what do you do or did you do for a living?

[Lloyd Smale]

we haven't done this one in years. Lots of new guys here since. Me, I worked as an electrical lineman for most of my life after I got out of the service.

[hiram1]

welder fitter

[sparky45]

Nurse Anesthetist (Gas Passer)

[merlin101]

I'm a truck driver now before that I sold auto parts and before that I did auto body repair and worked for uncle Sam in the big green machine. That's most of the full time stuff, lots of part time gigs in there somewhere.

[osteodoc08]

ER doc at medium and small hospitals

[Hickok]

Heavy equipment operator, coal miner.

[Rick Hodges]

Full time Grandpa of 4, fisherman, hunter, and retired LEO

[brtelec]

I sold guns and motorcycles before I became a Deep Sea Diver. Been working in commercial diving for the last 21 years.

[Hick]

Chemical and Nuclear Engineer-- we love to put things together, take them apart, or make them go boom (hopefully in the correct order)

[Mk42gunner]

Retired from the Navy, went to college. Just starting to look for full time employment when I blew out my knee and hurt my back.

Robert

[Big Boomer]

Worked for Krogers while in high school. Went to Kentucky Christian College/University, graduated and then graduate work. Been a Minister with Churches of Christ/Christian Churches for over 50 years. Retired, came out of retirement for 4 years and am now semi-retired. Big Boomer

[OS OK]

Retired, Industrial Electrical Contractor, factory builds/remodels/moves, machine control and power distribution at less than 600 VAC…left all the High Voltage to those more daring than myself!

OS OK

[Tenbender]

Piggybacker! Delivered Volvo, Freightliner, Mack, Western Star, IHC, and Sterling trucks. Pedal steel player. Worked the east coast club circuit and studio sessions.

[mozeppa]

pool table mover, repair, rebuild , manufacturer.

[Omega]

Retired Army Parachute Rigger now working in the Logistics field.

[guywitha3006]

Safety guy for a industrial refrigeration construction/fabrication/service company.

[Frank46]

Worked for a public utility in a tank farm (oil storage and fuel to generating station) barge, tanker and pipeline fuel oil deliveries. Company down sized and spent three years in a liquified natural gas facility. Then retired. Frank

[twc1964]

Furniture repairman/refinished for a large dept store chain.I've been in the same line of work for over 30 years.

[toallmy]

Commercial fisherman , and run a small wholesale seafood operation .

[Mtnfolk75]

Worked in the fields/sheds most summers like every Central Valley High School kid did, then worked as a Pump Jockey at several stations during the winters. Enlisted in the Canoe Club to avoid the draft with my #1 Lottery Number, decided to make it a career until Carter became POTUS, discharged after 8.5 years . Drove local & OTR trucks for 4 years before taking the plunge into Law Enforcement. Medically retired after 17 years & moved to a little cabin in the Southern Sierras, have done some Taxidermy, Motorcycle Sales/Service, Fire Camp assignments & one summer in Alaska during the past 16 years, now mostly just a Retired Grandpa of 6 .... :razz:

EDIT: Forgot to add that I have been married to my lovely child bride since 1975 ..... [smilie=s:

[Boaz]

Full time-Ranch contract cowboy-slaughter butcher/kill floor-hide handler-oilfield/roughneck/driller/blackleg/pumper/rig up driver/equip operator/casing crew- had a rig mechanic field service-second hand store-made wholesale ornamental concrete-pallet manufacture-auto related service

[billyb]

Worked as a meat cutter the first ten years of marriage .Worked on the railroad as a switchman, engine foreman, and conductor for the next 33 years. Retired at 60 , will soon be 69. Celebrated being married for 50 years in February.

[flyer1]

Soon, to retire down in Texas.

[EMC45]

Navy Vet (Seabee) did 5 years with that, afterward did some retail, some LE, interior remodeling/carpentry, machine shop cnc operator/welder. Worked local BOE doing maintenance & grounds. USAFRC, active for 3 years with that doing freight/logistics. DoD employee after that doing C2ISR stuff, and mobility- weapons and gear (MOPP) issue. Currently NPS firearms/supply tech. Sig, Remington & Colt armorer.

19 years married today!

[RichardF]

Career Navy, 10 years Health insurance company, another 10 years with a major home improvement chain, now semiretired doing part time work pushing paper.

[atlas366]

Run a team of data analysts and project managers. Also do database, leadership & firearm related consulting on the side.

[opos]

Almost hate to admit it with things in the news what they are but I was in the election and voting systems business for almost 30 years...the punch card kind with the "hanging chads" that became world famous in the 2000 election mess in Florida during the Bush/Gore/Supreme Court election...Can't tell you how glad I am to be far far away from politicians, voting clerks, precinct workers, grand juries, and all the rest...I seldom tell folks what I did..I usually tell them I had played piano in a bawdy house...just seemed more refined to say that..
"vote early and vote often"...and I didn't do it!

[mac60]

4 yrs. USCG. Commercial telegraph operator 14 yrs. Truck driver since 1998.

[salpal48]

printing Industry, packaging designer 35 years

[fixit]

Machinist, mechanic, jack of all trades, troubleshooter and fixer, frequently doing two or more on any given day. Love to tinker, brainstorm and create, which is what I often do in my spare time!

[Tom Myers]

1. Sandhills Ranch Hand.
2. Rodeo Circuit Rider - Bareback Broncs.
2. Medical, Surgical & Records Tech 101St Airborne Mobile Field Hospital.
3. Circulation Representative - Army Times newspaper.
4. Construction Worker - Jackhammer and Powder Man.
5. Owner Operator - Frontier Service Station & Automotive Repair Service.
6. Owner Operator - Dairy Farm.
7. Over the Road Semi Driver.
8. Boom Crane operator.
8. Owner Operator Over the Road Semi.
9. Computer Repair Service.
10.Computer Software Development.

[Quickdraw4u]

Family Practice Doc x 32 yrs. Firearms enthusiast x 42 yrs. Still a newb caster but learning fast. BTW, 1st gun: S&W Highway Patrolman... $229 at Walmart! Miss those days!

[StuBach]

Business consultant for convenience store chain.


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[Mad Jack]

I was the Chief Engineer at one of Los Angeles's top TV / Film post production companies. I managed all the technical aspects of several recording studios. After the death of one of the two owners, who was my boss and father, figure I ended up quitting. I worked for the other owner for 18 months before throwing in the towel and moved to Washington State. There ya go.

[1989toddm]

Tree trimming/removal, barn roof and grain bin coating/painting, pressure washing truck fleets, carpenter, construction work, custom harvesting and soil fumigation, semi mechanic, and now I'm helping a plumber part time and starting a small custom leather business. I'll be 27 in August. Also do a bit of gun repair for friends.
Lord willing I will be able to support my family and raise a few animals. I will be content.


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[Grits]

I am a master biscuit making burger flipping burrito building adult day care provider. For short, I manage a fast food restaurant. 37 years if I make it to June.

[country gent]

I was am a tool and die maker. Started in a little job shop at age 15. Learned alot there moced to a local food plant with big can plant for 18 years and medically retired at 51 due to multi[ple schlrocisis. I enjoyed what I did and worked alot in R&D and new line set ups. Was great as the production workers would come to me with a problem we would talk and with in a couple days Id have a proto type tool ready for them to try. Not always completely perfect but a good starting point. I retired from one of the big three auto parts plants.

[RayinNH]

Fifteen years as a full time blacksmith. Gave that up when the economy went in the toilet in the early nineties. Still run the shop doing fabricating for the granite and sign trades. Started in 1978, been at it 38 years now. I was 23 when I started my own business.

[PaulG67]

Machinist 40+ years, 35 of them working for a manufacturer of aircraft, jet engines, aerospace, nuclear, power generation forgings. Retired September 2014.

[snowwolfe]

Retired from the USAF at the ripe old age of 39 after giving them 21 years of my life. Then spent the next 20 years piddling around Alaska as a wildlife photographer. Being a photographer was fun but then it became a business and the fun went away. Quit everything in 2013 and have no plans to work for anyone ever again. Totally retired now and loving it.

[jimofaz]

Tool & Die, Metal Stamping

[NavyVet1959]

ex-Navy, ex-Engineer, current-Curmudgeon :)

[lightman]

I'm was an electrical lineman. I retired last year with 35 years of service. I was also a licensed electrician, got my Journeyman's license at 18. Now I hunt, fish, cast, reload and am trying to learn to be a Grandpa!

[country gent]

Lightman, Being grandpa is easy teach them the simple skills do small projects and most important spoil them and send them home

[dancingbear41]

I am a CT radiographer, imaging for radiotherapy planning.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Spent 9 years railroading for a short line, jack of all trades, did track repair, conductor and mostly engineer for the last half of it, now I am a machine set up for CCI. (I work on the machines that load 22 ammo)

[srtolly]

Started being a mechanic when I was 16, took a break and became a Marine. Ruined my knees there, back to being an auto mechanic till I tore up my back. Motorcycle mechanic for 8 years till knees and back made me into a desk jockey. Did computer repair for 5 years, repaired and installed fire and security systems a few years, OTR truck driver and the last 8 years working with developmentally disabled folks. I'm pretty certain I'll be forced into early retirement for medical reasons. Enjoying being a grandpa of 8 (9 any day now).

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[bob208]

welder for the first 30 years. then got into tool and die work. but along the way i learned to spray paint do body work. worked on race cars and guns. always had a shop at home and did anything that came in to make extra money. now I am retired but still have my welders and machines.

[Nueces]

I had to think back a bit because there was usually a lot going on at once.

Academic, UT-Austin: BA-Mathematics, BS-Physics, PhD-Physics

Military, 24 years in the Texas Air Guard and Air Force Reserve: machinist, flight line weapons crew member, OCS Tac Officer, maintenance officer, fighter pilot (F-100, F-4, F-16)

Volunteer: deputy sheriff, director of exhibits at a children’s science museum

Small Time: maker of handgun stocks, tutor of college math and physics

Civilian Professional: Engineering Scientist at an aerospace outfit, commercial airline pilot at Continental Airlines (Pacific Rim, Europe, North, Central and South America)

Current: Retired!

[nannyhammer]

After working with dad as a mechanic's helper, roustabout, hauling pipe, laying poly pipe and other assorted jobs I joined the USAF. After 21yrs as a life support troop I retired and went back to work for the USAF as a temp training specialist. Later transferred to permanent position as a Unit Deployment Manager/Resource Advisor. Hope the military actually lasts long enough for me to retire again......

