<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I am a long time stalker, but first time poster. I have to warn everyone that my post may be a bit long, but I feel that I must give background information for everyone to understand where I am coming from. I have been a mechanic since I have been 14. I worked from that age also nearly full time in high school. I started in this triple A honors program when I started school and discovered alcohol and sex in 10th grade and ended up just passing HS. I got out of the program and ended up in a two year share time program with the local technical school and had two year certificate in automotive technology after leaving the honors program. Since 16, I have had a complete set of shop equipment and probably about $30,000 in hand tools alone not including welders, etc. I have always been fascinated with motors, rebuilding and performance, dirt bikes, metalurgy, etc. I decided I did not want to go to college and wanted to work in a trade because of not really having any guidance from my parents, I just have/had a great work ethic and being good with my hands. I figured since my grades slid I did not think I could get accepted into a school.</p>
<p>Fast forward to about 6 months after high school graduation and I enlisted in the Marine Corps because of actually looking into how much college actually cost, and not wanting my grades to suffer due to working full time/school full time like in high school. I ended up pretty high on my asvab and my GT scores were very good, especially for the Marines. I think my asvab was somewhere in the 90's and GT was around 115. I wanted to be a combat engineer for just the fact of doing something different than the norm. My recruiter completely talked me out of it and told me aviation was the way to go. I did not even know the Marines had aircraft lol. I listened to him and I ended up with the MOS (job code) of 6256- KC-130 Airframe Mechanic-hydraulics and sheet metal.</p>
<p>I served from Nov. 2005-Nov.2010. I served two tours in Iraq in 2007-2008, and one when the draw down occurred in 2009. I earned the GI bill 100% while in and took some courses while in. With the numerous deployments and work up detachments to Arizona for Desert training it was nearly impossible to complete anything while I had free tuition assistance. I should also mention I had gotten married and had a baby in the meantime as well while in. I ended up getting out in 2010 because of the horrible deployment cycle, working the night shift for years, not being able to see my family, Afghanistan, etc. My body just hurt and I could not see myself doing it for 15 more years, the Pft's were getting harder because of some serious pain in my ankles and constant back issues. So I got out. </p>
<p>After I got out of the Marines, I went to the Va to get an exam to check my problems that I was having while I was in. I was a young guy and it should not hurt getting out of bed i n the morning. They told me I had tendinitis in my ankles and a disk was deteriorated in my lower back. They take care of me and provide decent healthcare, and if the problems get worse everything is covered. I am writing this due to the fact that I kind of need to find a new career due to not being able to sustain a physical career for the next 40 years or more and that leads me into where I am today.</p>
<p>I was taking classes at Embry-Riddle worldwide in Ft. Lauderdale, due to fact that I was in aviation and they gave me a lot of credits for my military experience for a faster track to graduation. I also had my son when I got out of the Marines. After about a year going to Embry Riddle, I have decided I did not want to pursue aviation anymore due to the instability and the chop shop/outsourcing mentality, and the physicality of the work. I currently work at a job that is not that strenuous where I work in the assembly department of a messier dowty/ falcon jet subsidy in south Florida. It's air conditioned, and I work at a bench with a chair and work bench. It is mainly landing gear and flight controls. I am an ISO 9110 internal auditor for the company and am training to be an IA level 2. I have all my credentials for my airframe and powerplant certificate. It is steady work at my company with a pension, excellent benefits, good work/life balance, but the pay has a lot to be desired especially with my experience/knowledge. I just recently found out about two weeks ago that my wife and I are expecting another baby and this unexpected.</p>
<p>I have taken some accounting courses at Embry-Riddle and I really enjoyed them so I switched to an online program at Florida Tech for a BA in Accounting. My plan was to get my CPA and I have to get my masters in order to get licensed in FL due to the 150 credit hours. I have been reading posts all over the internet and I have been driving myself nuts trying to figure out what I am going to do in this current economic mess we are in. Gone are the days of being able to get a degree and start entry level. You must know someone to get you in the door, then you are low balled with salary, even with some experience. Everyone knows how bad things are now. I don't need to go into it. I have been attending FL tech for 2 semesters and I think school online is tough. That program is pretty good though because of the streamed lectures, course material, and tutoring they offer. I don't have any accounting experience though besides doing taxes for everyone in my family and setting up a small business I run on the side. I don't know if I am making the right choice. I like it a lot, but my true passion is mechanical engineering. I always wanted to work for Nasa as a kid growing up in FL. I need to decide if I should transfer again to an engineering program. I kind of need the GI bill money to help support my family and it is tough deciding this because it is tough studying for the math for engineering while taking a full load of courses and working full time. I found a program from old dominion university with a general engineering technology-electromechanical systems engineering, and one from University of North Dakota fully online with on campus labs. ODU program is non abet, but UND is abet accredited. The ODU program is catered to military/prior military with lab kits, course and streamed lectures. The UND program not all classes are offered every semester and you have to go there in the summers for labs. I know Abet is important and Florida is kind of tough getting a PE license without an abet degree. I don't plan on living in FL forever though. </p>
<p>My big question here is what I should do. I also can graduate from Embry Riddle within a year if I transfer back and then go an pursue my engineering degree afterwards as a second bachelor student. I have about 48 credits left for graduation there. I am just lost and need some guidance. I have a lot of shop experience within the aviation and automotive industries, and also have an active secret security clearance. I just want to put food on my table for my kids and wife, not looking to make a killing. Money is not everything, time with your family is to me anyway. I just don't want to hate going to work everyday. I am under the gun as well because my GI bill will run out if I keep taking classes. Any advice is appreciated and sorry for the long post. Thank you!</p>
I too got out for medical reasons. I am currently pursuing my electrical engineering degree so I think I can help a lot!</p>