Well today my Grandma (who i live with and always have) wakes me up at 7 this morning. She has just lost her job. GE Aviation let go ALL of their Administrators and Admin assistance, She has until July 10th which is her last day, and then they are offering one month full pay and will even pay for schooling if she wants to go back to school. Now when you think Grandma you think old, but no, my Grandmother is only 58 years old. This is going to affect us ALOT, needless today i have been out all day applying for jobs and collecting applications. I hope i can get back on my feet with a job soon, and hopefully my grandma can find a job soon. She makes $20 an hour right now, and she has alot of bills, i try as hard as i can to help her out when i have money, i just gave her $380 to pay for alot of things. Hopefully this all works out and i get a job and so does she.

Michigan sucks. Im contemplating on moving out of state.

That is a bummer, sorry to hear that, My step dad just got laid off as well....

The market does blow.

i just picked up 2 irrigation jobs at newly built schools, long days backbreaking labor not the best pay for the work ... but its a job

I hear you on that. Michigan sucks really bad right now. I am looking for a 2nd job...I wish I couldn't be picky on where I apply but I have to in order to keep the job I have, go to college full time, and have a 2nd job to be flexible with those hours....

Keep chugging away the best you can. They say the market is starting to recover. I think Michigan will be one of the last states to recover, but I think we're hitting rock bottom right now. We'll rebound soon.

Either that or potentially get worse. I wouldn't call this rock bottom yet.

Michigan IS hitting rock bottom Ben, we have the highest Unemployment rate in the country.

But whose to say it isn't going to even get worse Boosten?

not to sound like a recruiter or nothing lol

but the military can help you out alot if your interested in it. its not right for all people and it may not be in your interest but to tell you the truth i dont know where id be without it. they pay you for everything and cover everything from your rent to medical bills and you still get a respectable paycheck on top of that which is pretty much spending money cause they give you money seperate for food. you can go to college with online classes for free and you will have a GI bill you can transfer over to your kids or wife (if you have one). they will pay off any debt you have when you join if u ask about it, they have programs that will help you.

its not just shooting and going to iraq. 63% of all american military is on home soil right now as of the begining of this month. not everyone goes overseas, most are attached to commands or squadrons that spend mabe 9 months overseas at most on small occasions. unless you pick a job that involves being in a combat zone.

message me if your interested i can show u where to get some info. im sure richard can help if u like the idea of the army, i can help with navy and marine corp.


just throwing it out there as an option.

MAC

All of the economists.

Look I'm trying to sell my house right now to move back to Michigan. Oregon's economy is 2nd worse behind Michigan. Trust me, I've been following the jobs and housing market closely over the past year.

All the signs say we have hit rock bottom. It may take a year before things get back to the way they were. There might be some job losses along the way, but the basic, most important parts of the economy are rebounding.

You know, ive always thought about this. i just dont know if i could see myself ever doing this. there is many things holding me back telling me no, but then theres things telling me i need to, but im just not sure. One main reason i never joined the service is my Mom promised to me and my brother both, that if we didnt join the service she would quit smoking, and to me, thats a damn good reason to not join, to save my mothers health. But yet she still smokes.... so idk, i will think about this hard, i always have.

You should come to Texas. Texas created more jobs in 2008 than all other 49 states...combined. Houston has one of the best job markets in the country.

Michigan is a joke. Once I'm done with school; I'm leaving.

So she made you promise not to do something if she promised to do something? If that were to happen when dealing with a Recruiter, you'd be ready to beat the crap out of your lying, [crap]-bag Used-Car-Salesman Recruiter. Yet it's ok for your mom to lie to you? I hear these woe-is-me stories EVERY day. When you're FINALLY ready to go do something for yourself and not be held back by someone else, go see your local Recruiter. How long ago did she make this promise? By now, she's the one responsible for saving her health. Let's consider for a moment that her health gets REALLY bad. You can apply through thr Army to have her become a dependant of yours. Which would entitle her to military health care. Free of charge.