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Well, why not. Grew up on my dad's cattle ranch. 3 years Army Infantry out of high school. 5 years armed industrial security officer. 15 years law enforcement officer, medically retired. Worked 3 years in very busy liquor store as second job. Achieved an A.A. cum laude in Administration of Justice. Attended Colorado School of Trades Gunsmithing School (graduated). 5 years as contract U.S.A.F. Security Police Officer. Full time gunsmith with small retail shop. Worked in armored truck industry for 10 years hauling lots and lots of other people's money. Left gunsmithing business when wife suffered severe stroke. Now her caregiver, granddaddy of 2 granddaughters, still slip out to the shop occasionally. Happy to be among such distinguished company (you guys!). :D

[Wild Bill 7]

Spent time in the Army(heavy equipment), worked in civilian life for a year as the same. Then went to work as a carpenter's helper for a year. Left there and went to work for Publix Supermarkets as a rookie meat cutter. Learned that, became a Deli Manager(mandatory) at that time to become a Meat Manager. Made assistant manager, then manager. Twenty nine years later I retired. Two years later I went back to work as a cutter. Wow, 14 years later I'm still working. Even though I am 69, I am still healthy and going strong, I do think in a year or two I will have had enough of work and retired for good. Actually need more time to smelt, cast, load and shoot and repeat. :cbpour:[smilie=l:

[06ackley]

For the past 10 years I have been a hvac service tech.

[Pb Burner]

Chemical operator at a large facility, plastics and such. Just hoping I can keep my job til retirement as I watch the place go downhill with corporate mergers, sell offs and spinoffs and such.

[xs11jack]

Military I trained missile repairmen, Deputy Sheriff, electronics technician repairing Navy aircraft computers, aerospace, built prototypes of things that go Boom, Truck driver, retired, unretired, helped friend start a scrapping business, retired, still help him part time. Be 74 next month, might slowdown a bit.
Ole Jack

[30Carbine]

Went into the Corp after high school a machinist. took the GI bill went to wyo tech for auto and heavy truck mechanics been doing that every day, I work on haul trucks as of now in the bentonite fields of Wyoming and Montana field guy. also have shop full of machine tools, lathes and mills as a hobby. almost make more from my hobby than a my full time job these days.haha

[chsparkman]

I was a high school math teacher for 23 years. Loved teaching but the ancillary BS wore me down. Now happily retired.

[edler7]

Medical imaging for 30 years. Retired and was a college level astronomy instructor for 6 years. Retired again and stayed that way.

[MT Gianni]

I traded a plumbing apprenticeship for a pipefitters when I went to work for a gas utility in 80. I did a lot of service in homes as well as construction. I have been involved in gas measurement the last 10 years. At my age I am coming to realize the extent of my life. I started servicing and installing gas conversion burners in coal and oil furnaces and did minor service on gas air conditioning units. When I started I used a match extender commonly referred to as a roach clip welded on a car antenna, and went through 2 boxes of wooden matches a week. I have not lit a pilot with anything other than an extendible lighter in 7-8 years.
People seem to be talking about early jobs, at 5 I was planting, selling and picking tomatoes in our 2 acre field. Bucked hay with wire tied bales, started milking goats then cows. Paper route, family sewer and drain service business, diesel mechanic and screwed the backs on watches and calculators at night when I was going to College.

[NY_Treeguy]

Run a small tree and landscape company so on any given day: Sales, Production, Mechanic, Operations, Mechanic, Fabricator, Laborer, Mechanic, and best of all, high angle invasive species control specialist in state parks.

[ericp]

Cultural Resource Management (CRM) and surveying are my main gigs. When it's too snowy for real work I trap and work on wood boats.


Eric

[labradigger1]

Construction superintendent, specializing in commercial work and historical preservation.

[TCFAN]

Worked for Kraft Foods making Mac and Cheese.Retired at 55 and never looked back. Now helping my wife run her quilting business. I run a long arm quilting machine................Terry

[foesgth]

Spent 9 years railroading for a short line, jack of all trades, did track repair, conductor and mostly engineer for the last half of it, now I am a machine set up for CCI. (I work on the machines that load 22 ammo)

OK, where is the ammo?

Graduated college with a degree in chemistry, worked a few years in the field. Took off on a boat, spent the next 10 years racing sailboats and delivering yachts. Returned to the world, got married and spent 25 years as a nerd (unix admin). Retired early because my wife got West Nile Virus which left her paralyzed, so I pulled the plug to take care of her. She is getting better so I am now trying to shoot up 3 years of loading ammo and casting without going to the range! I need a machine gun.

[WilliamDahl]

http://i65.tinypic.com/2uzs9dd.jpg

[wordsmith]

Director of Engineering for a major highway agency.

[rancher1913]

did construction early on, had my own company on the east coast for awhile doing remodels, wanted to be a ski bum so I went to work at vail doing maintenance( water, electricity, gas up the mountain--sewer down the mountain) knees got bad and my uncle wanted to get rid of my families ranch so I bought him out and have had my herd for close to 20 years now but the ranch does not make enough to support me so I was a LEO for 15 years(state) got fed up with the corruption and went to the oil field until that fell apart so now I keep denver airport running as best as I can fixing what ever is broke, not the planes though. made friends with the outer-space aliens that live in the city under the airport by taking them food.

[koehlerrk]

My list: Grew up on the family dairy farm. Started working at about three years old. Was driving tractors by age seven. Was driving Dads old pickup down to the feed store at twelve. Worked through college. Graduated top of my class. Got a job as a CAD monkey. Now I'm one of the lead designers for making the LCD glass in your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and TV. Been there 20 years now and its still interesting. Along the way I've acquired a few more people in my life. Husband of one, father of three, Boyscout leader, and Cheerleading coaches assistant. Amateur photographer, cook, dishwasher, friend of several misguided teens who wanted to get straightened out... and a few more jobs I can't recall right now. Not to shabby for someone who hasn't hit 40 yet... can't wait to see what I do next!

[PerpetualStudent]

I'm still a young'un comparatively (28 a few days ago). Right now I'm taking care of my toddler and trying to get out of grad school.

Did some work with precast and prestressed concrete and have done teaching at the college level while doing my postgrad coursework. Terrifyingly I made more without a diploma working concrete than I did teaching. I'll be happy if I can just get a gig at a teaching college helping undergrads realize the world is more complicated than they think.

[Beagle333]

I drive a big yeller school bus full of screamin' young'uns. Grades K-2.

[dtknowles]

Rocket Propulsion Systems Design, Operations, Test, Checkout and Ground Support Equipment, 35 years supporting the U.S. Space Programs, two time recipient of NASA Manned Space Flight Awareness Award.


Tim

[NSB]

Retired several times....for good at age 58. Worked as a quality engineer at G.M., director of quality for Ford/Visteon, Operations Manager for a very large aftermarket auto parts manufacturer, consulting (that was a waste...everyone wants to know what to do and then does it wrong their own way in the end), and safety/quality manager for one of the largest engineering companies in the U.S. Woke up one day and realized I'd rather hunt, fish, shoot, and and hang with my friends than go to any job I ever had. I had some really good ones but none were as good as the one I have now....doing what I want when I want and as much or as little as I want. Life's good.

[Mica_Hiebert]

OK, where is the ammo?
Beats me. We're pumping it out 24/7

[shaper]

Joined the Air Force at 18. aircraft maintenance B-66, F-84, F-4c, F-106. Married my first sergeants daughter. Did my stretch in South East Asia. Made Staff Sargent. Got out after 8 years and hired on at Delta. Aircraft maintenance, aircraft inspector, non destructive testing inspector. My job was to find cracks in aircraft structure before they became big problems. Retired after 31 years and started a powder coating business which I am now selling. Maybe I can have some time to tend my bee hives and get in some hunting and fishing.

[redriverhunter]

retired from the navy after 20 now I am a corrections officer

[PULSARNC]

For 32 years I worked as a psych tech in a state run mental hospital ,the last several as a staff development tech.Think teacher / trainer for the staff. Since retirement 6 years ago I have done a stint as an airplane mechanic,gun store clerk and presently install and service equipment for the livestock and poultry industry

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[Harry O]

Retired. Was a Registered Structural Engineer (PE). Worked on the design end out of college for about 15-18 years. Then, the construction end for about 18-20 years. Then the inspection end (primarily bridge inspections) for about the last 8 years.

[Wis. Tom]

Co-owner with my beautiful wife, of a HVACR shop. This will be 28 years I have been in the heating and cooling business.

[bayjoe]

Cowboy for many years
Ranch/Feedlot manager
Currently work for small government agency-We respond to animal disease outbreaks like Tuberculosis, High Path Avian Influenza and Mad Cow disease

[Budzilla 19]

Pipeline welder helper, deckhand on a tugboat, pipe fitter, crane operator, woodlands fire fighter ( I have been where they measure them in square miles instead of acres), plant operator in a chemical plant, finally quit that after 2 miserable years, got certified welding inspector license, 10 years with one of the biggest turnaround companies in the U.S., then came pipeline construction, came home after the death of my oldest son. I am now at home raising my two grandsons and have a job at home as a plant authorized inspector.

[deep creek]

Joined the army in 1966.Did a tour in nam as a convoy guard,out in 1968.started my apprenticeship as a pipe fitter .Worked mostly in the nuke field. Retired in 2007 and started a small pest control business mainly bats and swallows. I hunt and trap all winter with some ice fishing tossed in.Had my right knee replaced in 2014 and still chaseing elk.

[chambers]

Engineer designing HVAC systems, oversee construction projects working with sheet metal and piping trades.

[Vann]

My dad owned a roofing business so naturally that was my first skilled trade. I left school at 16 and went to work full time. After 10 years of full time roofing I worked a kill floor for a year. We started at 3 am, after I finished with the slaughtering in the morning and finished cleaning the slaughter house I would go up front and work as a butcher. I did this just so to learn how to process my own meat.

My next job was at a pvc compounding plant, I worked my way up to lead man then I moved over to maintenance. So for the last 6 years I've been a multi craft maintenance technician.

[LaPoint]

After tech school for electronics engineering technology (1981) I worked in that field for 2 different companies for about 5 years. The first was Sperry Univac semiconductor, writing testing software and doing process development work for MOSFET semi-conductors. The second was for a small company (IXI Labs) involved in the magnet media handling and copying business. After they went belly up I went back to school for Law Enforcement and have been a cop ever since. The first 17 years as a uniformed patrol officer. The last 10 years have been as a School Resource Officer (SRO). First at an alternative learning center now at a middle school with 900 kids. I went to the schools to get off of a rotating 12 hour shifts as our kids were just entering middle school. I soon realized that the problem with kids today is their parents, or lack there of. During the summers I go back on patrol. I kind of like it now. How long til retirement?? 3 bad days.... not necessarily in a row!

