Opinions needed. Possible career change.

[sgthigg]

I am writing this because my currrent career is in the balance.

I live in the Biloxi area of MS. I have been here for almost 3 yrs now. I came here after a tour on deployment for operation iraqi freedom in 2003. SInce I am active duty military I am up for rotation in Nov. I joined the USMC at the age of 23. I have learned alot. About self drive,disicipline, work ethic, managing people and personalitys. Making it happin with nothing..lol It has also made me where when I hear "I cant" iIts worse than taking the lords name in vane.lol "I cant" isnt in my vocabulary. I have had an very good career in the military so far. I made E-6 in less the 7 yrs. Wich is in the top 10 % of my job field. After my current contract runs out I will have a total of 9 yrs of active service. Almost half way to the 50% base pay retirement.
Here is my delima. I love working with Marines but the bureacracy and BS I have to deal with ie 1 yr tours to iraq, 90 days here and there for various schools, substandard health care for me and family(wife and 2 kids). I dont want to look at my 2 yr old, and wife and think of ever missing another day of their life . + I hate my actual job. Its lame. I am fed up with it. I will need to make a decision here in about 45 days wether to stay in or get out. If i decide to get out I will have 1.8 yrs of steady paychecks from them till I actualy get out.

I have always wanted to do something on my own. And it seems like this is a decent way for me to do it. I did this for a resort about a year straight before I joined in SW fl. However the mil is a very very stable income.

I currently make about 4K a month gross.
I wil have had 9 yrs total in the mil when I am discharged.
Would it be stupid of me to make this move and go into the commercial lawn care business? I do have a little time to build it up before I am actually released. I own a truck out right. I can afford bottom line commercial equipment right now. So I know I dont have it as hard as some has when they started out.
I cannot stop thinking about it. It is consuming me. The wife supports me no matter what and to the end. She is awesome. But I am flip flopping in my mind on this every hr or so on what I should do.

I guess I am looking for experienced members here for any help on this. Especialy members near the MS coast.
Biloxi was ravished by the hurrican. However she is comng back. This economy IS growing back to where it was befor ethe hurricane. It was growing before it was hit too. Thats why I think it would be good to do this here. Anyways

Would it be a wise decision to change career fields? Would it be profitable for my family for me to change careers?

Thank you for you thoughts and reading this.

[Hydro DRIVE®]

I wish I could be optimistic about your situation but if you decline reenlistment you are going to do your last 18 months in Iraq.

But even if you reenlist there will be no guarantee that you will not be back in country soon but at least the powers that be will not think of you as completely expendable.

If you want to make Biloxi your home I would get a part time job with a general contractor so that if you do decline reenlistment you would have the experience to work as a self-employed general contractor when your enlistment is over.

Also you would make a good candidate for a management position in security at one of the casinos.

[kiddinla]

There is risk with everything, but especially with this. You're used to 4k a month with a family. I haven't been in that position, so i didn't have to be responsible for anyone. The positive is that you're willing to hustle and have discipline, but you have to be realistic about your first couple of years in this. The thing that comes to mind is to find someone who needs a right hand man, while building your accounts up on your own. Or, just a regular job with lawn care after work and on weekends. Really hope it works, but i don't think everyone here can assure you that it will.

[sgthigg]

If I dont reenlist they cannot send me to iraq. I will remain in place for the next 18 months.

[grasscatcher]

sgthigg, the main question is "do you want to do the job you have for what, another 4 yrs?" Are you happy? If the answer is no, then go for it. It will be tough for a while and you won't make 4k a month and no insurance, but what's the saying..When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. If you fail, get a job like someone said. With the job market what it is today, there is no reason an able bodied man can't get a job.

Just do it.

[Hydro DRIVE®]

If I dont reenlist they cannot send me to iraq. I will remain in place for the next 18 months.

Well in that case sign your walking papers right now before the Zionist Bush cabal starts WWIII.

You need to hook up with a building contractor or landscape construction contractor. The money is going to be in hardscapes and softscapes for all the new construction.

In the meantime have your wife go to school to deal games at the casino so you can have steady income during the transition period in 18 months.

[GeeVee]

Your military gig is recession proof. Lawn maintenance is not.

[Seascape]

I wont advise you on what to do with your options. Thats up to you.

But i will let you in on this,,,,,,, If your going into the green industry,,,, try to avoid mowing. Dollar for day its as low as it gets. Gear your efforts towards Installation,irrigation,Lighting or mulch and rehab work. Perhaps even fertilization.

If you do have to take some mowing to get you going,,, dont get dependant on it,, and only commit as much time to it as you have to.

[GrassMaster]

Please do a lot of thinking on all of this...

Most jobs are lame no matter what.

It will take a lot of hard work to get to a $1,000 a week & a hell of a lot more hard work to get that plus medical & retirement.

I'm almost 52 & my Mickey Mouse Hospitalization is eating me up. I have far less benefits than my dog, I can't hardly lower my health care options anymore but the rates are going up yearly & I'm paying out over $400 a month for my wife & I. It sucks real bad, another few years I'll probably have to get a Lame Job some where & I don't think I can mentally handle being told what to do by someone else. I really dread it too, but it's coming soon.

Why don't you try it for a few years part time if you must, so you can get a taste of it.

Don't get me wrong but anybody can cut grass & make a few bucks. A lot of people have died working their behinds off all their life & just made it through life. 75% fail in this business in 3 years or less.

To make what you want to make & survive, you'll need a lot of business sense under your belt. I'm not saying you don't have it, it's just a lot of numbers. Also you will have to run the business & that means you must be continually marketing your business, bidding & doing the numbers, you can't make it with the business running you & you're cutting in the field.

I'm sure you've heard this before, you'll need to be in the rear with the gear!

You might also consider talking to forum member Scott, you & him will have a little in common and he would be a honest & reliable source for the information you're asking about. He's in the military now and he's successful at what he does & everything he does.

LOL, I think Mr. Scott is a Jet & Helicopter lubricator? NOT!

Semper Fi Bro!
PS: I wasn't in the military but I have a strong enough background in it family & life wise. I've had a Marine (Step Father) beat the crap out of me quite a few times & the rest of the time a Chief Warrant Officer was on my behind. BTW I live real close to Ft. Benning! I say Sir at least 500 times a day & sometimes even to my wife!

I just got a phone call, I'll be driving my 85 year old Marine War Daddy the rest of the way home. He's been in the hospital a few days in Atlanta, Georgia with heart problems. It's an honor for him to request me over his own children to take him home! He's the last man standing, I will have to try to fill his shoes for the family when he's gone, I hope he makes it another 20 plus years!

IF Mr. Hydro keeps talking about working in casinos, I might try to get a job in one, I'm a good counter!

[Bign129]

Sgthigg, If you do decide to do this, do not buy your equipment in Biloxi or Gulfport. Do your price shopping. Believe it or not there was a $1500.00 price change within a 90 mile radius. It is worth it to drive 90 miles and save $1500.00. With all of the new subdivisions Biloxi and Gulfport are going to be a hot spots. I'm new at this, but if you'll PM me I'll tell ya what I know.