SO here is what happened. I joined the military 9 years ago with a good job in contract that would set me up for the civilian world after, or make a career out of in the mil. Everything has been going great the whole time I have been in, got to live in Europe, interesting job, meet a lot of ppl etc. My job requires TS clearance. Anyways this year I was deployed middle east. I had some things happen that I will not go into detail, but I had a mental breakdown and ended up having to go to mental health. Mental health screwed me over, gave me a diagnosis that makes me lose my career in the mil and lose my clearance, now I can't get a job afterwards. This is all I know and I got a masters degree in the field that I work in because I thought I was what I would be doing for life.

Now I'm fuked. I'm 35. I have to start over from ground zero. I currently have no friends, no gf, no life. I am losing will and motivation to do anything. I find it hard to eat all meals in a day, barely it make it to the gym as much as I use to, I have lost about 8 lbs. I feel like my life is over. I have no idea what field to go into, I only have enough saved up to last me a year. I can live with my dad at his winter home (he only there like 6 weeks a year) and pay minimal rent/minimist life and make by with a minimum wage job if I had to or go work for him. Problem is I am losing my drive. I don't forsee a gf, wife or family in the future. I am pretty ugly now and women are just not interested in me. Part of me just wants to give up and go work for my dad and live the minilmist lifestyle then try to start over and make decent enough money to have my own home. I kind of don't see the point anymore. I mean if I am not going to have a family or a gf/wife, what is the point of trying to make it? I have worked so hard for the past 15 years (including college time) and now it is going down the drain...and I am just losing desrie/drive. Currently I find no pleasure in anything, I feel like my life has been robbed from me and all my work meant nothing.


Edit: Yes I made a similar thread, it got deleted.

Did not even consider reading for a second

just find something in a corporate world? doubt they discriminate against mental illness (at least not in my country)

Lift, 12% bf, approach.

When you die heirless and reach the next life and all the secrets of the universe are revealed they will tell you thats literally all you had to do to get laid

Doesn't sound like they screwed you over

Pretty accurate diagnosis from the looks of things

Adopt a dog.

I wasn't like that though before the loss of career started. Getting depressed and losing sight of life is pretty common when someone loses a career, especially one they have invested 9 years into and can't stay in that line of work.

Post is about getting screwed over in career.

Work in health care. Become a nurse, x ray tech etc. takes two years of full time vocational school. A lot of late bloomers. Just an idea.

you posting this again? Bro lot of milbrahs lost a career and made it in life, it's not the end of the world. Stop dwelling on stupid chit and focus on the now or you'll continue this downward spiral.

you got a masters degree. a lot of people don't. you will find a job.

Got it from an online school that the military endorses. IT works fine in the federal workforce, but outside of that it is useless.

Been thinking about x-ray tech actually. That or learning a trade. I just feel odd as fuk starting over at 35.

That's just life. One day you are sitting pretty with a bright future ahead, the next you are in the dumps scrambling to make rent.

Ran into a homeless dude who used to be a professor at a nearby university. Didn't really believe him until he showed me his old faculty id card.

Said he had suffered a terrible accident, needed surgery, etc. Got addicted to the pain meds and spiraled out of control. Lost his job, family, house, etc.

Went home later that day to look him up and he was legit. His cv was laundry list of accomplishments. Dayum that must suck so much.

Spending 30+ years building a career in academia, getting to the top of your field and one day losing it all due to an accident.

A lot of jobs/careers that require degrees don't necessarily require one in that specific field. Find something you are interested in and look for opportunities related to that.

I see in your sig you are living that contractor life. That was my backup plan if I decided to get out of the mil. I have a lot of connections too, chit is just making me ill thinking about how I can't do what I have done for the last 9 years. I do not know what I am good at. I feel lost af right now.

. Just go into a trade. I did 4 years in the marines now I'm a 6 figure tradie. And you'll fit right in. Most of us have a mental illness.

Well that doesn't really help, but I do realize I am not the only one who has had their life turned upside down.

What trade? I don't know what trade to go into and what is the most stable career wise. I always thought being a heavy equipment operator would be fun, but don't think there is much money in it.

Didn’t you post this exact same thread last weekend op?

plumber / hvac / electrician

depends on your area but sometimes can be difficult to get into these days unless your uncle is a big wig at the union

Similar yes, it got deleted for some reason. I know this sounds sad or whatever, but I have no one to talk to about this chit, I can't talk to a therapist because it just makes things worse for my separation. Plus I am open to ideas on what career fields to look into. I legit found what I wanted to do in the mil by getting suggestions on a forum when I started to research military careers.

There is but you have to be willing to travel, work 80+ hour weeks in the summer time, and 0 in the winter. I work ina hydro power plant...a dam that generates electricity. It's basically a white collar trade job. I sit in a comfy ass control room and monitor equipment, if I get bored I walk around and look at chit or walk to the top of the damn and glass the mountains for wild game

Yeah, that is my concern. I have looked up some trade apprenticeships...get payed like 15$ an hour and it takes like 5 years to make journeyman, so it is a bit discouraging.

Private military company pays good and you have the experience.

https://www.shooterjobs.com/

How did you get into it? You have to get certifications, apprentice?

I started at 31 an hour as a plant operator apprentice. OP...go into a utility. People are ALWAYS going to need electricity, natural gas, etc. You will make so much more money, better benefits, better job security, the list goes on, working for a utility company vs just being a construction tradie.

Problem is most will require a security clearance due to mission/technology access requirements.

Started with no experience, as an apprentice. You have a leg up because of military experience. I got out of the service and started with an electrical construction apprenticeship, saw how much better the utility guys had it and applied there until they accepted me. I would seriously look into working for whatever utility is in your area, you won't regret it.

This.