[TheDoctor]

Started off Army, still in the reserves, 25 years so far. Sometimes I think I've had enough of that. Used to be a dental lab tech. Got smart (I think) and went to biomed school. Now I'm a self employed, though far too often underworked BMET.

[trails4u]

First job at 14, delivering newspapers....then pumping gas, basic service station auto repair work. Automotive machinist (engine builder) for a few years...then wholesale auto parts sales. Finished college...built ATV trails for state/fed agencies for awhile, then landed permanently with the USFS. Now I do wildlife work, some soil and watershed restoration work, some firefighting....and whatever any day may bring. Also serve on a regional/national incident management team, doing GIS (mapping) work for major wildfires. Chase three kids and an unruly wife. :P

[smoked turkey]

Retired Electrical Engineer (BSEE, MSEngMgt), PE (state of MO). Worked in the power field for a large public utility company. Started off as a low and high voltage system design engineer, then into high voltage substation design. Was demoted into management for most of my 30 year career. Good job, but current job is the best I've ever had!

[Ural Driver]

After I got thru the obligatory teenage jobs, I drove spikes for the N&W railroad in and around St. Louis, was a deckhand and then First Mate on a tugboat (on the Mississippi River working from the Twin Cities down to Dubuque and back). Did 4+ years in the Army (paratroopers) and for the last 37 years I've been a Police Officer......There were a few other things tucked in here and there, just to keep things interesting.........:drinks:

[waksupi]

Lots of stuff. Welder, concrete finisher, construction, farmer, cowboy, farrier, lab technician, landscaper, guide, tanner, 30+ years of museum restoration, gun building. Bet I forgot some!

[DougGuy]

Started in the shipyards in 1970 lied about my age by the time they caught me I was 18 and they let me stay. Built and repaired a bunch of US Navy warships, went on to oil rigs and offshore, fitter/welder, took up pipe, topped out as combo fitter and welder, heavy THICK high pressure vessels and piping, chemical plants, refineries, power plants, paper mills, made it into pharmaceutical stainless when cancer more or less retired me in 2013. Now doing a little steel work and welding part time if the $$ is right...

Long time guitar and bass player, played many years in the bars and toured with Jimmie Van Zant, did guitar repair professionally for many years, sold the first Stratocaster I ever built to Stevie Ray Vaughan, played all his guitars, just play at home these days, bars are not much fun after you quit smoking and drinking.. Computer literate, build em tweak em got certs in network and server, been a gunsmith until FFL got stupidly expensive, I do some barrel and cylinder work now.

[Iowa Fox]

Retired Army Parachute Rigger now working in the Logistics field.

Those were the days. Go upstairs at the Sport Parachute club, Ft Bragg at night and pack chutes. Then downstairs and drink beer for the rest of the night. I guess your only young once.

[shoot-n-lead]

Well, my story begins by growing up on a farm and doing everything that entails. By the time I was grown, I knew there had to be something else for me. While in school, I worked at a small box plant and upon my graduation, I got a job with Uncle Sam. Put in more than 30yrs at that, been planning to retire for the last 2yrs...and I am just getting around to it as I really didn't have anything lined up and I have really feared being bored. My last day of record will be next week, on April 29, 2016...but my last actual day on the job was April 4, so I have effectively been retired for 15 days. For years, I have bought and sold late model compact tractors and boats, off and on, as time permitted...so, I plan to resume that as soon as I get this stuff around the house caught up.

[alg3205]

I have worked in the financial operation of health care since 1979.

[tinsnips]

Plumbing,heating,ac,refrigeration,business owner for the last 38 years. Before that college an in high school I work at a cheese factory and service station. Six more years an I will be retired for good. My two boys work for me now so they can deal with the business. They will be the third generation, our business was started in 1956.

[smokeywolf]

Newspaper boy, box boy, bus boy, service station attendant, truck driver, bodyguard, police officer, machinist, electro-opto-mechanical engineer, maintenance engineer, consultant.

OOPS! Forgot a couple. Set lighting rigger, horse trainer and purchasing manager.

[Reverend Al]

Started out working 5 years for a local newspaper in the Circulation Department until the business closed. Needed a new job so I went to my local sporting goods store where I had been buying a lot of my shooting supplies and asked them for a job. That was the beginning of a 38 year career in retail sporting goods with 3 different stores where I sold guns, ammunition, reloading equipment and supplies, and hunting and camping gear and clothing. Finally called it quits and retired when my knees and back gave out ... I just couldn't stand at the counter for hours per day any longer. Been retired now for 5 years this June ...

[Wheelgun]

Farrier, started with my dad when I was 16. Was part-time through high school and till he quit, he decided 30yrs was enough. Been shoeing full time last 9yrs, I'll be 30 this yr. Went to college majored in animal science with marketing option and another in history. I was raised on the family ranch/farm, 5th generation, we raise pure-bred Charolais, and raise and train Performance Quarter Horses. The Wife and I also build custom holsters and tack.

[kentuckyshooter]

I have done a little of this and that to get by. My step dad is a one of em jack-o-all trades so i learnt a lot growing up. Odd jobs aside for a steady pay check ive worked retail both stocking and selling. Drove a truck otr for a little bit. Worked in a factory or 3. My curent employment is with an automotive die cast facility (read that as factory). I have been here a year and a half hired in. Over 2 years counting my time as a temp to get in. Quality department the whole time. Last fall i managed to become a ''lab rat''. I was trained to operate the ct scaner to check parts for porosity. Then got moved and trained for cmm. In there we have machines that physicaly measure the parts and compairs it to what it should be acording to the blueprints. Its also the cmm orerators job to confirm die repairs. Along the way i have tryed to learn as much as i can. I figure the more i know how to do the harder it is for them to get rid of me lol. All jokeing aside i love my job even if the hours are long and days off few. All the fine detail work it involves will give u major ocd though. Lol. Guess its a good thing though cause i can apply most of my job skills to my casting and reloading.

[54bore]

Logger/Timber faller

[762 shooter]

Land surveyor. 46 years.

762

[lightman]

Lightman, Being grandpa is easy teach them the simple skills do small projects and most important spoil them and send them home

We just found out that we have a 5th on the way. Right now the score is even at 2 boys and 2 girls. They range from 1 year old to 9 years old. We go to lots of ball games and gymnastics meets. The 2 oldest shoot and hunt some. Both of my 2 Sons had to move away from our small town to find decent jobs but both are close enough to see often.

Its pretty cool to have a job that you are fire proof from!

[NC_JEFF]

Farm hand, short stint in the cotton mills, USMC and then Air Traffic Controller with the FAA. Retired 4 years ago and work part time with my brother's landscaping company.

[pcolapaddler]

Most recently, I am the Deputy Elections Supervisor for IT related business. I do ballot layout, programming, network and database management and just about everything else that is needed. I was on the job through the 2000 Bush / Gore business and I work in Florida, so.... Yeah. Getting closer to retirement everyday, but still enjoy much of my day to day work. Politics and candidates, on the other hand... well that's another story.

Previously I spent some years during and after college working as a marine mechanic and service manager. Afterwards, I worked with the local school system as a mechanic on school buses, trucks, etc; later worked in management jobs for the schools.

I've been blessed in that I've never had a job in which I couldn't find things I enjoyed doing.

Sent from my HTCD200LVW using Tapatalk

[imashooter2]

I'm a Manufacturing Engineer for The Boeing Company, currently making Chinooks. I've had my hand in Apaches, Comanches, Ospreys, 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, and 777.

[pcolapaddler]

Apologies... Fat fingers and double posts....

[GhostHawk]

Jack of all trades with a masters in procrastination. Never do today what you can put off till tommorow. :)

Retired now, mostly playing with hobbies, a few light chores around the house.

[StolzerandSons]

Bespoke Custom Gunmaker( specializing in Muzzleloading Double Rifles and pre-1898 Big Bore Rifles) for the last 10 years...I also own or am majority holder in several LLCs.

[Wayne Smith]

Licensed Clinical Psychologist - with what LOML calls too many hobbies - but she enjoys the results! Yeah, I really am a shrink! Three grandchildren and another on the way, two sons both married and both wives parents married as long as we have been, or longer. We will be celebrating our 42nd anniversary in June. Hobbies include cooking, smoking meat and other things, making things with wood and molten lead alloys and reloading and singing in the Church choir and making fertile soil and gardening. Oh, I make my own liquors, too, and cook with them.

[Don Purcell]

Bailed hay, washed cars, sacked and stocked at grocery store, press room set up for t.v. and radio cores, meter reader, refinery tank farm operator and then refinery waste water operator then retired and being full time granpa (best position ever). brtelec, had to chuckle when you said you were a deep sea diver but list your location as Gilbert Arizona, uh, O.K. EMC45, congratulations on your anniversary of 19 years, you will probably make it all the way. dtknowles, good job on the rocket work for NASA. As I read through all these descriptions it floors me on the wide variety of professions so far and but we all congregate here.

[Pine Baron]

45 years of mechanical engineering, just about everything. Currently, if I told you, I'd have to kill you. :holysheep Can't wait to retire, but the job's not done yet.
Happy Dad / Pop-Pop.

[Lloyd Smale]

pretty cool, we have it all here, doctors, rocket scientist, news paper delievers, loggers, oil workers. Amazes me the diversity. Back when this fourm started I think there was only two or three on here that had college degrees.

[captbligh]

20 years as fighter pilot flying mainly F-4s and AT-38s. 11 years with Arizona State inspecting offices for code compliance. Last 11 years as manager in City Police Dept. over Property and Evidence, Records, Alarm and Auto impound programs. Hope to finally retire for the last time in July 2017.
Married for nearly 40 years to a wonderful woman. One beautiful daughter who is a successful Bio-medical Engineer making way more money than her poor old man ever did and really enjoying her job.
Hope to be able to soon spend more time hunting, fishing, and reloading.

[popper]

Stock & delivery boy for lighting in KC area for spending money. Left home at 18 to maintain shipboard missiles and telemetry for 4 yrs. Did commercial electrical estimating to pay for BSEE. Designed electronics since 69, missile guidance, Mil. spy radios, FLIR, telecom, medical, security, aircraft lighting, about everything. Got retired a few years ago, said I was too old. Still married to the worlds greatest cook.
Actually wanted to build really fast cars and live on a farm. Too late now.

[white eagle]

Retired bricklayer/machinist
worked 20 at one 10 at the other odds and ends around them

[tdoyka]

combat engineer in the army, then i did did heavy equipment operator('hoes, skid loader, excavator...) and laborer for two companies(water and sewer mains). did alot of concrete work(both on the job and off)...i like doing outdoor work, well till i had a stroke:-P,:-P now i'm retired (at the age of 39) and just hunt and shoot.

