Loss of Loved-One Fuels Determination

My name is Roger Millhouse and I am currently a college student for LCSC to obtain my Nursing degree. I served five years in the military and loved every minute of it. I have transitioned out because 18 months ago my wife passed away.

I am carrying a 3.8 GPA and I hope to one day return, but as a doctor. After I finish my nursing degree I will apply to 10 to 15 medical schools until I finally get accepted into one.

I can not change the past, but I can make a difference -- first as a nurse, then as a doctor. I would like to return to the military to be a physician (most likely Family Practice or Pediatrics). I care about people, the loss of my wife is what drives me to become a doctor.

I have a beautiful 2-year-old daughter who I am raising as a single parent. It's achievable and doable. If I could pass one thing on to other people, it is this: Never let the limitations of your head guide the aspirations of your heart.

My faith in Him has kept me grounded and more focused than ever. I understand I have a long way to go, but maybe sharing this story will comfort those who have lost loved ones themselves as well as set higher standards for themselves. Time is to short to hold grudges. Aspire for greatness to inspire the future generation...most importantly to care for one another. God bless.

(Sumbitted by Roger Millhouse)

Leaving the Military and Loving My New Company

I finished my enlistment of 10 years at Travis Air force Base in Oct ober 2000. I could have re-enlisted but already had orders remote and didn't want to leave my husband.

We agreed that I would have 68 days (the terminal leave I had on the books) to get a job and if I didn't get one then I would re-enlist at the last moment. I was in the services squadron (not much money to be had on the outside unless you're management) but had a position in data automation two years before getting out, I enjoyed computers, and got my MCSE right before separating.

The first interview I went on was with a dot com in Silicon Valley (Mountain View, Calif.) I was nervous, felt sick, and thought surely I had blown the interview (which by the way was six and a half hours long conducted by seven different people) I walked away defeated.

But as luck would have it, late that night I was offered a job and I'm still working on the same product today eight rocky years later. I've weathered many rounds of lay-offs, reorgs, and acquisitions (my services were sold along with the furniture). But, in the end I love the company I work for and I feel I've learned a lot in the last eight years. There are still days I miss the military, but considering I doubled my salary as soon as I got out, it worked out for me.

(Submitted by Mrs. Peggy Boyd)

Making a List Led to Teaching

Throughout my military career I always performed well in training and operations. When it came time to retire, I sat down and listed all the things that I enjoyed about the Army. I then listed the various jobs and their qualities that I may be interested in.

From the list I soon saw that what I enjoyed and elementary education coincided. I never was a principal or big-time operator, I was simply an elementary educator, and I was an excellent teacher and I thoroughly enjoyed my 20 years in the classroom.

Young kids desperately need male role models and I strongly encourage men to become elementary school teachers. It's a very satisfying profession even though the paperwork is a killer.

(Submitted by Jim Brosman)

'Maybe I'm Doing Something Wrong'

I retired three months ago. I'm not usually a person to judge or complain but when a Soldier retires from an overseas location, they need to be advised far in advance of the difficulties. I have been in Florida in a hotel for two months.

In Florida, I found that the personal first job interview is gone -- it's all online. The first impression that goes along with an application is no longer is there.

I applied for more than 100 jobs using the in-place systems and have had one call back. My resume has been professionally done, and still nothing. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. But when I retired I was given a plane ticket and a hand shake because the military community there is just too busy shutting down and redeploying to give any real assistance.

Thank God my wife is German and is still there. If she wasn't we would be in a hotel together with a son going to school from here. I have asked for grass cutting jobs, just to be able to have stable income, to bring my family here to settle.

Also, I have told a family member, that I came here to help take care of in his old age, that I will have to leave. I'm now just looking for anything in the whole U.S. So please, leadership overseas, please brief your Soldiers. No matter their senior rank, educate them on the difficulties of retiring from overseas and that they may run into trouble after being away from the civilian sector for a long time.

Don't believe the hype about civial companies wanting Soldiers -- not if you're a common combat arms Soldier. I believe I will just soon be a German citizen where I can be employed and live a quiet comfortable life, just not in my home and beloved U.S.

(Submitted by Mr. Roland Meader)

Pursue the Job You Want

After seven years with the Army, and three combat tours, it was time to call it quits. My second job interview was with a forman who was the same MOS as me in the Army.

My interview was as comfortable as two, old Cav troopers shooting the breeze in the barracks. The best advice I can give is, find the job that you would like and pursue that job. Get your resume polished up at ACAP and don't BS any on it. Most foremen understand your new to the real world. Lastly, relax there is no UCMJ actions for screwing up an interview.

(Submitted by William Ramey)

Credit Cards Killing Me

As a Navy Reservist, I was recalled to active duty in 2005 for an IA tour in Iraq on a convoy security team. While in country, I was injured by a blast and later diagnosed with TBI and PTSD. I was just retired TDRL at 30 percent in August 2008 after spending almost two years on Med Hold undergoing treatment and counseling.

Some of the problems that I have experienced since my retirement have been not qualifying for unemployment due to not being able to work full time because of VA appointments, delay in VA Rating after being told in VAAP while still active that it would be four to six weeks after we turn in our DD 214. I'm now being told it will be four to six months.

I’ve applied for Social Security but am not sure that I will even qualify since my DOD rating was only 30 percent and I have no idea when the VA will come back with their rating. As far as retirement pay, I have tried repeatedly to find out what my pay will be every month so I can try and work out some kind of a budget to make my mortgage, credit card and child support payments.

I'm still getting the runaround from DFAS and unsure what type of surprises I have waiting for me the end of the month or if I even have a check waiting. After being under SCRA for that long, I already have an adjustment back to regular interest rates. I've been advised by my credit card companies that if I'm a late pay that my interest could go as high as 29 percent. Any advice is greatly appreciated as I'm sure there are others experiencing these types of hardships as well.

(Submitted by Rick Bolander, MA1, Retired)

Get Company's Promises to You in Writing

I have two jobs after leaving the retirement. The first was with The Salvation Army as a facility Manager, the job ended due to lack of funding to operate the facility. The second I found from another retired Coasty after attending college for 2.5 years and a climbing debit.

I found that you must get what they say in writing. I was told of many benefits that did not come to pass: The job is in a remote area, I was to receive cable, Internet, sick time, annual pay increases, all the over time I could want, and the use of a company-furnished vehicle.

There is no sock time, the cable and Internet I have to pay for, I have not seen an annual pay increase and I have been told to limit my use of the company vehicle. Not everything has been roses but the lack of honesty shows that no matter how trusting companies may seem if it's not in writing don’t bet on it.

We are a GSA-contracted company and they follow the GSA schedules, if GSA doesn't state in the contract what is to be paid toyou don't get it. If GSA doesn't allow for annual pay increases,no pay increase, or require sick time don't get it. If it is not in writing you do not get it.

Remember no matter who the company is or who the company is contracted to if it's not in writing don't bank on it.

(Submitted by Mr. James Plunk)