LEO's and others need your opinion please

[Djstorm100]

I'm going to keep this short as I can. In the last 10 months, I've been laid off twice, got diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, spent $5,000 in diabetic care (my insurance is good), moved back in with my parents, sold my "toys" (first thing to go). Now I'm setting pretty well financially. The storm has came and went, now it's clean up time. I work for a company that is contracted to do engineering for Caterpillar, and while they are very very profitable the job is unsecured (I got laid off twice this year from them).


I'm about to turn 26 and have 2 Associate Degrees in Mech. Drafting and Mech. Engineering Technology. I was going to go in to Army and serve for atleast 4 years, until I found out I had type 1 diabetes (This is not the kind you get from being lazy, fat, etc.). It has brought me down a lot, since it is a dream that I can not fulfill. Simply because I have no control over my pancreas. The more I looked in to ways of joining and how every branch I would be a no-go but type 2 could be a go. If he/she got healthier, I understand why the DoD set the guidelines on diabetes. In honestly the more I looked in to it the more hopeless I became.

Until talking with a fellow LEO he mention about being on the force and if you maintain your diabetes you can serve (which I do A1C 5.6). While is not the Military, it is the closes thing to military as I can get. Plus with my background it would open up another set of training that would be available to me that only LEOs can get.




Thank you for your time.

[J-Dub]

Don't know what you make now, but do yourself a favor and become a Firefighter. Or stay at your current job.

[3 AE]

You're young, God how I wish I was 26 again! You're intelligent, God how I wish I was smart again! Yeah, you got thrown a curve with the diabetes but you're alive, financially above water, and have a whole life to look forward to, even if you can't serve in the military. There are many ways to serve your country beside being in the military. You can serve your community like you mentioned about being in law enforcement. You can volunteer in many worthwhile organizations to help those who really can't help themselves. You can mentor those younger who need some guidance. Dude, you've got a lot to look forward to. Carry on with the same drive that got you here.

[Djstorm100]

Don't know what you make now, but do yourself a favor and become a Firefighter. Or stay at your current job.

The company I work for is odd. I'm "salary" but I get paid hourly through billable work. Basically it is a glorified staffing company and alot of big corporation hire these companies so when times get tough they can "trim the fat".

Make 20 a hour or 41,600k a year. This year I'll make around 35,000.

You're young, God how I wish I was 26 again! You're intelligent, God how I wish I was smart again! Yeah, you got thrown a curve with the diabetes but you're alive, financially above water, and have a whole life to look forward to, even if you can't serve in the military. There are many ways to serve your country beside being in the military. You can serve your community like you mentioned about being in law enforcement. You can volunteer in many worthwhile organizations to help those who really can't help themselves. You can mentor those younger who need some guidance. Dude, you've got a lot to look forward to. Carry on with the same drive that got you here.

This is very true, I've been thinking along with the other 100 things running through my head about Charity of some short to help Military families. I use to help feed the homeless on the Saturday for about 2-3 hours.

[J-Dub]

Trust me, firefighter.....or EMS. Everyone will like you, you get paid well, ect, ect,

Plus you'll still be serving your community.

[Djstorm100]

Trust me, firefighter.....or EMS. Everyone will like you, you get paid well, ect, ect,

Plus you'll still be serving your community.

Firefighter get around here make 30k if that.

[J-Dub]

Firefighter get around here make 30k if that.

Time to branch out from "around there". How much do Police make??? Cant be much more.

[Djstorm100]

Time to branch out from "around there". How much do Police make??? Cant be much more.

Police start out at 37k and get 2.5% increase after 6 months. FD gets 30-33k starting out.

[Abraxas]

In my area, cops make peanuts, but I know a few that take insulin. one of them is even on a SWAT team.

[C-grunt]

Move out west. Cops and Fire Fighters make decent money out here and cost of living, outside of California, is still reasonable.