[blackthorn]

Raised on a small farm in central Manitoba. Left school at age 17 with a partial grade 11 (knew it all, dontcha know?). Had several short term jobs in the first year or so and then went to work in the plywood manufacturing industry in British Columbia. Married at 20, two boys by 23, active in the local gun club etc. Worked in the industry for 32+ years, the last few were spotty due to company decline. In-between lay-offs, I set up and ran a center for assisting unemployed people with any/all problems related to being without work. This was a great job (but poor pay) because I got to write my own job description. This center, along with 31 others in the province, was initiated and overseen by the BC Federation of Labour but the assistance offered was extended to anyone, Union or not. I wound up managing 8 centers besides my own. My center morphed into a full blown food bank in addition to its prime directive. During this time I learned to represent people on appeal to various agencies such as unemployment insurance, welfare, Pensions, Worker's Compensation etc. I set-up and ran several placement committees for workers displaced through plant closures, as well as sitting as a labour interest rep on several community organizations. In 1991 I applied for and got a position as a labour rep on the Boards of Review dealing with appeals from decisions made by the Workers Compensation system. Around the year 2000, I became a Vice Chair with the Workers Compensation Appeal Tribunal and I retired from that position in 2004. Six months later, along with three other retired Vice Chairs, we were re-hired on contract to deal with the large backlog of claims that had built up. I worked from home for the next one and a half years, at which time I retired again. A couple of weeks later I was asked to take on a short term contract advising/representing people on appeal to the Compensation system. I did 2 short term contracts and retired for good. Nowadays I do help the odd person who gets bogged down in the intricacies of the compensation system, but I do it for fun not for money.

[HB0708]

Pool construction growing up.

House restoration through collage.

Now I'm a structural engineer for The Man... Only 31 more years till retirement.

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

From feeding chickens, I moved up to John Deere and Massey-Harris department. After high school I joined uncle sam's canoe club where they taught me to operate a nuclear power plant. Volunteered for submarine duty. Did my 6 and got out in August of 1978. Did the college thing while supplementing my GI bill with roadkill. Discovered commercial nuclear power paid good, and did 9 years with Arizona Public Service. Been contracting in the commercial nuclear power and DOE world since then. Hope to retire at 66 (2019).

[Rufus Krile]

After getting my BBA/Business, I worked briefly at LTV playing with airplanes... then Uncle Sam decided he just couldn't run IndoChina without me so I did a little work for him. Was a VN linguist in Army Security Agency... not exactly a big resume enhancer... for about 3 years. Got out in December '72 and started looking for a job when, much to my dismay, I discovered that I was another one of those drug-crazed babykillers and almost unemployable. Except in the oilfield. Became a 'Drilling Fluid Technician' (mud engineer in the parlance of the patch) and kept that coveted title for 39 years. Retired now and almost never have the drilling rig nightmare anymore.

[robg]

Civil servant ,tyre fitter,truck driver,docker(longshoreman),service parts manager in motorcycle shop .

[GOPHER SLAYER]

After three years in the US NAVY and a year of collage in Missouri I came back to California and went to work for General Telephone co. For a few years I installed equipment in telephone offices and then began going into private businesses to install phone systems. It was a great job. I went into every business that needed a switching system. The first one being North American. It was at the start of the space race in 1959. They had a little assembly line where they made the Apollo capsules. I would put on my hard hat and tool pouch and walk by looking at the capsules. There was not much room in those things. I worked there for several years until LBJ took his vengeance out on the Golden State for not voting for him and he moved everything to Houston. I worked in all manner of interesting places including an insane asylum. I could write a book about that experience. When I was sent to work on the Queen Mary I went all over that old rusty tub. I could go on but I think you get the idea. It was a great job. After twenty years we got four weeks paid vacation and after twenty five we got five weeks plus eleven paid holydays. I retired in 1993 after thirty seven years. I was fifty eight.

[jonp]

I've done a whole lot of things. Worked on a dairy farm, cut pulp and firewood ( had no splitter, I split all the maple/beech and birch with a maul and wedge and was much younger then :razz:, guided moose hunts, Paratrooper in the Army then University where I worked summers as a mason/carpenter then greens keeper at a resort in AZ when I went west. Graduated with a degree in Biology/Fish and Wildlife Mgt, Staff Biologist for an environmental consulting company, helped on one of the 10yr management plans for The Grand Canyon, cruised timber in AZ and UT then started driving truck and have been for almost 25yrs now. Always meant to give up trucking but here I am.

[bullet maker 57]

I supervise a crew of generator and chiller techs. We only work on the equipment that our company makes. lots of service contract work. Eighteen years here and ten for another company doing the same thing.

[Jevyod]

Well I am doing a different kind of work! Brain work! Am in college studying elementary education. Was in woodworking for a while. At 30 decided to go back to school. Finals are in 3 weeks so hang on for the ride!

[farmerjim]

Bicycle delivery boy, Lawnmower mechanic, Photographer, Survey crew chain man, Grain sampler,Inspector. office manager,Retired at 48 to do my dream job as a Vegetable farmer.

[histed]

Well I am doing a different kind of work! Brain work! Am in college studying elementary education. Was in woodworking for a while. At 30 decided to go back to school. Finals are in 3 weeks so hang on for the ride!
Did that myself. 18 years in warehousing and trucking driving, then college for secondary ed and , after 20 years of teaching history, looking forward to retirement. Hang tough, man. You'll get there

[Blanket]

Apprenticed toolmaker, head of an RD dept. to build tooling and equipment, group manager of the dept. and now simply a project manager with responsibilities of all our locations in the US, China, and India for process improvement, new product and equipment. Also the head of the apprentice program for technicians and toolmakers. Just work for a Fortune 500 company and looking forward to retirement

[xs11jack]

All of you, I feel privileged to be your company! This is one of the best threads here.
Ole Jack

[BRobertson]

Spent the 70s in Law Enforcement here in Alaska, been a Bush Pilot ever since.

Bob

[tinsnips]

Ole Jack You took the words right out of my mouth. It is like having a family of very smart exciting siblings. I wish I lived next door to a lot of you guys that would be very interesting for sure.

[Bodean98]

Started out at age 6 on the farm helping Grandpa during summer vacation. Raking/baling hay, plowing, walking beans(hated that!) and everything associated with a farm. At about age 12 helping my uncles doing odd construction jobs. Roofing, concrete, house building, masonry. Age 14 worked a short stint in a drug store as floor sweep, shelf stocker, gopher. Age 16 started hauling hay in the summer and during school worked at a full service gas station.(anyone remember those?) Went to college for a year and a half before I figured out it wasn't for me and went to work again in construction. Millwright for about 3 years working all over the midwest for a contractor that did maint./turnarounds for ADM. Age 21 went to work for a bridge builder and stayed with that until age 33. Worked for 6 ears for a roofing contractor all over the midwest. We installed standing seam metal roofs in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska mainly but got into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia. Age 39 went back to road/bridge construction and still doing it. Supervisor for all types of projects but mainly traffic signals and roadway lighting systems.
Married my beautiful bride in 1995. She bore and raised our 4 children and she is the greatest blessing the Lord could have provided. She has to be a good woman for putting up with me all of these 30 years!!!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR RETIREMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[TXGunNut]

My employer has an odd "social media policy" so put me down as another bawdy house piano player. If I could tell you what I do you'd doze off before I got to the good part, lol. I can tell you that I "retired" after 25 years as a reserve LEO. I got pretty good at arresting drunks, training rookies and fixing patrol bikes. Bike shop was adjacent to the jail. Sometimes 5am Sunday found me wrenching on bikes with country gospel music on the shop radio. Yup, they could hear me in jail, lol. Jailers loved it, drunks not so much. ;-)

[Menner]

Took cabinet making in High school (Vo-Tech) worked in a custom cabinet shop for a couple years. Joined the Navy in 84 trained as a Fire Control Tech (FTG) Gun Systems and Radars got out after 4 yrs. Took the first job I got offered Dept of Corrections woke up one day and I had been here 15 yrs was a Lt. with 20 employees to supervise and really did not like my job. I had always had my own business along with the state job doing custom wood work and Finish carpentry and one of the home builders offered a job as his construction super (nice pay raise and no shift work) Worked for him for a couple of good yrs. (still talk and do things with him he likes to shoot sporting clays) my brother and I had been kicking around doing something together we live in a resort area and homes are the number 1 cash crop around here. One day I talked to a window treatment guy on one of my jobs and he had a franchise for sale (at this point I told you everything I knew about window treatments when I said Hello) that is in the heart of the resort area and almost 2 hrs from his home. Long story short (I Know Too Late) my Brother and I bought the territory then another and another so 11 yrs later we now have 8 employees and little spare time.

Married 26 years. 3 sons. 4 Grand Children
Tony

[VinceG]

Spent 9 years as a professional student/janitor. Came away from that with a n MA in History. I've been teaching grades 4-7 in a Catholic school for the last 20 years while still doing the janitor gig on the side. Still liking what I do for the most part, so keep doing it.

[Col4570]

An Apprenticeship in the Gas industry,then the Merchant Navy for 5 years working for The BP Clyde Tanker Co which took me around the World several times,then Rolls Royce Derby,then Jenkins of Retford Engineering contracting,then British Celanese Derby,Then Furmanite Engineering Kendal Cumbria for 22 Years that job took me to The USA for 6 Months,Canada,Italy, France,Spain,Sardinia.The Job involved Sealing High Pressure Leaks in a variety of industries and it often included many hours to get some Leaks under control working in extreme conditions of Heat and pressurised materials.I managed to survive the job complete with all Fingers.Then Practical Gunsmith until my State Pension kicked in taking work from several Gunshops in the area plus private customers.It was necessary to obtain a Registered firearms Dealers Certificate which the Police where most helpful with. I now enjoy my retirement and making and shooting the occasional Black Powder Gun for myself.

[fast ronnie]

Tool and die for too long. Own a machine shop and work on planes for the Reno Air Races for my biggest customer. Also helping to restore early motorcycles by building parts for them. Also work on some other race equipment as comes up. Still work on my top fuel drag-bike when time permits. Building a new bike for one of my crew guys.

[facetious]

I turn dead trees in to garbage. Yep I'm a newspaper pressman. Started in 1979 at the age of 22, in three years on December 3 rd I will have been smearing ink on paper for 40 years. If it holds together that long. All ready road one paper in to the ground and the one I am at now could just as well dig a hole and climb in. Thy want to push every thing on line and only put the scraps left over in print. If it wasn't that we print every other paper also thy would have shut the doors years a go. Their motto should be "yesterdays news tomorrow, or maybe the day after that." I just keep telling my self three more years, three more years , just three more years.............

[Isaac]

Retired LEO. Still in the business as a civilian academy instructor (Firearms/Driving). Working on 38 years.

