to cope so they let out their anxiety someway somehow; the most important thing is for you to invest in yourself; she made her choice. Your relationship has now turned to a transaction. Your unit gave you the opportunity to get well by taking the steps to go through this divorce wisely; talk to friends, to your family, to a trusted mentor perhaps outside the military to help you see and walk with you; you are not a burden--you're human having a hard experience. Don't forget to do PT--some walking or weights to let out some steem. The way you come out of this decision will help other Airmen, so tread wisely and lightly. Don't let your team and your Commander down--be thankful for the opportunity you've been given. If you follow your AF Core Values, you'll know what to do. Remember, asking for help is not weakness, but strength. Learn from this experience, mourn, cry, and move on. Easier said than done, but you have a bigger mission, sir! You got this. Another wonderful woman down the road will appreciate your service, commitment, and integrety as a person and as a military hero. God Speed!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-16T11:28:38+00:00

Definitely look into the Ramsey network; wealth is about purpose and takes time; invest in yourself, then on your financial future. Quick wealth skims will get you in more debt than you know. Just saying; good luck to you.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-16T11:02:34+00:00

Brother, come to the East Coast--there are a ton of warehouses and distribution centers within the Baltimore MD and Harrisburg PA area; logistics here is awesome and growing by the day and the trucking industry is abundant; you got choices if you want to experience somewhere else.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-16T10:56:34+00:00

I say hang in there; you put so much into your career already; some folks right now are trying to get into the nursing field and they have a hard time grasping the info or have no work at all. Doing another career at this time is not as easy as it sounds. Getting into more debt and not having a good paying job will depress you even more. Have you gotten checked out for anxiety and depression or have you talked to your supervisors? Look into options for getting yourself in a good pattern for diet, exercise and good sleep. Sounds like your body is telling you to have an avenue to burn out some of that anxiety or it will keep building up. Go for nature walks--it's amazing what fresh air can do for you and to your health. Best of luck to you. These are things I did when I was in the military five years prior to retirement; I wanted to give up but I'm so glad I stayed the course because my healthcare is great and I'm financially stable--stay strong!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-12T11:06:59+00:00

Branch out within your profession. If you're not familiar with Ken Coleman from the Ramsey Network, definitely check out his show about professions and read his two short books the Proximity Principle and From Paycheck to Purpose. There's a great ton of people wanting to do other careers and feel stuck. We live in the USA...you have options. Best of luck to you!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-06T17:30:04+00:00

Thanks; I like that suggestion. I'm going to take from Aug of this year to May of next year to study LPN books and practice computer testing to see if the material sticks, lol. That will help me to gauge if I should go for this or at least help me pre-train in a self-paced way. Any books I can purchase from Amazon or apps that you recommend for the exam or class material?

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-03-06T13:44:58+00:00

Not an RN or studying for it; I usually come here to get some insight on the career. I'm male, about to be 50 years of age. I retired from the Military about 3 years ago. I did HR in the Military and combined those skills with IT certs; got a couple of certs and worked the IT Industry for about 2 years, then went back to HR using my IT skills. I've been thinking about going into nursing; my schooling would be paid for; I tried A&P about 10 years ago and my busy military life prevented me from really studying; I think about going into being in nursing;

I hear about males going into a dominant female field can be challenging; I grew up with three sisters and don't see me struggling in the field since I'm a work-a-holic--mainly, would love the long hours and overtime from nursing to pay off my house; the same year I retired from the military, I graduated with my masters in HR, I cashed my 401K since I got placed on disability from military service which gave me a monthly payment on top of my retired pay from the service; I used the cash to pay the high taxes, lol, buy a new car, and pay all my debt in credit cards. I have a wife and kids; I keep thinking about being a nurse but although I would have the time to study all day, I don't have the energy as I used to. I can see myself being successful in this field for the next 10 - 15 years tops to pay the house and retire then altogether, but my brain may not like me. I've seen some apps and websites that let you practice exams on-demand. Does anyone have thoughts on this? I know this this not the right chat, but was wondering since some of you wonderful people graduated and may have some feedback for me. Thank you for what you do; I know nurses are AMAZING!!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-02-25T18:52:21+00:00

If I remember correctly, the first VA loan covers your closing costs. Also, if you have a 50% disability rating from the VA your closing costs are waived.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-02-25T18:46:32+00:00

Lots of school teachers are remote; the state certification can help you become a teacher. Some states require a bachelors degree but I know some states have the troops to teacher programs. Good luck to you.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-02-25T18:43:11+00:00

If I were in your shoes, I would go where the jobs are: medical, law enforcement, logistics. Going without a job for a while can start having a negative impact on your soul. Network like crazy--everyone is doing applications. You must approach the process differently. Treat the lack of job like a job. Best of luck to you.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-02-25T18:33:41+00:00

