Recently, I finished 10 years in the Navy as a nuclear mechanic. Those years were spent in Charleston, SC; Norfolk, VA; and most recently in San Diego. I loved my time in San Diego. I had an easy office job. 7:30 to 2 most days, Monday thru Friday. I wasn't really working in the nuclear community either, which was a nice change for me.
Now that I am out with a job in the normal, everyday world, I get asked questions about my time in the Navy. How was life on the ship? Did you like it? How is this job compared to the jobs I had? I answer the questions honestly and usually get an approving feeling from the inquisitive person. Like they are proud of my service, and of the military in general. They should be proud and I should too, however, there was always this sense of negativity while I was in the Navy. Everyone has the "grass is always greener" feeling, but it was that tenfold in the nuclear community.
When I was recruited, I was pitched the nuclear program from the beginning. One of the big points was, "You will get a great job after you finish your time with the Navy!" There were the usuals, travel, good pay, pride and the sense of accomplishment for finishing a demanding training program. The training program was demanding, and I am proud I completed it. I traveled all over Europe, and had several stops in Dubai ( which is an awesome place). The pay was actually pretty good. More would've been better, but when isn't that the case? The once promise that fell short was pride.
I was never "Proud" to be in the military, not after I reported to the ship anyway. Everyday at work, all that anyone talked about was how bad the ship was, and how stupid the Navy is will all of the rules and regulations. "I can't wait to get out and get a real job.", how many times did I hear that? That was the mentality of almost everyone I worked with and for the entire time I was on board. I believed it, for the most part. I went to Sea World shortly after arriving in San Diego. Right before the Shamu show, they ask all the military (police, firefighters too) to stand up so they can be honored. My wife looked at me, and I stood up holding my newborn son. They have a giant TV and cameras, so they homed right in on the young man holding the boy and there I was on Shamu TV. That should make you feel good, to be honored and appreciated for your sacrifice. Instead I was uncomfortable, not embarrassed, but I felt like all these people were being fooled. I didn't do anything great, I did leave and go on deployments for 6 months, but a majority of that time, I was watching movies, playing xbox, or getting drunk in some port. Why should they celebrate that? Now, I am a very patriotic person. I love our country and have always (well almost always) proud to be an American, so that's not the issue. I think the issue was the ship and the nuclear community I had been a part of.
After spending a year or so in San Diego, I looked back on my time in Virgina. I do not miss that place at all, but if I had it to do all over again, I would fight the anti-everything mentality that I had been pulled into before. I have always envied the Marines for their sense of pride and camaraderie. There is no reason why that shouldn't have been a part of my experience in the Navy.
I do not regret joining the military in the least. It helped me grow up tremendously, and gave me an education and experience that has helped my family tremendously. I just wished I had embraced the military lifestyle a little more.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Getting Your Degree, My Experience With Online Classes
I have recently started taking online college courses to finally get my bachelor’s degree. I really owe my wife for keeping on me to start. I had started 3 years ago, enrolling and signing up for English with Composition, only to quit in the first week. I made many excuses why I couldn’t finish, and it was a pretty hectic time in my life. If I am being honest with myself, it was laziness. Looking back at that decision now, after finishing my fourth class, I was so lazy.
Online classes are, for the most part, pretty easy. I am currently enrolled at Ashford University http://ashford.edu/home/, located in Clinton, Iowa. My wife started here 2 years ago, when we were living in San Diego, to get degree and teaching certificate to be an elementary teacher. The best part about their classes is their schedule. Each class is only 5 weeks, and after finishing a couple, you can take two at a time. I would be hesitant before attempting a math class like this, but for most of your general education credits, it’s a great way to finish at least half of your classes (more if you’re getting your degree through them) in a little over a year. I am pursuing my degree through Excelsior College https://www.excelsior.edu/, but I can completemost of my classes faster through Ashford. Why Excelsior you ask? They award more credits for my military training in nuclear power than all but two other institutions, They do give the most, by far, towards an ABET Accreditted Engineering Degree. Feel free to contatct me if you have any questions about this.