Isaac

[Kent Fowler]

34 years Process Operations down in the oil patch in Houston. Decided to leave the coastal floods and the hurricanes for the Texas hill country in 2008.

[tinhorn97062]

Mechanical Design...primarily the commercial HVAC and Cleanroom Systems world.

[quail4jake]

ER Doc in small & medium size hospitals and livestock farmer.

[buggybuilder]

Machinist and buggybuilder (horse carriages)

[shdwlkr]

grew up working for neighbor on his farm-7yrs, worked at VW dealer-2yrs, Army(combat Engineer Instructor Site chief-5 sites)-7yrs, civil engineer for 38 years, looking to go back to work as a mental health counselor for our military folks, they need someone who has been there and understands just what it means to be in the wrong place at the right time

[shdwlkr]

Forgot ambulance work when in college-2yrs

[rwadley]

Scientist

[Naphtali]

1. High school teacher of English, psychology, history - all but one class remedial students.

2. Copy editor for St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

3. Advertising copywriter for "Giant Octopus Conglomerate."

4. Junior college instructor in psychology and English - resigned when force was applied to change grades by department head, Marcus Hess (a pox on his name!)

5. Manuscript editor-book designer until health-forced retirement.

[HeavyMetal]

WOW, some great back grounds we have on this site!

Mines a little of everything, gas station work until I got out of high school, a move to So Cal got me 8 years in production machining, then 8 years in the Paper Industry, GAF blue print paper I made the chemicals and applied the coatings, then a layoff of a few month then went to work for a dealer of cleaning equipment, sweepers and scrubber.

Hope a link is not out of line, www.marcoequip.com (http://www.marcoequip.com) been here since January 18, 1985 and moved from service Mechanic to senior Salesman since "93" been a good ride, like the business and I'm cleaning up Los Angeles "One floor at a time", LOL!

Job gets me into many places the average Joe doesn't get to go:

#3 reactor San Onofre ( I actually leaned against it) 1988

watched the last Camero come off the assembly line in Van Nuys 1992 (?) now it's a strip mall.

Watched a space shuttle hit the run way at Edwards while installing a scrubber at the parachute packing hut 1994 I think.

Sat in a small flying wing, a 1944 Northrup prop job wing not the "new" one. That was in 88 I think when it was being restored, it's now at the Chino air Museum.

Lots of other stuff: Best One was being Mistaken for Dennis Franz while demoing a sweeper to 20th century fox in the mid 90's, I was actually running the unit on the street set when security came looking for Dennis!

That was a fun 15 minute!

[MarkP]

Mechanical / Metallurgical Engineer. Worked in: Ammo / bullet industry, heavy steel fabrication, machine design, structural design, welding.

[David2011]

Spent my first career doing what I wanted as photographer. I did some news including on screen nightly news in a small market. Met lots of interesting people there and later as the publicity stills photographer at a PBS station and some celebrities as well. I'll take interesting over celebrity any day. I knew my job at that place would go away due to changing technology so I started teaching myself about computers, back in the DOS 3.1 days. I had been putting up with indecisive people with impossible deadlines for 15 years and chose to not look for another job in photography when that one ended. I got some great new skills working on aerobatic aircraft the next few years and was offered a full time job in a computer shop by someone that knew me. In the 3-1/2 years at that job I learned networking and landed my current computer analyst job almost 19 years ago due to the networking learned and implemented at the small shop. I intend to gunsmith when I grow up.

David

[tunnug]

Cabinet maker/Installer, counter top laminator/Installer, millwork and all around woodworker for 29yrs, nowadays I spend my days riding around and pissing off drivers at RR crossings as a conductor, after working like a madman this new job is like being retired with good pay.

[rking22]

26 years as a Controls engineer for a large auto company (CNC machine tools, PLC control/ operator interface). Fun for a good while but I've got about 5 years left to serve of this sentence, has become more agravation than fun. 8 years before that with several other companies. Once retired, I plan to NEVER have to look inside another stoopid computer(or programmers head) or any other electronical contraption again! Can't really complain, 34 years making a pretty good living because fancy hi tech stuff dosen't work ALL the time, and when it dosen't they need folks like us :)
Raised 2 great kids and just celebrated 34 years with my bride, hope to start that Grand Dad job sometime in the future!

[FISH4BUGS]

Proud to say that I take money from lawyers! I have been a self-employed Law Office Consultant for 33 years now. I work on the business side of the practice, not the legal side. Technolofy, billing, accounting, practice management systems, etc.

[kwwms]

Pipefitter for General Motors, retired 10 years ago.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

[steelworker]

I started working for my Grandpa when I was in 5th or 6th grade. It was a scrapyard. I wish I was into reloading and casting way back then, because I seriously can't imagine how many TONS of ww and pure lead I would have accumulated by the time I left there.

Now, I sit in my ladle crane and move liquid steel, 170 tons at a time.

[pworley1]

Grew up on a dairy farm, Taught high school science for 25 years, retired and bought a sawmill.

[NavyVet1959]

Pipefitter for General Motors, retired 10 years ago.


So, you're the one responsive for the exhaust leak in the Chevy truck that I owned?

[kwwms]

Nope, we built Gran Prix.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I527 using Tapatalk

[jonp]

I'll tell ya one thing. Casters and reloaders never cease to amaze me with the breadth of knowledge they have over nearly every industry that has built this country. All seem to have one thing in common: imagination and working with their hands and minds with the need to always try something new "just because Heck, I can do that".

Kind of puts a very large dent in the "redneck hicks clinging to bibles and guns trailer trash" thing the left wants to depict us as. From what I see the average caster/reloader is far above the average American in every aspect

[sgtroha]

Retired Marine @ 40 , now have a Marine Electronics businesses.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

[AZ Pete]

Mowed lawns, worked at a drive in movie, pumped gas, harvested wheat, greens keeper asst. on a golf course, laborer in a carbon plant, nuclear ballistic missile crewman in the Army, volunteer fire Capt.,/EMT, then Forest Ranger until retiring in '04. I started casting in 1967 and still use the Lyman 45 I bought then. Enjoyed it all and still remember being astounded at getting paid holidays and paid sick leave when I started with the US Forest Service.

[quietmike]

K-mart stock boy
Graphic designer
Bodyguard
TSCM tech
Deputy Sheriff
Security contractor
Printer

Still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.

[jeepyj]

Spent The first 14.5 years in all aspects of residential contracting next the grass looked greener as a LGS owner so I played at that for just shy of 13 years. Well after paying some medical bills I decided maybe best to get a job with benefits including medical and that lead me to the job I took on 14 years ago. I'm the Director of Maintenance for 582 apartments. Same as some others I'm still wondering what I want to be when I grow up.
jeepyj

[yancey]

I have spent the last 35 years working as a maintenance tech for one of the larger cable companies. You can find me working the main lines out of my bucket truck or hanging off poles on a set of hooks.

[shaner]

Worked bridge construction for 25 yrs . Then went to school and got state certified in sprinklers, kitchen hood suppression, and fire extinguishers. Did that for 15 yrs, now security guard.

Sent from my SCH-I435 using Tapatalk

[GL49]

4 1/2 years studying math in college, then maintenance supervisor at a sawmill until the plant closed in '95, currently an electrician at another mill. Most of my work is new installations and upgrades of the electrical equipment at four plants in the valley. HOPEFULLY, I'll retire in June, but will continue teaching the third-year electrical apprenticeship class at the local community college.

[kingstrider]

I started my working career as an electrician working for the family business. Wound up going to school to learn how to make teeth in the dental lab and did that for a number of years, dentures, crown & bridge etc. Got bored with that and went to dental school then specialized in prosthodontics and was board certified last year. Now I get paid to fix smiles. :grin:

[gsjohnson254]

we haven't done this one in years. Lots of new guys here since. Me, I worked as an electrical lineman for most of my life after I got out of the service.
Retired army. Been doing computer technical support since 2000.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[xs11jack]

Welcome, God's blessings on you.
Ole Jack

[.45Cole]

I'm one of the engineers here (there seem to be quite a few). I stocked shelves at a grocery store until I finished degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering. I'm a chemical engineer and also help out in the lab at an industrial chemical plant.

[facetious]

pretty cool, we have it all here, doctors, rocket scientist, news paper delievers, loggers, oil workers. Amazes me the diversity. Back when this fourm started I think there was only two or three on here that had college degrees.

The one thing that caught my eye is that every one did some thing to learn a skill to earn their way in life.

Haven't seen any one say that thy sat in their mom's basement and complain that their welfare check was to small.

I have always said that people don't change but I may be wrong, I don't fell sorry for lazy people any more.

[smokeywolf]

In today's world, you better figure on at least 3 different professions. I've been in college 4 times; once while unemployed, once while working part time and twice while holding down full-time employment. Also completed a 4-year state subsidized engineering/machinist apprenticeship.

[6bg6ga]

I don't have anything to brag about compared to some here. My work history is rather dull and drab. I started out working at a convenience store when I was 11. At the age of 16 I went to work at a grocery store full time 40-45 hrs a week and maintained a A average thru high school. When I graduated I went to work in a factory as a small punch press operator and then moved to the 200 - 600 ton presses. I left that factory to take a job closer to home a company that made banking equipment. I started out running a horizontal mill milling extruded brass. I managed to move thru the factory thru various positions a machine operator, set up man, production machinist, master machinist and finally plant quality control inspector and then the plant closed in the early 90's. Being experienced in electronics I secured a job as a bench repair technician and a year or so later changed jobs and I currently design and repair large audio systems and AV systems. I have managed to travel to a number of states and I enjoy repairing large football stadium sound systems. I am currently still employed and hopefully will be for two more years when my wife will finally let me retire. I currently still repair audio equipment on the side as it feeds my gun and reloading hobby. Upon retirement the wife and I plan to move to Queen Creek, AZ. Like I said nothing fancy just plain work. I do have a brother and sister in law that live in Queen Creek so that's all the wife and I need. Never been there but it has to be better than Iowa. No -20 winter days and no snow.

[jonp]

That's a pretty specific place to plan to move to when the mythical retirement comes around. Do you have family there or did you visit and decide you liked it?