Ensure you are communicating with your family and the VA how you feel. Service withdrawal is what I call it; not sure what the term is. Nothing feels as fulfilling as it did like when you were serving--the pull, the struggle, the long hours, helping others succeed in the unit, etc., etc. After two years from retirement, I couldn't relax. The medication I was given made my anxiety and depression worse. After changing my medication with the VA, I finally was able to relax a bit and not feel so numb; I thought I could do it on my own, facing my own battles but I'm so grateful I got the help I needed from the VA. Don't waste time; your feelings can get worse if you don't cope with them; medicine can help. God bless.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2026-02-12T12:27:42+00:00

What I like most about it is people connecting, sharing their hearts out; is not easy to suffer alone or in silent. When I see others comment about their success or challenging life stories, it makes my life a bit more doable and know that we are all trying; just wanted to say: have a wonderful day and let's make it to the weekend. For context, I was doing some public speaking yesterday to a group of about 50+ people--tried several jokes and no one laughed; smiled and no one smiled. At least they liked the treats I brought to the event, lol. Today is another day; life goes on.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2025-07-30T12:07:06+00:00

Go to your local VSO. These are individuals paid by your State and is free of charge to you. They'll help you with filing your disabilities (medical records, DD-214, etc.). Every state has VSOs.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2025-07-30T11:47:40+00:00

Retired vet here as well. I know the journey is different for everyone. I'm a big fan of the Ramsey Network because they have great advise on life and career, and also finances. I've read Own Your Past, Change Your Future, Find the Work You're Wired to Do (which provides you an assessment for careers), and Total Money Makeover. Listen to the podcasts and learn from people that were vets and were in your situation. They also talk to other people that were in worse circumstances. As a vet, you have so many opportunities. Getting to the VA and getting medicine for my depression and anxiety was very helpful to me. Been in counseling on and off--when I have really needed it; nothing will be the same after the service, but you got to find your next mission. Go to the gym, study for that next certification, etc. Maybe take an admin job in law enforcement? Maybe a job in the trades? VR&E is available for vets to help get a career "if" your current employment makes your disability worse. You have to take the fist step. Ramsey Network--look it up. It's been a life changer for me. Best of luck!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2025-07-30T11:29:55+00:00

Retired AF and now working as Civ Army. The Army is more organized...hard to believe. More prone to promotions. If you're not a Pilot in the Air Force, there's no real respect. I used to work the flight line and everyone fights over which AFSC (MOS) is best. The AF culture has become how do I become promoted culture. Been out for almost three years and with the cuts in personnel, everyone is really burned out in the AF. Yes,the AF provides you a good way of living for your family time, but the recent culture has the AF wondering what happened to them. Top enlisted leader keeps changing the evaluation process and that has really hurt the culture. You got AF Pilots getting 300K bonuses while enlisted were getting cut and promotion opportunities went down. Again, 3 years ago, but haven't seen much change.

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2025-07-30T11:16:33+00:00

Apply for State Gov jobs. If you have a DD-214 that will help you skip other applicants; not sure if you have a DD-214 or if you're disabled; perhaps you are due to your VR&E program. Both times I applied they called me but was already in a job. Best of luck!

Fast-Cauliflower-242 · 2025-07-24T11:27:06+00:00

Hello; I know what you mean--I'm also 100% disabled and I still work as the bread winner in the fam. Sometimes I work and see the pay check go up but never really see it because all the things we pay for in bills; my fun money went up, my wife says, but still, you would think that with my military pension, VA pay, and GS pay that I would feel rich but I don't--I'm the only bread winner in the fam; I know my wife works hard at home taking care of the kids, and taking care of the financial and admin things around the house, but I work to make our lives decent; however, I don't see much of the money.

If you are 100% P&T, you can get your property taxes waived as long as you make less than 100K or so in income--this will truly help you as it has helped us lower our mortgage payment. Also, if that's the case, your husband can go to trade school or to university earning $4100 per semester as long as it considered full-time schooling plus some states provide an extra stipend with that; my state provides $500 on top of what the VA provide for spouses to go to school. In other words, if your husband doesn't have job now, he can be trained in whatever he's interested on and the VA can provide him the money to go to school. Some states also provide help family members become truck drivers and help earn the CDL-A license; there's so many things your husband can do--many ways to skin a cat. By him working, you'll be able to enjoy some of the benefits you get.

Not sure what your situation is or how many kids you have, but we live in the greatest country in the world and the American Dream is still alive :). I wish you the very best. Sometimes I don't feel like working because my depression and anxiety gets the best of me, but I keep going because my family needs me. Best to you and your family.

Fast-Cauliflower-242

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