U.S. Navy, Gunner’s Mate, Petty Officer Second Class
Field Service Engineer, Mafi-Trench Co. Houston, TX
I have used Orion’s services twice; once in October 2007 when I was hired as a Pace Technician for an oil & gas company; and the second time in the beginning of 2009. I was placed with Mafi-Trench Co as a Field Service Engineer, and I started this new position in April 2009.
I served in the Navy and was a Gunners Mate, E-5, and separated in 2008. I was stationed at various locations, including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Yokuska, Japan (CG49); and San Diego, 32nd Street (DDG 76). My terminal leave was 15 days, and I was lucky enough to be able to use it to move and start my new job without missing a pay check!
As I approached transition time, I had to think about what job I would like to do, was it going to be a job or career, and where in the country would I end up. With all these questions in mind, I did go through TAP class. I didn’t feel, however, that it was extremely helpful, but it was a good start.
After I found my second career through Orion, I settled in Houston, Texas. For me, this location is not ideal, but the job was too good of an offer to pass up. Houston was not ideal because I am not a huge fan of cities or high humidity. My ideal location would have been a rural area with a lot of clear, clean freshwater streams and lakes. The move to Houston went very smoothly though. Previously, I used my military relocation to move, but this time I was given a relocation allowance.
When researching Mafi-Trench, I went to the company web site and read over the information Orion provided that described the company and position. I also made sure to attend the company presentation the night before the interview portion of the hiring conference I attended in San Diego.
I now work in natural gas separation and geothermal energy as a Field Service Engineer for Mafi-Trench. A typical day for me when I am in Houston is me at home and on call, which is roughly six months out of the year. When I am out on a job, my day consists of driving to the job site and meeting up with a prearranged contact to discuss the problems that are occurring with the machine or plc, and then working with the facility personnel to fix the problem, either electrical or mechanical. My day could also start with a site visit where I go through a check list and make sure that all the ducks are in a row, so that when the facility wants to start they should encounter only minimal difficulties.
There are a lot of things that change when you exit the military. For me, the easiest change was that I did not have to wear a uniform every day. The hardest thing was dropping all the acronyms that I was so used to. I had to realize that the way you talk in the military is not the way to talk in the civilian world. I did find, though, that I had learned two invaluable skills during my time in the military, trouble shooting and the ability to work under pressure.
Aside from the practical aspects of transitioning, I found that it was different to be home so much. While in the military, I was always in and out. Coming home every night was something that took a little getting used to. For my family to cope there was a lot of compromising.
My fiancée had a certain way she did things around the house. Before, when I would be home for a week or a few days, we were caught up in the “I am glad you are home” feeling, so I never got to get things how I liked them. When I began being home more, we both had to realize that it was not going to be the way we wanted it individually. Instead, we had to come up with ways to do things together.
I was a little nervous about the transition to civilian life. But, after I started my first job out of the military, I started to realize that I had the skills and ability to work for anyone in most any condition. I had never noticed these useful attributes while in the military, but it definitely put me ahead of my peers.
Since being out of the military, I have never had a doubt of whether or not I made the right choice to separate. Even with the recession, I was able to get a job offers through Orion. All in all, if I could do it all over again, I would not change a thing.
When it comes time for you to leave the military, don't be afraid to make the choice to separate. While the military is a nice umbrella, I have found that the things that are available to you in the civilian world (with a little hard work and determination) are limitless.
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