I guess I left out the part that facetious mentioned. When I was graduating with my degree I attended a job interview with The Forest Service. They told me that due to my military service, internships with The AZ G&F, Forest Service etc and research plus my grades I was the most qualified person they had talked to and would have liked to hire me but couldn't. They had to hire women and minorites neither of which I was, I was a white male in my mid 20's. I could have caused a scene or threatened to sue someone but I thanked them for their honesty and found a job with a start up Environmental Company instead. When that folded I didn't apply for un-employment and retire to my moms basement. I couldn't find a job right off in my field and I had bills to pay so I climbed into a truck and am still doing it. That's the short story. No different it seems than the majority of people here. Willing to do a bunch of different things to support yourself not stand around waiting for a government program. I'm not denigrating the people that need unemployment for a short period because they have a family and the work they were doing evaporated. I'm not impressed by the people that could find a job but just don't want to do something because they don't like it or are just too lazy. I was a fairly young, single guy. I could go anywhere in the country for work and did. I could have sat around moaning about my lot in life but I saw an ad in a paper for free truck driving training and a job afterwards and jumped on it.

[375supermag]

HI...

Currently run a receiving dock (15+ years)for a major food manufacturer.
In the past I have worked pumping gas, pumping diesel fuel at a truck stop, bused tables and washed dishes at a restaurant, cooked chicken at a KFC, worked as a machinist trainee in a steelworker union job, worked in a warehouse, ran a receiving dock, and built printing presses. Spent 28+ years as a member of the United Steelworkers.

Plan to retire sometime after the new year...I will be 62 in November 2016. I have two pensions, a small 401(k) and, of course, Social Security. My wife wants me out of the work force and I am all too willing to oblige. I am tired of the grind and since my health is not the best(two bouts with cancer, two strokes, etc), I think it best to take what I can get and try to enjoy whatever time I have left.

I have two Lab puppies to raise, 3 grown children and five grand kids. I hope to spend 2-3 days a week at the gun club. I will not be bored nor will I miss the 44-mile one way commute 5-6 days a week. I won't miss the workplace politics, either.

[500MAG]

Pharmacist

[Rick N Bama]

I grew up on a 2-Horse (literally) Farm where we grew Strawberries, Potatoes, Cotton & Corn. Through HS and shortly after I worked in Grocery Stores, then 4 years in the USAF. After that I worked in a Steel Plant, then I spent 31 years as a Technician with the Phone Co. After retiring I spent the next 8 years working part-time at a Farm tractor Dealership, Computer Service Co & for a "Wireless" Co. providing Internet Service. I now try to spend my days drowning Minnows & supporting the plastic Fishing Lure companies.

[William Yanda]

I have been employed in radio sales-advertising, Dairy records-milk tester/field tech, window lab, playground installer and currently, installing and servicing Lifeline units. Along the way substituted for absent teachers and accumulated over 20 years in the Army Reserve.

[mike69]

started out as a auto and heavy truck mechanic then the coal mine and now back to a mechanic for the state DOH

[3 gun Gus]

Spent the last 30 years in the semiconductor field.

[jcwit]

Managed to make it to retirement, at age 58, now 72 and that's all that matters.

[sparky45]

Started out at age 6 on the farm helping Grandpa during summer vacation. Raking/baling hay, plowing, walking beans(hated that!) and everything associated with a farm. At about age 12 helping my uncles doing odd construction jobs. Roofing, concrete, house building, masonry. Age 14 worked a short stint in a drug store as floor sweep, shelf stocker, gopher. Age 16 started hauling hay in the summer and during school worked at a full service gas station.(anyone remember those?) Went to college for a year and a half before I figured out it wasn't for me and went to work again in construction. Millwright for about 3 years working all over the midwest for a contractor that did maint./turnarounds for ADM. Age 21 went to work for a bridge builder and stayed with that until age 33. Worked for 6 ears for a roofing contractor all over the midwest. We installed standing seam metal roofs in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska mainly but got into Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Georgia. Age 39 went back to road/bridge construction and still doing it. Supervisor for all types of projects but mainly traffic signals and roadway lighting systems.
Married my beautiful bride in 1995. She bore and raised our 4 children and she is the greatest blessing the Lord could have provided. She has to be a good woman for putting up with me all of these 30 years!!!

I CAN'T WAIT FOR RETIREMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did a similar set of "jobs" while growing up in SE KS. Lived on a small farm (100 acres) and I and my brother HATED walking the beans too, we did have the cleanest, weed free beans in the county though. Worked in a small grocery store as a stocker, swept the floors and also cut meat for customers. Junior College and Navy after that. Went to Nursing school at LCJC and on to Anesthesia school in Wichita. Retired now and still live in SE KS on a small 12 acre plot.

[1895gunner]

I retired from Lockheed Martin as a Senior Program Manager. Worked on various very cool projects over the years I however don't miss any of it.

1895gunner

[Elkins45]

Middle and high school science teacher for 27 years now. Plus a bunch of odd jobs while in college and high school. I earned extra money as a news and wedding photographer and I did some oilfield support work servicing pumping units back when they were pumping small wells in eastern KY.

[Mixxerd]

I am a stay at home dad, but before that I was a store manager at a small tire shop.

[hiram]

Happily retired in Boynton Beach, Fl.

From Brooklyn and Staten Island.

Taught in Abraham Lincoln HS for 30 years.

[richhodg66]

Got a degree in Business Administration, went into the Army, spent 24 years doing that. Retired from Uncle Sam in late 2012 and have been a Junior ROTC instructor since. I'm 50 now and don't know how long I'll be able to keep up with teenagers, but I truly do enjoy what I do for a living.

[bruce drake]

Joined the Marines at 18. Got a Commission in the US Army at 28. Served a total of 24 years before retiring in 2013. worked alongside richhodg66 for too short of a time and now work for The American Legion helping out our ill and injured veterans from our wars when the VA and the Military don't provide the right level of care. And in the good times, I work as an instructor for the Legion on how to aid deployed military families

[JWT]

Engineer for GM.

I am in the design and construction of conveyors and tools for production. I used to work on the electrical and controls systems but now I am working the mechanical and project management side of the business. I've been doing this for 25years.

[bstone5]

Worked in offshore drilling for 27 years. Rig manager for offshore drilling units. Been all over the world where they drill offshore. Worked as an Electrical Engineer in the design of offshore drilling equipment before getting into operating the drilling units.

Will retire in two weeks at the age of 70. May do some consulting if I can from time to time.
My wife and I like to travel and plan on going a few places around the world.

Been casting bullets since a teen anger, my father liked to shoot hand guns and we make the bullets for revolvers, that was long time ago.

[Hickory]

My working career is long and varied, but I'll just cover the adult section.
At 18 I got a job at Central Foundry an iron casting foundry in Defiance, Ohio.
This foundry cast major drivetrains parts for General Motors, engine blocks, heads, crankshafts, intake and exhaust manifolds, rearend housing, and a variety of small parts.
I worked there for a year before taking a leave to entered the US Air Force as an engine mechanic (engine rebuild). After leaving the military I returned to the foundry where I worked in the small parts area doing such jobs as, hot metal crane operator, induction melting, ten ton crane operator, mold machine operator, fork truck driver, general laborer for the next 28 years. I retired when I started to suffer from the Popeye syndrome, (It was all I could stand, and I couldn't stand no more.) So I retired.
After a year of doing nothing, I got a summer job at Campbell's soup in the mantaince department. Got laid off after the summer run on the packing season was over. I was a Special deputy for the Sheriff's department transporting prisoners, until my knee went from bad to replacement.
Quite a few months after that I got a job in a high dollar cabinet shop, Dutchmade Cabinets in Indiana. When I was ready to move on a year later, I gave my two week notice. The next day my boss offered me a nearly double increase in my pay if I'd stay another 2 years. 6 years later, I retired again when I felt the Popeye syndrome sneaking upon me again.
I had a few other jobs that were non interesting and boaring, finally I quit working for other people for good.
Now, I am my own boss working in the garden (5+ acres) every summer, selling the vegetables at the local farmers market. The pays not great and the guy I work for can be ruthless and unforgiving at times, but, I have fun selling my wares and meeting people.

[9w1911]

web and graphic design
web development - I write code
backcountry ski guide

[bbailey7821]

Engineering Manager(paper pushing, mostly!)

[Newtire]

News distribution service technician (paperboy), farm work, CMSTP &P railroad tie gang Gandy dancer (summer jobs), USN TM2 1968-72, Tannery worker, garage mechanic, Auto/Standard Trans & drivetrain instructor, 31 yrs. Semi-retired, GM auto consultant for major tool & automotive software company.

Mostly interested in high speed plumbous metal delivery systems-leaning in direction of ones that generate large quantities of smoke & flame.

[vrh]

Three years in the u.s. Army. Thirty nine years as a l.e.o. The after years i am doing nothing.

[cheese1566]

Kmart clothing unboxer, lawn mowing, skate boy at roller skating rink in HS
12 years hardware store sales floor transgressed into asst manager
Part time police reserve during last 4 years at Hdwe
Full time LEO , patrolman 4 years, Investigations for last 9

[Beau Cassidy]

First job working in a grocery store at 16.
Next job processing checks at a bank at night. I was the guy who put all of the checks together when we actually still got them back. My department also pulled bad checks and hand cleared checks over 10k. When you took your check to the bank during the day I was the guy who got it that night and processed it.
Eventually the Army let me get my EMT basic certificate that got me my first job in an ER. The second day there I saw my first GSW and I was hooked. Spent the next few years working my way up the ranks to Nurse Practitioner and within about 5 or 6 years the people in that ER who didn't think I would amount to much were working for me!
Eventually got tired of the heat and humdity of Mississippi and moved to Northeast, TN. After moving around I am now in the Nashville market. Been doing orthopedics for 15 years. Broken bones. Joint injections. General orthopedics. Occasional first assist in surgery. Figure I have another 20 in me before I give it up.
Got a bunch of degrees on the way up the food chain but my favorite is from the Mississippi University for Women.

Was in the Army National Guard for 17 years 10 months. Got out because I didn't want to serve under who I refer as Obama Bin Ladin. Made it pretty quick to E-6. When I got an education somebody gave me a commission and screwed up a good NCO. The powers that be dangled O-4 in front of me but in typical Army fashion it was gonna come with a price. That was about the time I got out. Thinking about getting back in. I would like to make it to O-5 which is a reasonable goal.

[Nueces]

Beau, I encourage you to get your 20. My best friend was a Major in the Texas Army Guard, Ranger tab, commissioned during VN, but shot off his mouth and got run off before he did his 20. Had to go back in his 40s, as an enlisted cook in a jump outfit, but he retired as an O4 at last. It's worth it, even if only for the medical.

I remember seeing a Tech Sergeant with command pilot wings in my Texas Air Guard unit, early 70s. He had been base commander of a Texas base and riffed as a LtCol. Got his 20 with the guard.

I retired with Slick Willie as president. When I got my letter of congratulations from him, I tossed it. But, it is also true that in those days, reserve outfits were not continuously at war.

[Freightman]

Started work for a brick layer when I was 13, worked for a grain storage PGC when I was 16, started driving a truck when I was 18 and ended up as a freight pickup and delivery driver, worked for ICX, Lee Way, Red Ball, TOX, Roadway, and Yellow Frt. now retired for a long time and cast and shoot.