Ask any Service Member: How aware or effected by this Recession are you? The response will be: "Gas is a little more expensive, but at least the price of pretty much everything is going down. Hell, just the other day I went and bought..." As stated in 20GTP02's thread about promotion in the grocery business, "Any [advancement] in these times is a GOOD sign". If you dont get at least 2 or 3 promotions in 1 year's time in the Army, you're doing yourself a GRAVE disservice.

You want money? The Army is the best bet. Paychecks are the same regardless of Branch. The Army promotes faster and further. Ask around. It's not uncommon for an Enlisted Soldier to retire as an officer or Warrant Officer or E-7+. If you retire E-8 in USAF, you're a god. Pretty much the same thing in the USN (MACGTP, help me out here).

Man, I can go on and on for 12 years, non-stop, about what the Army can provide, but allow me this instead:

JUN 97: Basic Training, Columbia, SC
AUG 97: AIT, Augusta, GA
MAR 98: FT Campbell, KY (north of Nashville)
AUG 99: Korea
AUG 00: Special Operations
JUN 02: Afghanistan
NOV 02: Savannah, GA
MAY 04: Korea
MAY 05: Research and Development
APR 08: Recruiter
JUL 09: FT Campbell, KY

Cumulative college credit: 64 CH @ 3.6 GPA
Cost of college: books

out of pocket expenses for delivery of 2 children: $0

7,000 lbs of stuff in the house

2 cars, title in hand

What civilian job can do even HALF of all that? With only a high-school diploma?

When you're ready, call your local Recruiter for what else the Army's got. You will walk away wondering why you were so scared to begin with. Got questions? Call me 877-414-1310.

Rick,

First off, I totally appreciate what you, Herc, and others have done for myself and this country. But I just want to play devils advocate for a second.

Yep, the army provided you with good benefits. However, you put your life in danger. To me, that's not something to take lightly.

Yeah, I've got some college debt and I had to pay for my daughter's birth. But I've never had to worry about dying or what it would do to my family.

Sorry I don't mean to be a downer. But if we are talking about military recruitment, I just wanted to tell the whole picture. Maybe I'm a wimp...but I'd trade my college debt for the piece of mind knowing I am safe at the good ole USA.

And again, I mean it with no disrespect. You guys have done something I could not do (I admit after 9/11 I thought about joining, but I was already neck deep in college). I have the utmost respect for what you guys do and have done...I just hope people realize the risk when they are thinking about saving on student loans...it's a big commitment.

Boosten, I can tell you right before my freshman year of high school my parents got divorced and my mom had trouble finding a job. We were on welfare/foodstamps. She worked during the day and took college courses at night to get her Masters. I went to high school, came home and made dinner for my little brothers then went to work for 5-6 hours each night. We made it through though. My mom got a full time job, I paid my own way through college (getting my Masters too, and in only 5 years, and while working 30 hours a week). It can be done. It's not easy, but it can be done.

If you want to join the military it's a great opportunity and it's a really important service you could provide for your country. I just hate when people feel it is their ONLY option because I think you can make it other ways too. But if the military is what you want to do, by all means, go for it!

And no disrespect, insult, or offense taken.

The thing I have against putting one's life on the line is that life out of the Army is just as, if not more, dangerous. Case in point: a young man agreed to an appointment here a few months ago. He liked the information, but was unwilling to commit because of the inherent risk associated with military service. A month ago, he was found dead, beaten to death on a sidewalk in Lufkin. Yeah, civilian life is much more safe than Army life.

I also know that I would prefer knowing that I died in honorable, noble to service to a cause greater than my own paycheck or perceived personal safety. That and the thought that my name will be immortalized in brass, granite, and/or marble bringing honor to my family name. When the Nation called, I was there to protect and defend Her when others were...unwilling. No greater accomplishment, IMO. Yet again, I am biased. I am a Soldier and a Non-Commissioned Officer.

