NatureJay
SJA: Commander of Ruthless Abuse


2005 Mar 23 • 1871
574 ₧

CHAIR FORCE

the_cloud_system
polly pushy pants

2008 Aug 1 • 3081
-6 ₧

phoenix_r

2009 May 13 • 905
17 ₧

Air Farce?

Rockbomb
Dog fucker (but in a good way now)

2009 Nov 14 • 2045

Pear cores?

phoenix_r

2009 May 13 • 905
17 ₧

This post is brought to you by Wild Turkey, and marital infidelity.

phoenix_r

2009 May 13 • 905
17 ₧

ROCKY, the other day you asked us about what we thought of you becoming an air traffic controller. I've since had a chance to ask my coworker about it, he did 20 years in the Navy as an ATC. The first thing out of his mouth, before I had even closed mine, was that it was the best job any of the forces can offer you. You get great schooling, great pay, and when you get out you can get even better pay as a civilian. He also told me to mention that in 1981 there was a strike in the civilian air traffic control industry, so there was a lot of turnover, and all of 81's new hires will be coming up for retirement soon, so the sweetness will get even sweeter.

He mentioned that you make sure to get trained on both radar AND tower, don't get locked in to one or the other. Everything is by the book, there are a million rules and guidelines and it's your job to learn and properly apply them. They are done well enough that nothing should be stressful or by the seat of your pants. The only image of ATCs I have is from Pushing Tin, so this was surprising to me. He then told me you can find tons of stuff online, accounts of historic/interesting air traffic control, sometimes even in-tower video, both civilian and military, with a bit of google-fu.

Another thing he mentioned about ATC is that, to the best of his knowledge, it is one of the few jobs where they treat your service as equivalent or better than civilian service and/or college education; ie it is one of the few jobs where moving from the forces to a civilian job does not entail what basically amounts to demotion.

Lastly he was very adamant about, if it is not too late, getting your shit in writing - never let anybody else choose your school, your path. Recruiters will try to worm you out of your choices in some cases, make sure to get it all in explicit writing.

Hope that helps!

tl;dr become an ATC if you like money and you don't mind memorization

Rockbomb
Dog fucker (but in a good way now)

2009 Nov 14 • 2045

Hey, thanks man, I really appreciate you reporting back to me on that

Sounds like it's a pretty good jig. I did go see my recruiter the other day, and did end up putting it down as a job. I'd still rather end up in a cyber job, as that's what I'd prefer to do when I go back to being a civilian, but I think I'd still be pretty happy with a job in ATC... especially when I retire and have a standard shitton (this is America, we don't use metric) of money to blow.

It'd be nice to know that my job will be pretty important to other people, too... idk how some people can go on with their life doing pointless/unappreciated tasks day-in and day-out.

phoenix_r

2009 May 13 • 905
17 ₧

I worked a job like that for a full three years before I had finally had enough to affect a change, although the seeds of discontent were sewn much earlier than that. It payed the bills, I had very little responsibility, the hours were alright, and made more with my four-day work week than most of my friends did working 5+ days a week. That, and after a certain point you look to your future, to your resume, and that makes it worth it, at least for a time.

Rockbomb
Dog fucker (but in a good way now)

2009 Nov 14 • 2045

Well in a situation like that, I can understand it. You were working so that you could do something better later on, and I'm assuming that at the time you didn't have much of a choice on jobs.

I was referring more to people who will take that same job you had, and do it for the rest of their life. I couldn't do that...
I'm sure it does't help that I have A.D.D. either... as soon as things start to get too repetitive, I lose interest, and then I go off into my own little world in my head and never get anything done :P

nyrigner
2011 Oct 25 • 1

I just did some IQ test, but this is amazing. lol

Rockbomb
Dog fucker (but in a good way now)

2009 Nov 14 • 2045

Well it doesn't take someone with a high IQ to realize I'm amazing... in fact, I think it's fairly obvious that I am.


Edit: Also... how the fuck did you manage to get the same post color as me, AND randomly choose MY thread to post in?

Rockbomb
Dog fucker (but in a good way now)

2009 Nov 14 • 2045

I am here again.
My signature is now lame.
Perhaps a new one.

aaronjer
*****'n Admin


2005 Mar 21 • 5046
1,227 ₧

I knew you'd come back for us. I always held out hope.