Community Forums

dsbike · 03-02-2012, 06:49 AM

Started as an automotive mechanic while going to school for aircraft maintenance. I now work as a lic A & P aircraft mechanic for a major airline. I will have 27 years on April Fools Day. I currently work at the terminal on thru flights. I am the guy who makes sure your aircraft is safe for the flight along with the captian & first officer. I also have been responsible for taking an aircraft out of service when we determine it is not safe for flight. As we all do safety check before each flight. I have in the past worked sheetmetal, engine, flight control , landing gear & interior overhaul. My total time working on aircraft for 3 major airlines 1 regional airline & 1 manufacturer is 33 years. Retirement cant come to soon, however I still have 10-14 more years.

Wizard · 03-02-2012, 06:53 AM

Started as an electrician, moved to Electronics Technician, moved into management as an Electrical leadman. From there was promoted to shift foreman in the maintenance department and later to Maintenance supervisor.

After retirement was called back to work to fill a position as Maintenance Engineer for a year or so.

Most of this was with Uniroyal ( 8 years ), Georgia Kaolin ( 2 Years ) and Grumman Aerospace ( 24 years ). Grumman later changes to Northrop/Grumman then Vought Aircraft and is now Triumph Aerostructures.

henderson · 03-02-2012, 07:09 AM

spent most of my life as a Crainial-Proctologist, There's good money to be made getting folks heads out of their butts.

jzick · 03-02-2012, 07:12 AM

20+ years as international technical coordinator - used to leave home on Sunday and return in 8-10 weeks. 20+ years as manufacturing manager of medium sized medical equipment manufacturer (3000 factory employees). Venture capitalist for tiny companies now.

akadeadeye · 03-02-2012, 07:16 AM

Real estate.

Don

Wayne M · 03-02-2012, 07:21 AM

USMC 23+ years in Signal Intelligence (four of those GenSer Comms, Radio Telegraph Operator)

Ten years in the civilian community with 3 different low pay jobs.

Information Security Specialist, NASA, JSC for 12 years. (About 6 months of that was as a secretary - only way I could get my foot in the door.)

Retarded(retired) now.

Ramblin · 03-02-2012, 07:37 AM

Started off my working life as a cook and bookkeeper in a Louisiana-style french restaurant in eastern NC, worked there 10 years to fund my passion, playing drums in a rock and roll band.

Once I figured out that PLAYING in the band was not as lucrative as RENTING MY STUFF to bands, I went into sound reinforcement and multitrack recording. Doing live sound at night, and recording projects during the day. This lead me, inevitably, into the computer field.

Got into computer networking, systems engineering, security, and programming, where I've been for the last 20 years, and am to this day.

Somewhere along the way, I met and married my DW, whose passion is the horse industry. We live on a working horse facility that we designed and built in central NC, and are hoping to retire and go FT in the RV, eventually.

wildtoad · 03-02-2012, 07:50 AM

25 years commercial software development in insurance industry.

BudtheDiplomat · 03-02-2012, 07:52 AM

I was one of the last guys drafted. Once in, fell in love with the ideals. U.S. Army-24 years, E-1 to E-6, W-1 to CW4, Major, retired. Moved to Houston, started a medical company (personnel, sterile disposables and equipment) in 1993, still going strong. I should be able to retire in the next 50, maybe 70 years...nah, I have daughters.

abarkl · 03-02-2012, 07:56 AM

28 years in IT and currently a contract instructor still going strong.

W4MBG · 03-02-2012, 07:58 AM

lets see... industrial machinery rebuilder (big lathes, mills, plate bending rolls), airport line crew, aviation mechanic and inspector, test director for a NASA wind tunnel.

AFChap · 03-02-2012, 08:07 AM

I've worked in farming, large electric motor rebuilding, bread baking (huge factory style), and as both armed and unarmed security guard. Then was church pastor & chaplain in AF Reserve for a few years, followed by 27 years active duty Air Force. My job for past six yrs has been keeping the MH going, but DW thought I didn't have enough to do so now I have a stick house to keep up too...

ljr · 03-02-2012, 08:27 AM

A few years in heavy industry (aluminum and steel). A few more as a photographer, then a pilot. Finally, 25 in IT.

pagosajoe · 03-02-2012, 08:31 AM

I'm a retired USAF colonel, having spent 26 years on duty that took me to many fascinating places around the globe.

I've had the incredible opportunity to work with some wonderful, dedicated champions of liberty during my career, as well as on many fascinating programs. I served as a missile launch officer on the Minuteman ICBM system at Whiteman AFB, Missouri (now home of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber) and operated the Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station (BMEWS) in Alaska.

I served as a contracting officer and program manager on programs like the Manned Maneuvering Unit worn by astronauts to "fly" around outside the Shuttle, and as the Director of Contracting for the Alaskan Air Command. I was Chairman of the Joint Acquisition Coordinating Board at the US European Command Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, and served as the Deputy Director for Security Assistance at the US Pacific Command Headquarters in Hawaii.

My last assignment before retiring was as the Commander of the Defense Contract Management Area Operations office in Hartford, Connecticut, where I was responsible for $12 billion in Department of Defense contracts in locations throughout New England.

The last project on which I worked was the F-22 Raptor advanced fighter, where I performed an audit of the program for the Secretary of the Air Force. A fascinating and capable fighter, the Raptor is now on front line duty with the USAF.

I'm also retired from a hospital in Alaska, having served as materiel manager, helping keep patients healthy.

That pretty well covers 30+ years...full time job now is finding places to go in our new Discovery 36J. If I knew how much fun retirement would be, I'd have retired right after I graduated from college.