I really considered the Armed forces once I got out of High School but just couldn't put my self out there in harms way. Of course as stated before majority of armed forces are not in combat but yet there is always that risk.

wtf are they thinking canning ALL the admin assistants? Sure they'll save money on the bottom line but now they're spending $30-$40 an hour to have the engineers deal with the stuff the admin assistants had been doing...

Too bad you can´t cross the border swimming to find better jobs.

I've really considered it, my job working making sandwiches @ Potbelly really sucks. On the app and orientation I told them I wanted full time and the most they can give me is 20 hours because they are giving all these highschoolers spending cash that want to work there instead of giving college kids a chance and giving us money that we really need to live. I also have yet another part time job and I only get 8 hours on that so I have a total of 25 hours a week from 2 jobs, its very sad. I'm currently looking for another, and it just isnt looking too hot.

Exacly. it used to be Smiths Aerospace, until GE bought it, and when GE came in they said jobs were going to be cut, which they cut some of the secretaries and kept all the good ones around, my grandma was a good one i guess lol, but then they came in this week and said everyone is gone on july 10th.

Man that sucks, the job market is bad right now but I just got a second job at a liquior store just to help out with gas and like activity money I need to go to clubs, amusement parts, etc. Virginia has alot of jobs and lots of people are hiring but there mostly like overnight jobs at home depot, target etc, and mc donalds, wendys but nobody wants a job at these places because there to big for that. To me at a time like this a job is a job.

I hope things get better for you a your grandmother boosten.

Yep, you and I are just two different people who chose two different paths. It worked out for each of us though.

there are tons of jobs available in IA right now, just not for skilled labor so much.

The hard part about todays job market is not the fact places arent hiring, because some places they are.

Its the fact that younger be like myself, Boostin, arl, and all the other young un-employed folk have to compete with other young 'unz and umemployed adults.

Yeah, I thought about joining the military right after high school. My dad was in the Army my whole early childhood when I was living with him before my parents split. I was in boy scouts, went to my dad's office, I was just enjoyed being around that stuff. I wish there was a way to do like a "trial period" and see if I would want to go the full distance and actually commit. I've always said that I think I woulda joined if I was living in the '70s, early '80s, because my dad always has these interesting stories to tell me. But IDK, maybe one of these days...

So after high school I went to work at Dollar General as an Asst. Manager and went to college full-time in business. I just went to a community college because I got grants and it was all paid for. I did that for about a year but I really couldn't decide on what I really wanted to pursue. I coulda went for one more year for free until I would have to transfer to a university for a bachelor's. Then that would mean loans and and money I didn't have at the time. I wasn't too crazy about having a debt to pay and interest. I was also looking at the future job market after I would graduate and obviously that didn't look too promising in the near future.

So I heard they were opening a brand new Honda plant where my dad lived. I hadn't seen him but maybe 3 times in 9 years so I decided to move to Indiana to get to know him while I can, and hopefully get on at this plant. I ended up getting called and i'm now employed over there. Decent benefits, a lot better pay than DG (at least for a 21 year old). So right now i'm just trying to see if I can move up in the company and just save as much money as I can for a nice down payment on a house. If this doesn't work out, i'll either look back into the military (barring injury/age) or i'll hit the books and go back to college. At least the bank account looks very nice right now in these depressing times. BTW, I don't just live with my dad & step mom and live off their support/being spoiled. I saved up the money to pay off my car while I was at DG, I pay my own phone bill, car insurance, RENT, food ...and help out around the house when needed and respect the ppl I live with. Thankfully i'm single and have no kids, no tie-downs. Just not looking for a family or relationship right now until I get to where I wanna be.

Right now there is my life story in a nut-shell. Hope you make the right decisions and look out for your future. ....and sorry for the long story, I was bored and had nothing else better to do. LOL!

Reese, you made me read all of that just because you were bored? wtf! lol just kidding.

Apparantly you had nothing else better to do than to read all of it... LOL j/p zzzzing!

