Military Mechanic?

[honda200]

I was thinking of going to be a Military Mechanic, you retire when you are 45 and live off pension, sounds good to me, i am quite handy with tools and know my way around an engine fairly well (and i am still only 15!!) so, anyone have any suggestions or comments about this? i think it would be sweet, snag a torn apart 250R or 350X somewhere and then when you retire and all rebuild it and ride it till you cant lift your leg to start it!

Curtis

[200x Basket]

well you better talk to someone in the service that you plan to go into. i do not mean the recruiter either. most mechanics i knew in the military only had one specific job. one would chage the oil, one would work on brakes, one would do alignments. they only learned one task and done it over and over and over and over, get the idea?

[smokinwrench]

I work with a guy that was a mechanic in the marines for 4 years all he did was oil changes and brake jobs. He is looking for work now he is tired of this job. He has it fairly good probably making $12-13 an hour damn good benifits and don't know shite. He is going to go to work as a rough neck on a a drilling rig, I have never been a driller but I goto enough rigs to work on engines to know it is damn hard work 24/7. I would definatly talk to a few people before I made a decision. I can tell you from experience being a mechanic is damn hard work, your hands are always sore. I have been pulling wrenches for 11 years now and I am thinking about something different, keep that in mind.

I figure by the time I am 45 I will be riding an old slow 4x4 quad anyway, or at least a slow but modified 350X :D . J/K

Josh

[YTZ250#1]

I've twisted wrenches for over 15yrs and it gets harder every year.If
I were you I would not do it,look for a different type of work and you will
be better off.

[Kilborg]

I'm a mechanic now. While I have only been doing it for a living (sorta...i just barely turned 18 and still live at home so its not like i need too much cash), I can definently see how it would get old after awile. I love working on engines, but I know that its not what I'm going to be doing all my life. Working as a flatrate tech for too many years would definently make most people get out of it (Everyone I know that was ever a decent mechanic really)

[VABCH350X]

I'm currently an Aviation Electronics Technician for the Navy. I Repair all the avionics components for the F-14, F/A-18, E-2C, and S-3B. I enlisted at 18, and have now been in for 5 years. I have learned more than I ever expected, and have had the priveledge of serving overseas for both Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pay isn't too bad after you've been in a few years, but I will admit that it was pretty slim in the beginning. Last year I was able to buy my first house, and I am certainly not hurting for money. As for retirement, you will be eligible at 38, not 45. The standard is 20 years active duty service to be eligible for retirement, but if you are of a high enough rank, you can stay up to 30 years (48 at retirement).
Serving in the military has truly opened a lot of doors for me, and made me a much better person. I highly recommend military service for anyone looking to broaden their horizons and better themselves.
And if you get stationed in Norfolk, we can go riding!

[honda200]

thanks alot for all your input, my friends uncle works as a military mechanic, he says its damn hard work and the pay is great and all, but he quit because of a back injury, and VABCH350X thanks alot for the info supplied, it was greatly appreicated, I will be sure to look up some info in the libary tommorow at school and a few other people that i know that were involved in the military.

Thanks again people.

Curtis