[lightman]

Wow! Just wondering, pulling for all of those carriers if you have any idea how many miles you drove? Has to be more than a few?

[Freightman]

Wow! Just wondering, pulling for all of those carriers if you have any idea how many miles you drove? Has to be more than a few?
Miles were not as easy then first truck trailer was an six cylinder International with 120 HP didn't pull a load very fast :bigsmyl2: I drove an estimated 3,000,000 + with no chargeable accidents.

[floydboy]

Grew up on a farm. Did all the usual construction, hard labor type jobs during and after college. Insurance adjuster, Pipeline construction, Church custodian, commercial strawberry grower, sold and built above ground swimming pools, factory worker. Spent the last 10 years as a production supervisor at a factory. Manage the family farm for my mom. Looking at retirement in the next two years.

[Smoke4320]

Started at 11 years old .. fishing golf balls out of ponds on golf courses.. moved up at 13 to doing Golf cart repair (course owner hired me because he said I sold too many golf balls) .. At 18 I was running the pro shop
at 20 bought my first house and build my own race car .. Ran SCCA F production while managing a plumbing warehouse ..
ended up running 2 plumbing supply warehouses for over 10 years
Moved to making Titanium alloys for Allvac for 3 years then ran their chemistry lab for 12 years
for the last 16 years been running my own small FFL and SOT operation plus a paintball field
and started a 3d printing business

[lightman]

Miles were not as easy then first truck trailer was an six cylinder International with 120 HP didn't pull a load very fast :bigsmyl2: I drove an estimated 3,000,000 + with no chargeable accidents.

Thats quite a record! I bet you have seen some evolution in the trucking industry in your career.

[darttip]

6 years USAF ,SAC after discharge worked in electronics covering 7 states working in coal mines, steel mills, industrial plants and the gaming industry. as I got older, I worked in a prison, repairing the special equipment, finely told them I'm 72, I quit.

[jonp]

Miles were not as easy then first truck trailer was an six cylinder International with 120 HP didn't pull a load very fast :bigsmyl2: I drove an estimated 3,000,000 + with no chargeable accidents.

Congrats on the great record! I also passed 3 Million last year also without an accident or ticket. Red Ball, man been a long time since I saw one of those trailers. You still see them occasionally being used for storage like St. J Trucking. Preston or Carolina.

[smokeywolf]

Drove for Red Ball and for Pyramid Van Lines a couple of months during the Summer when I was in college (a lifetime ago).

[lightman]

My hats off to you guys! I live in farming country and often help friends at harvest time. Sometimes I'm on a tractor pulling a grain cart out in the field and sometimes I'm driving a Freightliner with a sleeper (not needed) pulling a 40 ft hopper bottom. That gives me a lot of respect for you guys.

[michael.birdsley]

I work at a place called Machine Tool & Gear. We are a part of a larger corporation. We have two plants one in Corunna and another 5 miles away in Owosso. We machine power trane components I.e. Axels, ring gears, input and out put shafts, cluster gears, transfer case main shafts, rear and front pinions, and about 65% of the nations differential pins. We also do heat treating ,carburizing. Basically turning raw steel into gold for the big three, plus Cat, and some foreign car makers. I've got a B.A. In American History from a private liberal arts college but, graduated at the height of the recession in 09 I'll be 31 this July. Currently I am a Quality tech. But, have also been a operator, final inspector, quality tech, Machine tech ( CNC lathe, mill, and what ever else machine set up). Didn't like that much so back to operator, team leader, and finally back to Quality tech where I belong.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[geezer56]

Bagged groceries for Winn-Dixie at age 15. Went to work at a small country slaughterhouse at 16. Blood and guts didn't bother me, so the guy that ran it kept me around for several years. Worked there and went to school. Maintenance man, instruments and controls tech, and then project engineer for Baxter Healthcare. Production engineer at another plant for 6 years. Got downsized and did the self employed thing for a few years as a home re-modeler. When that dried up I went back into industry. Quality guy now, when a goof pops up I have to decide what to do with it. We are a tier one supplier for the auto manufacturers, so decisions have to be made now, and accurately. I turn 65 next week, so I have been after it for 50 years now. The next thing I want to do is full time gun tinkerer. AKA retirement, coming up sometime in the next year. I want to do a few things before I get too broke down to enjoy them.

[Beef15]

I can't decide if I herd cats or teach preschool, whichever it is it is certainly not leading grown men.

Shift supervisor in a heavy equipment shop. Never should've come of the floor.

Done a few other things, not much of interest.

[dagger dog]

I had a thriving shoeshine business from 10-14, until I grew large enough to start working as a farrier, served a 3 year minimum mandated apprenticeship program under the AFL-CIO's International Journeymen's Horseshoer's Union to get my journeyman card and served under my father and uncle but spent many more hours around the blacksmith shop learning to make corrective shoes and the tools to do the shoeing, hammers nippers clinching tongs, and some dies for swaging the shoes used in thoroughbred training , most farrier work on the running thoroughbreds and some running quarter horses.

The work made following the race circuits south in the winter north in the spring a must, by the time I had my masters at 10 years I was ready to give up the gypsy life style. I could find no satisfaction working the jugheads or cold bloods and made a major decision to turn to the automotive field.

Started with dealer experience with the Porsche Audi Volkswagen and gained a ASE master card worked with SAAB, Subaru, Mazda, Lincoln Mercury, then went independent, just retired a few years ago but still do a little to fatten up the larder and support my shooting, reloading, casting, firearm addiction, I'm the process of starting my new blacksmith shop this spring, have a hankering to do some edged weapons and ornamental work.

[bangerjim]

BS degree in Engineering and then learned everything I NEEDED to know from the school of Hard Knocks over the past 40 years! (Still learning today). Post grad work. Decades of experience with metal working, woodworking, antiques, wood refinishing (old school ways not Minwax!), fluidics, metallurgy, electronics, optics, mechanics, common sense, wisdom. Well-versed in most if not all the known science fields.

You cannot beat good old hands-on, roll up your sleeves, get dirty, get 'er dun learning. It bothers me to deal with book-learned only engineers that have no field experience in anything at all. Just a PE after their name.

Got tired of working for someone else, so..........been running my own process engineering firm for over 18 years. Still going and no end in site.

Oh.......least I forget.......married to the same woman for 42+ years!


Bangerjim

[tygar]

Worked as a meat cutter the first ten years of marriage .Worked on the railroad as a switchman, engine foreman, and conductor for the next 33 years. Retired at 60 , will soon be 69. Celebrated being married for 50 years in February.

Congratulations, we had our 50th last Dec.

One of Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. Military career from 65-93 with 4+ yrs in reserves while in college, 23 active. Went out with 100% disability, so now been retired as long as I was active. Was a cop while in college, had small farms during a lot of that time, raising, breaking & training horses, raise cattle & trained & bred police dogs. Was a gun dealer & did shows for many years. Have spent my retirement, on guns, shooting, hunting, fishing, collecting hot cars. Did a lot of traveling to Europe, Mexico, Central America.

So, I've played as long as I worked. Sure wish I could still ride but still keep my hand in dog training.

[dh2]

Heavy truck mechanic

[Detroitdanm]

I started out with paper routes, worked the fuel islands in a truck stop, learned working with the general public working for my uncle in a dry cleaner/laundromat, drove truck and worked part time in the garage at post office to get through collage. Got a degree in police science tech & law enforcement admin but never used it due to poor vision and an aversion to democrat politics. Kinda fell into heavy duty repair shop work after that, collage degree did help me get into supervision. Parts manager for a fleet truck repair shop, moved to service, ran the afternoon shift and did breakdown desk. Moved to a John Deere construction dealer in parts & service, took a year or so of working construction and ended up in a diesel repair shop for 20 years, the last 5 of which I did outside sales. Moved over to a Western Star dealer doing outside service & sales about 2 years ago and hope to ride it out here for the dozen years or so until retirement.

I read this thread with interest and noticed what independent cusses we seem to be following our own wandering path's, oftentimes with all the direction of a child chasing a butterfly..... Seems like a darn friendly & interesting bunch of folks.

[Mtnfolk75]

I read this thread with interest and noticed what independent cusses we seem to be following our own wandering path's, oftentimes with all the direction of a child chasing a butterfly..... Seems like a darn friendly & interesting bunch of folks.

Agreed, I've been chasing that Darn Butterfly for 62 years ..... [smilie=s:

[NavyVet1959]

Heavy truck mechanic

Well, there's really no reason to bring your weight into the conversation. We try not to discriminate with respect to your mass. :)

[Russel Nash]

I read all 11 pages of this thread.

I was born 1972. I am 44 years old now.

1990: entered Air Force Academy
1994: graduated/commisioned from USAFA
1998: USAF decided to downsize, so started carpenter's apprenticeship
2005: attend carpenter's/millwright's gas turbine class in Vegas
2013-2014: out of work for a whole year, welded up and sold bunches of AR500 steel targets and other moving targets for USPSA and IDPA pistol competitions.
2014-Present: "unit operator" at a refinery

No, I didn't get a pilot training slot right out of the Air Force Academy. Yes, I am still ticked off about it.

No, I don't know how gasoline prices are figured.

EDIT: I had false "starts" along the way. I tried applying to grad school for clinical psychology only to find out that out of 30 PhD professors in the department, only 4 made more than $50K a year. I made more money, however sporadically, swinging a hammer or turning wrenches.

I also tried applying for the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service. I started the application process at 35, got interviewed at 36, and then was told by an X-ambassador that there was no way they could get my background investigation done by the time I turned 37.

[lightman]

Most of us, even the ones that did not list a lot of minor jobs, have held them. Too bad you did not get a pilots slot, that would be a cool profession. That used to be a fast way to get an airline job but not anymore. A friend has over 2200 hours in a C-130, some of them in combat, and can't even get an interview.

[shredder]

Boy there are some smart and accomplished fellows posting here! I attended the school of hard knocks. Straight out of high school in 1984 into a rock band on the road. Put out a couple of albums with a major label played some arenas and discovered that the leader of the project had a seerious drug habit. Out of there quick and on to real life where I have enjoyed raising a family and working in the north. I have cut survey lines with an axe for pay by the mile. I have guided fishermen and hunters, harvested wild rice on remote fly in lakes and generally had a ball far out in the bush. After a few years of that I wanted to be home more so I became a painter/drywall guy for 20 years.

Now I own a hardware store and work a regular job like everyone else!