Haha i was curious

I have thought about going OTR, for those who dont know what OTR stands for .. its Over The Road, and become a truck driver i just dont really want to be far from home, and now curently being only 20 until sept, i can only stay in the state of iowa, otherwise i found a job where i can drive brand new trucks from a manufacture close to my hometown, to FLA for 900 per truck, so i should be able to do 2 trucks a wk so some good cash for a bit but idk yet, OTR is my last resort

I'd look into it Boost.
Looking back, at 18 I was applying.
My mom was out of town, and I was in a state of mind that I didn't like. Dad and I got in a arguement so I went to the recruiters office.
Once they found out I did some paper work and tests, they talked me out of it.
My dad put in 4 years in the Navy, didn't care for it.
I wish I kinda went to experience things, but now I am where I am at, I don't plan on trying it out agan.
But being 18-19 and looking for something to get you on your feet, I'd honestly look into a military branch. Do your research and pay attention to those that provide it on this board.
Good luck.

Its getting tougher to get into the military. When the economy slows down, more people try to join the military. Although my friend did just get accepted to the marine's officer candidate school.

Pretty much right now, GED recipients or those without GEDs had better score over 50 on the ASVAB and had never been in trouble with the law.

No drug waivers autorized. At all. possession. intent. use. NOTHING.

GED with certain number of college credits are considered High School Graduates, and thus are not subject to other GED restrictions.

age limits are 17-41, must not have already had 42nd birthday by the time of Basic ship (for Active) or time of first swear-in (for Reserves).

Prior Service have a slew of restrictions, and those are changing almost HOURLY.

Want the most current requirements and incentive information? call your local Recruiter. This information is good as of Wednesday morning. And dont settle on the information from one Service. As Recruiters, we are required to Always Be Closing (salespersons from the civilian world would recognize the ABCs of selling), but there is nothing wrong with comparision shopping.

What my last Station Commander insisted on doing, and the other Services would not agree to, was to have all 4 branches represented in the Army office for an applicant who wanted to explore options, and the other branches would NEVER agree.

They know that the Army can NOT be beaten in benefit and incentive packages. They know that the Army is the only branch that will guarantee your contract, and all terms thereof, BEFORE you sign. The other branches require that you join the branch, THEN choose your job, bonus, educational benefit, et al. AFTER you've already joined their branch.

Taz, as for the "test drive": find one of your buddies or friends from high school or college or something give you a tour of their base. Preferably arriving Thursday and leaving Monday. That way you can see what an Army post looks like during and after work. Guarantee you'd bug your eyes out at the differences, and stark similiarities, between the Army and civilian ways of life.

ok gotta throw my two cents in on this. the military is a great job! even though i hate my unit im in because its pretty stressful at the end of the day i know me and my family are covered head to toe! if you do go to overseas not going to say combat cause not many people see and actual battle! you get paid out the butt when your not on US soil! and if something should happen to you while your overseas you get 400,000 dollars to who ever u choose! that to me is almost worth die and not making me afriad! you join the service to stand up for your country, the military has so many benefits its unreal! just be smart on what job you pick because its not all cute and fuzzy on the inside, and no offense richard but some recruiters lie their butts off to get you to sign those papers! a story of mine was i was shipped off to basic and 3 weeks later MY own recrutier called my mom and asked if i was interested in the military?? and my mom flipped! but where i stand now is im taken care of i have my own car, bout to go to UTI via the military and everything will be paid for with the NEW POST 9/11 GI BILL but its a job that u cant get out of for at least 2 years! just talk to someone about it or look it up no harm in just lookin

That $400,000 life insurance is for all Soldiers.

The whole phone call thing: our computer system may have shown a different name or address or something. Lets say my name was John William Sloan. I was known to my recruiter as Bill Sloan. He then sees Jonny Sloan. But, because of the number of people we talk to, the address or phone number doesnt ring a bell, he then tries to sell the interview. I've done it before, and it made me feel both retarded and subhuman.