How hard are the classes? How much work do I have to do? Well, that would entirely depend on your Instructor, but I can tell you what I have experienced so far. Each week, usually two forum posts are required on your reading assignment, and 4 replies to your classmate’s posts. Reading assignments are 1 to 3 chapters in the text, around an hour's worth reading. Some weeks there will be a short 10 to 20 question quiz on the text. There usually will be some type of written assignment as well. Essays, research papers, or short descriptive papers are the norm. The most my wife or I have had to do in a 5-week class is 3. Some classes have a larger final test, around 40 questions, but all of this is open book and non-timed. They have the option of timing the tests, but neither my wife nor I have seen this yet.
It takes a commitment to complete the assignments that are scheduled, but for the most part, it takes no more of your time than two or three movies would each week. Also, if you’re like me and need some instant satisfaction, 5 weeks goes by pretty quick. In a short period of time you can see your credits adding up, which just motivates me even more.
Almost all of us could benefit from having a degree, and once you start, it’s really not that much of a sacrifice. At times it will be inconvenient, but the good far outweighs the bad. If you have even remotely considered going back to school, or starting for the first time, I say go for it. Most student loans are completely deferred until you are not actively pursuing a degree anymore, so if you plan to pay some towards them while they are deferred, then the loan later will that much more manageable.
Online classes are, for the most part, pretty easy. I am currently enrolled at Ashford University http://ashford.edu/home/, located in Clinton, Iowa. My wife started here 2 years ago, when we were living in San Diego, to get degree and teaching certificate to be an elementary teacher. The best part about their classes is their schedule. Each class is only 5 weeks, and after finishing a couple, you can take two at a time. I would be hesitant before attempting a math class like this, but for most of your general education credits, it’s a great way to finish at least half of your classes (more if you’re getting your degree through them) in a little over a year. I am pursuing my degree through Excelsior College https://www.excelsior.edu/, but I can completemost of my classes faster through Ashford. Why Excelsior you ask? They award more credits for my military training in nuclear power than all but two other institutions, They do give the most, by far, towards an ABET Accreditted Engineering Degree. Feel free to contatct me if you have any questions about this.
How hard are the classes? How much work do I have to do? Well, that would entirely depend on your Instructor, but I can tell you what I have experienced so far. Each week, usually two forum posts are required on your reading assignment, and 4 replies to your classmate’s posts. Reading assignments are 1 to 3 chapters in the text, around an hour's worth reading. Some weeks there will be a short 10 to 20 question quiz on the text. There usually will be some type of written assignment as well. Essays, research papers, or short descriptive papers are the norm. The most my wife or I have had to do in a 5-week class is 3. Some classes have a larger final test, around 40 questions, but all of this is open book and non-timed. They have the option of timing the tests, but neither my wife nor I have seen this yet.
It takes a commitment to complete the assignments that are scheduled, but for the most part, it takes no more of your time than two or three movies would each week. Also, if you’re like me and need some instant satisfaction, 5 weeks goes by pretty quick. In a short period of time you can see your credits adding up, which just motivates me even more.
Almost all of us could benefit from having a degree, and once you start, it’s really not that much of a sacrifice. At times it will be inconvenient, but the good far outweighs the bad. If you have even remotely considered going back to school, or starting for the first time, I say go for it. Most student loans are completely deferred until you are not actively pursuing a degree anymore, so if you plan to pay some towards them while they are deferred, then the loan later will that much more manageable.
What to do with our extra income
My wife, two young sons and myself recently moved from San Diego to the Quad Cities in Iowa. My job brought us here and we were and continue to be optimistic about our new home. Everything is cheaper here; housing, gas, insurance, food, even Super Target (my wife’s favorite place to shop for everyday needs). After separating from the Navy after 10 years in November, I got a “normal job” here.