[SSBNsquid]

I'm active duty Navy, with 16 years in. I can't wait to hit that 20. If I have it my way I'll be a stay at home dad! Since my son will be 16 and daughter 10 I'll just spend my days out on the lake fishing, that is until hunting season rolls around. Unfortunately my wife doesn't share the exact same vision of my retirement as I do. Anyhow, I've done two tours on the USS Nevada, one patrol on the USS Kentucky and I'm now assigned to the USS Alabama. I work on the Trident II D5 missile, and currently have 10 Strategic Deterent Patrols under my belt.

[jonp]

Don't take this the wrong way but is 10 Strategic Deterent Patrols a big deal? As in, is 10 a milestone of some kind? BTW: Thank you for your service. Wish I had been smart enough to stay in. I would have retired 10 years ago.

[SSBNsquid]

Not really, I just use to gage how Looney some body could possibly be. 20 is though, the silver pin you wear gets changed to gold. Doing the math 20 patrols is the equivalent to 5 strait years under water. That's why the really old timers who have 20+ aren't quite right in the head. Please don't take this the wrong way, but being thanked for my service makes me feel strange. Don't get me wrong it's nice tho be appreciated. But to me it's just a job. Most people have one, mine just happens to be a little unorthodox. It's my wife that deserves the credit. When I'm gone she's mom and dad, the plumber, the mechanic, everything I'm supposed to be plus some. If I hadn't gotten married and had kids I would have gotten out aftet six years.

[Traffer]

Started at 14 as a house painter. Then pizza maker/cook and delivery boy. Then production welder, More house painting, Then auto mechanic, more painting and wallpapering, small engine mechanic, more cooking, process server, Then A+ Certified PC Technician. Now retired/disabled. I have actually been disabled since the age of 17. Possibly explaining the vast array of jobs. Hobbies have been:
Guns at a young age. I made my first zip gun at the age of 12. Then switched to fixing watches. I have fixed just about everything you find in a home and a car. I was a professional auto mechanic for a guy who raced dune buggies. I like to make all my own fishing gear including flies, spinners, fishing rods, tip ups, ice chisels etc. I taught myself computers when they came out. I thought, "God invented computers so I would have something to play with". I got certified as a PC Tech and started a small business. Then worked in the corporate world for a while as a consultant. I cannot live without fixing and building stuff. I am currently building my own 22 mag rifle and a reloading press and all the tools to reload 22 mag.

[NavyVet1959]

Most of us, even the ones that did not list a lot of minor jobs, have held them.

Agreed... I figured it was not really worth listing those minor jobs that a person might have had before they had a job that at least *could* have been a career.

[Russel Nash]

Most of us, even the ones that did not list a lot of minor jobs, have held them. Too bad you did not get a pilots slot, that would be a cool profession. That used to be a fast way to get an airline job but not anymore. A friend has over 2200 hours in a C-130, some of them in combat, and can't even get an interview.

If you ever venture down into the politics forum, you will see I am very critical of the government.

I guess you could say I was a gullible/naive 18 year old who thought that going to an institution which promulgated this:

http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2015/0105/20150105__airforceacademy~1_300.JPG

would stand behind its word, and honor its end of the bargain.

I have some classmates that through googling or facebooking their names they made it to full bird colonel and the 20 year mark and retired and are scrambling to find jobs in the civilian sector. Some made it to the airlines.

I kinda landed in a honey hole with this refinery job. Last year, I made as much as a 20 year colonel's base pay. So when I go back for a class reunion, our 25th, in 2019, I won't have anything to feel sheepish about.

Now, if I could just find a good woman, get married and start having kids.

[NavyVet1959]

I kinda landed in a honey hole with this refinery job. Last year, I made as much as a 20 year colonel's base pay. So when I go back for a class reunion, our 25th, in 2019, I won't have anything to feel sheepish about.

But who has a better retirement package? When I was in the Navy, after 20, you got half of your base pay for retirement or after 30, you got 75% of it. And then there was the lifetime medical. From what I hear lately, the medical is not that great, so that might not be considered that great of a benefit anymore. :) The last time I took advantage of VA medical benefits was probably over 25 years ago, so things have probably changed a bit since then.

[NavyVet1959]

It's my wife that deserves the credit. When I'm gone she's mom and dad, the plumber, the mechanic, everything I'm supposed to be plus some. If I hadn't gotten married and had kids I would have gotten out aftet six years.

"If the Navy had wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one with your seabag."

[richhodg66]

But who has a better retirement package? When I was in the Navy, after 20, you got half of your base pay for retirement or after 30, you got 75% of it. And then there was the lifetime medical. From what I hear lately, the medical is not that great, so that might not be considered that great of a benefit anymore. :) The last time I took advantage of VA medical benefits was probably over 25 years ago, so things have probably changed a bit since then.


I retired at 24 and the situation I was in at the time could have allowed me to live comfortably without working if I was careful, had a payed off house, fixer upper, but livable and mine. Chose to work anyway in what amounts to a rewarding (most of the time) and good paying job, because I still had a son who was planning college and another who might have at some point and also, guys who quit working in their 40's after military tend to die young, seen it too many times.

Since then, the wife and I bought another place with acreage enough for me to have my own range and hunt a bit right outside the front door. Been thinking a lot lately about throttling back on the job, starting to do something that gives me more time to enjoy this place, and that's the real beauty of a military pension is that it allows you a bit of a buffer so that you don't have to do something you're not so happy with to pay the bills and do something you want to do instead.

[EMC45]

"If the Navy had wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one with your seabag."

God only knows how many times I heard that in battalion.

[wksimple]

New member here. Retired last June 2015 after 40 years teaching high school Math.

Now I have plenty of time to cast/shoot and teach grandkids same.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Welcome! Glad to have you with us.

[1187Shooter]

This is as good a place as any to start participating...
Started in the mining industry at about 15, digging remote drill pads for heli-borne exploratory core drills in the mountains of Alaska, since then I've drilled, mined, logged, fished and farmed my way from the top of Alaska to the bottom of Louisiana, with stops in Canada, most of the Western US, and the Republik of Kalifornia...along with a stint in the Corps, some brief LE duty, a try (or 3) at College and some time running a resort hotel, among other things. It always amazes my kids when I say, yeah, I've done that... but sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I'd have completed college the first time like Mom wanted, and gotten a "normal career" like my brother.
Currently an electrical foreman at a salt mine in South Louisiana.
Along the way I picked up 2 grandkids and 8 kids, a beautiful wife and the best friend a guy like me could have.

[lightman]

Well, Welcome Aboard! Do you cast or shoot?

[NavyVet1959]

Well, Welcome Aboard! Do you cast or shoot?

I think he's in the central CA / Bakersfield area...

[1187Shooter]

Well, Welcome Aboard! Do you cast or shoot?
If that's at me, thanks for the welcome... and yes, I do shoot, don't reload as yet but hope to start reloading and casting very soon!


I think he's in the central CA / Bakersfield area...
Again, if that's at me, no, fortunately I'm no longer a Prisoner of the Republik... but somehow the corporate network here bounces at random through several different states, CA being one of them... it's always a pain in the butt when my bank thinks my account is being hacked by out of state ne'erdowells...

[NavyVet1959]

Again, if that's at me, no, fortunately I'm no longer a Prisoner of the Republik... but somehow the corporate network here bounces at random through several different states, CA being one of them... it's always a pain in the butt when my bank thinks my account is being hacked by out of state ne'erdowells...

No, I was referring to "wksimple".

[Pumpkinheaver]

I work for the state.

[Mtnfolk75]

If wksimple is in the Bakersfield area, I'm only about 75-80 minutes away. If he needs help, I can manage that fine as I'm there at least once a week.

[wksimple]

No, I was referring to "wksimple".

Yes, Near Bakersfield. Actually up in the mountains in Tehachapi,CA. Been casting since 1972 and shooting since 1962. When I was a Reserve LEO, I would cast and shoot 600 to 800 .38 wadcutters a month. Used a ten cavity mold and a 20 pound pot with a dipper. Good times!

[smokeywolf]

Yes, Near Bakersfield. Actually up in the mountains in Tehachapi,CA. Been casting since 1972 and shooting since 1962. When I was a Reserve LEO, I would cast and shoot 600 to 800 .38 wadcutters a month. Used a ten cavity mold and a 20 pound pot with a dipper. Good times!

Think I'm about 80 or 90 miles South of you.

Tehachapi is a pretty place. Got caught in a blizzard one time, up around the 5,000 ft. mark between Lone Tree and Jawbone Canyons; on horseback. Coincidentally, I think it was the first week of May of about 1979 or '80.

[drifterdon]

Retired Supplier Quality manager for and Aircraft manufacturer.

[Beau Cassidy]

Retired Supplier Quality manager for and Aircraft manufacturer.

Is it just me or are there a lot of folks in the aircraft industry on here?

[NavyVet1959]

Yes, Near Bakersfield. Actually up in the mountains in Tehachapi,CA. Been casting since 1972 and shooting since 1962. When I was a Reserve LEO, I would cast and shoot 600 to 800 .38 wadcutters a month. Used a ten cavity mold and a 20 pound pot with a dipper. Good times!

I was just going by what you listed on another forum...

[Mtnfolk75]

wksimple,

I lived in Tehachapi from 1986 until 1997, both my Daughters graduated from THS. 1st in 97' & the other in 98', my son graduated from KVHS after I transferred to the Lake with the KCSO. Were you a Reserve with us?

[wksimple]

wksimple,

I lived in Tehachapi from 1986 until 1997, both my Daughters graduated from THS. 1st in 97' & the other in 98', my son graduated from KVHS after I transferred to the Lake with the KCSO. Were you a Reserve with us?

Small world! My son graduated from THS in '97. I might know your daughter. Name? (PM?) I was a Reserve with El Segundo PD. My training officer ironically lives in Kernville. Go figure.

[wksimple]

I was just going by what you listed on another forum...

My son and I are also on Calguns. Is that the other forum?

[NavyVet1959]

My son and I are also on Calguns. Is that the other forum?

That, theshaveden.com, and badgerandblade.com

[daniel lawecki]

Early years wiring custom built houses then American Ship building wiring then OI today present job build 31 years same company. Our material handling systems are in North America and South America our made supplier of robots is Fanuc Campbell's Soup ,Kimberly Clark, and many others.

[dk17hmr]

Worked at a hardware store and a sprinkler manufacturing shop during high school. During college (going after an architectural degree) worked for a residential contractor as well as a block mason, whichever needed me on the days I wasn't in class. After college (and realizing architecture wasnt what I wanted to do) worked in a custom cabinet shop. After work dried up there moved to w Wyoming, became a construction materials tester for a large company that didn't care about the employees. Got a job with the State government doing constitution materials testing, survey, inspection, and overseeing large road and bridge construction projects. I'll be staying here for the next 30 years unless I get really ticked off.