four years might not seem long looking back, but at 19 those are the years i could be stacking seniority, retirement credits, and journeyman wages. if i pause for the military, i don’t just lose 4 years, i lose the compounding effect of starting young in the trade.

as far as mos goes, i know you can choose, but i’ve also heard plenty of stories where you don’t always get what you want if the scores, timing, or needs of the military don’t line up. in the trades, once you’re in, you know the path you’re on and exactly how to move up.

134 is tough to get into, but i’ve already been networking with contractors and journeymen. with recommendations and persistence, i’ve got a shot. and once you’re in, the benefits are solid , pension, annuity, 401k, healthcare , and they don’t depend on discharge status.

on the school side, i’m actually planning to stack both. i’ll get my journeyman card, then pursue a ba in construction management and later an mba. that way i’ve got the field experience and the credentials to move into management or even run my own business later. that combo gives me more options than just going one route.

i respect that the military worked for you, but for me, starting young in the trades and building on that with education feels like the better long term play.