Hey Deadpoked,
My situation is much like Zims. I've been in the Air Force since Feb 98'. I too made Staff at the 4 year point (and will hopefully make Tech next year). Have you found out if you made Staff this time around? The odds are probably very good for you, so that will be a nice "pay" jump for you.
The tech field SUCKS on the outside, but of course that can change in an instant. One benefit you will have is your military experience, but where is your education at? Have you completed your Associate's/Bachelor's/Master's degrees. The truth is, these pieces of paper are necessary to make a decent living on the outside, unless you have a talent for being an entrepreneur of some sort. Let me also contradict myself a bit. I have a friend here in DC who graduated from Virginia Tech with a Computer Science degree, and he had to work at Home Depot for 1.5 years before he could find a job in his career. Nothing wrong with a job at Home Depot by any means, it's a great company..my good friend in TN has been working there for 10 years and loves it..but I'm making the point that it seems as if everyone and their mother wants to work in computers, so you have to have things on your resume' that make you stand out against other IT applicants.
Attitude is EVERYTHING in the Air Force. I've worked with so many people who were just always miserable.....constantly referring to the conclusions they have drawn that when they get out of the Air Force life will be so much better..no more bs...etc..etc........WRONG. In any job you're going to have to put up with BS, with people you don't always get along with, with messed up people in Human Resources who are slow to process this request, or that voucher...it's not just the Air Force. I've just come to the conclusion that these folks I mentioned will always be miserable wherever...because to them the grass is always greener on the other side and they can't appreciate what they have.
An example of that, is two Staff Sergeants (myself being one), one Master Sergeant, and several E-4's were chosen to drive buses for the last year in the DC area as an augmentee duty. Our drivers on base were deployed to Iraq for six months at a pop supporting the army, and when they returned other drivers would go, so they needed us as augmentees. Well, of course our first questions as one Senior NCO (very sharp person), two junior NCO's, and several E4's were.....why aren't the junior Airmen doing this? Because they're all in upgrade training for their particular skill levels and couldn't be taken out. We all had the bad attitudes at first of, "I didn't join the Air Force to drive buses!" or "If I wanted to be a Vehicle Operator I would have enlisted in this career field", etc, etc. But, we ended up driving some beautiful Air Force buses (believe it or not, the huge ones with the brand new AF logo) around DC in support of the USAF Honor Guard and the USAF Band...driving them to concerts and ceremonies, particularly many many runs to Arlington Cemetary honoring our dead. Yes, we were just drivers...but I decided to change my attitude to one of "Hey..I'm safe here in DC (for the most part) and not in Iraq. I come home everynight to my beautiful wife. I'm doing my little part to help honor our dead Airmen, even if just transporting the Honor Guardsmen. It's not so bad, in fact, it's a privilege." Once I gave it a positive outlook, I had a ball driving buses. In fact, once I went back to my desk job...I kind of missed it a little bit. I think most of the others took that same attitude and had a good time as well. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade right?
I'm close to finishing my Bachelor's and I'm transitioning from active duty to taking a commission in the Air Force reserve once my current enlistment is up. I live in DC and love it (believe it or not) and would like to get into some kind of government/civil service job...but obviously not burn my bridges with the Air Force.
So, my advice to you. If you're deadset on getting out and you're sure the Air Force isn't for you any longer then prepare yourself for the transition (which so many folks refuse to do). Over the next two years get as much education as you can in the particular career you want to get into. Remember, the Air Force will pay 100% tuition up to 1 Bachelor's degree and 1 Master's degree as well as one Professional Certificate. So, if you want a Professional Certificate of some kind in computers, those can be expensive...so use the Air Force as a way to pay for it. Get your Certificate, then your Associate's....and Bachelor's if you can.
Also, look into a government/civil service job. You will already have an advantage over other applicants because of your time in the service. I believe you can go to
www.usajobs.com to start learning a little bit about how to apply, etc. Just let me know if you have anymore questions.
Thank you Deadpoked and Zim for serving. It's nice to see my fellow Airmen on here posting. What is it with the Air Force being full of good pool players? Maybe we're not busy enough or something..I don't know.
Zim, I think we were both stationed at Hurlburt at one time or another. You knew Andy didn't you? Did you know that he passed away? I don't know if many knew it, but Andy was a retired Major from the Air Force.
Take care, and let me know if you have any questions.
Matt