We have recently discovered that we’re making more money than we are used to spending. This is a great thing, but is presenting it's own problems to my family. When we first moved 5 months ago, there were lots of things we needed or wanted. A new couch was needed, our old one was 8 years old and the kids had taken their toll with spilled juice, food and potty training accidents (our 3 year is very stubborn and so the couch paid the price a couple of times). The T.V. had gotten a scratch across the screen during the move and who isn’t excited about buying a new television? So we picked up a nice plasma and stand from Sam’s Club. The walls were bare, so my wife picked out several home decorations that really make the house feel like a home. All of those initial purchases had to be planned out to keep our day to day lives from being affected too much, but now, after the lawnmower we bought a couple of weeks ago. We are both taking online classes towards our bachelor’s degrees, and so I am receiving GI Bill payments, while the rest is being paid with student loans.
So recently, our checking account is growing. This has never been the norm for us. We do not have any credit card debt, just our two cars, my motorcycle, and the usual bills. With the student loans being deferred and neither of us near completing our degrees, I am unsure whether to pay more towards a vehicle, or invest on some level. We are investing the max that my company will match into my 401(k) . Thank goodness we set that up right from the start, that way we have not ever missed the income.
With so many options out there, I searched the internet for advice. I found several different financial news stories, investment advice and personal blogs. My favorite find in a while was www.thesimpledollar.com My wife and I haven’t come to a decision yet, but I am sure Trent’s lessons and advice will help us with this decision and others along the way.
I also wanted to point out that reading his blog is the what really pushed me to create my own. Since taking college courses lately, I have been forced to write again, even if it has mostly been mundane short essays, and I think it’s been good for me. I think by writing this blog, it will help me stay on track with my personal goals, and hopefully get some feedback on what I may be doing right and what I am probably doing wrong.
Having extra money is a great problem to have, but it has created serious ones for my wife and I in the past. It is important for us to establish our savings plans now before our spending habits catch up to our new income.
We have recently discovered that we’re making more money than we are used to spending. This is a great thing, but is presenting it's own problems to my family. When we first moved 5 months ago, there were lots of things we needed or wanted. A new couch was needed, our old one was 8 years old and the kids had taken their toll with spilled juice, food and potty training accidents (our 3 year is very stubborn and so the couch paid the price a couple of times). The T.V. had gotten a scratch across the screen during the move and who isn’t excited about buying a new television? So we picked up a nice plasma and stand from Sam’s Club. The walls were bare, so my wife picked out several home decorations that really make the house feel like a home. All of those initial purchases had to be planned out to keep our day to day lives from being affected too much, but now, after the lawnmower we bought a couple of weeks ago. We are both taking online classes towards our bachelor’s degrees, and so I am receiving GI Bill payments, while the rest is being paid with student loans.
So recently, our checking account is growing. This has never been the norm for us. We do not have any credit card debt, just our two cars, my motorcycle, and the usual bills. With the student loans being deferred and neither of us near completing our degrees, I am unsure whether to pay more towards a vehicle, or invest on some level. We are investing the max that my company will match into my 401(k) . Thank goodness we set that up right from the start, that way we have not ever missed the income.
With so many options out there, I searched the internet for advice. I found several different financial news stories, investment advice and personal blogs. My favorite find in a while was www.thesimpledollar.com My wife and I haven’t come to a decision yet, but I am sure Trent’s lessons and advice will help us with this decision and others along the way.
I also wanted to point out that reading his blog is the what really pushed me to create my own. Since taking college courses lately, I have been forced to write again, even if it has mostly been mundane short essays, and I think it’s been good for me. I think by writing this blog, it will help me stay on track with my personal goals, and hopefully get some feedback on what I may be doing right and what I am probably doing wrong.
Having extra money is a great problem to have, but it has created serious ones for my wife and I in the past. It is important for us to establish our savings plans now before our spending habits catch up to our new income.
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