It would be a shame to give up the time you have this close to retirement. We each must make our own decision concerning things like this. If you decide to leave, we will do what we can to answer your questions. One suggestion I would have is to encourage you to drive for a company or owner operator for a year or two to see if it is something which you really want to do. Carriers look at recent experience before they will lease you on. Most of the better carriers require from 1-2 years driving experience before signing a lease with you. The lower end carriers are the ones who will sign you to a lease when you first start out.

 

Chris I retired in 2004 the only thing I can tell you is KEEP YOUR ASS IN THE SERVICE.
I was thinking the way you were at my 12 year mark. I stayed in for the next 8 well 9 years. Yes it is not like it uses to be sitting at a base a few years and moving to another to sit years. You have deployments every year or so you’re put on a rotation. Chris your grandfather or father’s civilian job and retirement are not like it use to be either. But let me tell you the changes from when I and you joined lately. A lot can happen in 8 years. My last 5 years in the service they found that I had lower blood clots in my left leg and 3 went into my lungs and the doctor inserted a filter that can never be removed. On a blood medication the rest of my life. That is 50% disability when I retired. Have acid reflux and Barrett's Esophagus stomach problem have to take the purple pill for the rest of my life but can eat anything I like too. That is 30% with just a small other things. That is 80% disability. Before January of 2004 that would have been 80% that could not be taxed off my TSgt pay. WOW what would that be 100-150 more dollars a month. After January 2004 it is grandfathered till 2013 but right now the disability check is $800 tax free. When I seen the money I would be making from it when 2013 came around back in 2004 when I retired it was $1200 total plus my military retirement rank as a TSgt. Each year the $1200 keeps growing. It is like $1300-1400 in 2007 3 or 4% each year baby. Right now for me to wake up each month I get $2400. If I got the whole thing right now it would be around $3000 just to get out of bed each day for a month. There was a guy at my last job running a press and he is 70 years old and that is no lie because he can't afford to retire. Outside the military has changed to company's can no longer afford retirement plans and they are few and far between. If they do offer them it is just a few hundred a month. If you were not over the half way point I would tell you to get out because you have not earned anything really. But your pass the point of no return. You will kick you butt later for not staying. It might not be in a year, ten, or twenty but when you get to retirement and there is no Social Security that is when you will or you realize your 401K just doesn't cut it at retirement time. All I'm trying to say is you have the best thing going right now. I'm 45 years old retired at 43 and have decided on driving a truck. Have my CDL permit waiting on the Community College to have its next class and driving a truck for a living. Not because I have to but because I want too. I live out side an AFB and have a 2300 sq foot home that was built in the 50's and do not have to work and that is the truth. My wife makes a little over $11 an hour. Live in the south like I do the homes are a lot cheaper on the mortgage. Will you receive disability who knows you don't until your 8 years is up? Oh by the way my disability from the military you get NOTHING if you have them in the civilian job. Just think about it like I just gave it to you and look into what I'm saying to you.
If you think I'm lying way should I it makes no difference to me if you stay or go. If you have civilian friends ask them what there retirement and if they get hurt or sick with stuff like I just told you what they get? If they get hurt at work like mess up their leg where they have disabilities see what they get. IF they do get something it will be less then 1/4 what you will get from the military.
Good luck with what ever you do.

Sorry for the bad words but it was needed to make the point.

 

Oh like the others on here have said sitting at the dock waiting on a load gets them mad, It will me to but then I'll think I still get a check each month in my case two. I'll hump it just as hard as any other driver don't get me wrong I was not raised like that. You work you give 110% no matter what you are doing or the pay. You agreed to work for that pay. But what I'm saying is it makes the things I can't change in trucking easier to put up with then relying on the trucking check. Trucking sounds stressful enough you will have removed one of the most stressful things.

 

Chris,

Stay in and do your 20 years. If you still want to drive a truck, you can do that later on. This way you will have your full retirement check from Uncle Sam and health care benefits PLUS the money you make driving a truck. If your truck breaks down or you run into bad weather, no big deal, you still have money coming in.

I am 38 y/o, I went into the Air Force right after high school with a good friend of mine. I got out after 4 years. He stayed in and did his 20 years.
Now he has his retirement check Plus he has found an 80K a year job working for a defense contractor. Me, I am driving a school bus and going to college part time to finish off my degree. Guess which one of us has the bigger house and nicer cars? Don't mess up like me. :shock:

 

Goods points and I appreciate the honesty. I haven't pulled the trigger either way. There sure is a lot of fat to chew. I do realize that retiring would be the best option. I'll have to do some more soul searching for sure.

Larry...I think driving a school bus would make the rest of my hair fall out! My hats off to anyone that can put up with that. :shock:

 

Chris,

One more thought just for good measure. Stay in and take advantage of your educational benefits. Let Uncle Sam/Air Force pay for your education. Complete your Bachelor's Degree at a minimum before your retire.

When you bump 20 roll on out the gate. You now have a Bachelor's Degree (for a nice cushy job) and you are still plenty young enough to go trucking if that is what you still want to do. At a minimum, the degree will give you a good solid fall back plan!

Just another .02 for what it is worth.

 

Good point about the medical Larry. My family medical is $480 a year and is very good. I had to go to the emergency room in Charlotte and paid $30 for it. Had test done that cost thousands paid $30. Everyone I know that is not in the military or retired pays anywhere from $125 a month to $200 or more. The civilian world can not touch the benefits unless you’re a CEO. You get the picture. All your benefits com out of your pay. Look at you dental and medical in the military you pay what $20 each. Take $200 plus off your trucking pay each month plus after 8 years in trucking if you do get out before retirement subtract that retirement check as well. :lol:
God forbid if you die before you retire in the military look what your wife and kids get in benefits as well. That $250g life insurance policy will cost you about at age 45 like my wife with no medical problems a under $100 a month. For me it is like $150 a month. Civilian death $100g might pay off the house and bills and that is it. OK so $150 for health, $50 for dental, $100 for life insurance your paying out of pocket $300 a month for the 8 years you left the service that is $28,800 you at least will pay versus the service $10,500. You just gave someone $18,300.
Just read on here if you can't put up with the bull in the military and get what you’re going to receive at retirement what makes you think you can put up with trucking. You can your cake and eat it to if you stay in Chris.
I'm telling you this from someone on both sides of the fence as well as Larry. There is not a day that goes by I don't thank God for letting me tough it out and stay the last 10 years.
Like Larry said do 20 and get out and look at it this way you're working for 1/2 pay in the military after 20 because you will get it when you're retired. I stayed the last year because I ended up liking my last 2 or 3 years. Man that 1 year I had them, what were they going to do make me retire. :lol: No they told me to PCS to Minot, ND. There are people that like to live their or would like to live there I'm sure, but not this guy.
Oh Chris one more thing how much will you make next month? Ask a trucker the same thing. I'm sure most will say depends on the miles I can get.
If I haven't wanted to drive a truck back in the mid 70's I would not be doing it I don't think. If I didn't join the service my other job was welding or trucking. I did welding/machining on F-15A thru E's now its time for my second thing I've wanted to do in my life.