LIFE:

Why were my 20’s ass backwards for me?

1. Real job out of high school
2. Went to college mid-late 20’s
3. Joined military at age 27

Early Twenties:

Life is interesting, my first real job after high school lasted 5 years by choice.  While I was working, something my dad told me one day struck a nerve with me.  He said you have your whole life to work.  Make sure you do something you enjoy or something you’re passionate about.   When I started my first real job after high school, I told myself that I didn’t want to be there more than 5 years.  It was easy to settle for mediocre as I was getting paid decent for a 20 y/o with no college education. In 1998 (23 y/o) I was a few years in at my first real job after high school.  I reflected on what my dad told me, and decided to enroll in college.  However, me being me, it wasn’t a typical college.  School was never easy for me, but computers came natural.  This college was geared more toward technology, right up my alley!   I literally drove down and signed up within a week.   Long work days and long nights at school,  18 months later I had a degree in Electronics Technology all at the cost of lots of school debt.  Despite the debt, I also decided to go straight back to school for another 6 months to get a second degree in Computer Networking Technology. When I finished school, I immediately started focusing on computer certifications.  After achieving a few certifications, I started looking to my boss to see if there was any opportunity for me doing something with computers.  He basically said no.  I kept working but I was looking outside the company for jobs that were more aligned to my true passion (computers).  In 2000, I got a position at Intel as a contactor.  

Mid Twenties:

When I left the company that I spent 5 years working for out of high school, I was making about 16/hr.  When I started working for Intel I was making 10/hr.   Why is this important?   It’s important because I had no idea how I would survive making much less. However,  I needed to get my foot in the door was my rational.  The risk paid off as I was offered a position at HP making 17/hr just two weeks after starting at Intel.  Disaster avoided, sigh. I continued working on computer certifications and achieved my MCSE in Windows NT 4.0 in 2001.  That paid off, eventually I ended up getting a pay raise to 18/hr and had 3 different positions at HP in a matter of 9 months.  While working nights, I continued to improve myself when I got the bright idea to join the military. Here I was 27 years old, and I got a bug to join the military.  Long story short, I joined the Air Force after negotiating the job that I wanted. Computer Operations or (3COX1) for you Military folks.  

Late Twenties:

My time in the cough “Chair” cough Force was fantastic.  I was deployed to Diego Garcia in 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.  They tasked me with keeping the critical network services up for the base.  I learned a lot while I was deployed for 5 months.   Eventually when I returned to my home base, I was introduced to a new technology called SAN (Storage Area Network).  Our base was the first base to have two SAN’s!   While learning everything I could about SAN technology, I also started a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology.  Eventually when I got out of the miliary, I pursued a career in Data Storage Engineering.  It’s what I still do presently.   Despite being called a “grandpa” for being 27 y/o in basic training, my military experience was wonderful.  Got some real world experience, pursued a degree, and received some certifications. I was on my way to climbing the career ladder!   Cheers, HF