A Change of Life

It is almost here.  Four more days and I will be turning in my laptop, my Boeing IDs, and my security clearance will be terminated for the first time in 40 years.  It is a huge step I am about to take.  It is scary, but exciting.  I am just not one to take chances.  I have lived in Colorado since 2005 (this time) simply because I feared moving, changing jobs, and a complete change of lifestyle.

When I was 18, all I wanted to be was a policeman.  I had since I could remember.  Oh sure, when I was like 6 my mom asked my brother Ronnie what he wanted to be when he grew up, and he replied "A garbage man!", to which I jumped in and declared "I want to be a garbage can!".  But shortly after that I rethought those plans, and made the decision that I wanted to be a cop.  There was a time in high school when I considered rock star.  I had the voice, no problem.  But I learned rather quickly with the garage band I was working with that even if I knew every note and word of a song, the moment I started singing in front of people with my golden throat I forgot the words to the song.  

So back to being a cop.  The only thing I needed to know with that job was the Miranda Rights, and they give you a little card to read them from.  I was confident that I could remember "up against the wall!", "halt or I'll shoot," and "I don't need to write you a ticket.  How about we get together after I get off shift?" by heart.  

So I applied to the Clearwater Police Department, took all the tests, crushed the physical, and since the paperwork all said they hired 18 and up.....I waited patiently for them to hire this 6 foot tall, 135 pound specimen of a man.  The letter came, and it said basically "call us when you grow up".  But there was a backup plan.  I married young, and my brother in law was a cop in the Air Force.  So, we put together a plan that I would enlist for 6 years, get my degree in Criminal Justice, and then return to Clearwater where they would hire me on the spot.  Well, six years rolled around, and I was remarried, and had one son...with a second on the way....and it struck me that the Air Force gig was sweet.  Free medical care, free housing, and back to back assignments to Colorado Springs and Cape Canaveral, Florida.  Seriously, I cannot imagine a better gig.  

I volunteered with various local police departments and kept my Air Force gig.  Roll forward another 14 years, and stints as a personnel specialist, and then a First Sergeant, and suddenly I realized that I had met my two goals I set when I reenlisted in 2006.  Twenty years and Master Sergeant.  Time to move on.  

My first post retirement job was what I thought would be my forever post retirement career.  I researched the best growing companies in Virginia and fell in love with Wawa.  If you are not from the east coast, think 7-11 for the upper class.  They were building them on every open corner.  And I knew I could quickly move up with the company.  When I interviewed with them, they asked three questions.

1.  Do you have any human resource experience?  Well, I have a degree in Human Resource Management and was a personnel specialist in the Air Force.

2.  Do you have any teaching experience?  Well, I have a degree in Instructional Systems Design and have supervised teams of 20 or more people, plus I worked in the training department of the police squadron I worked for.

3.  Speaking of police work, do you have any loss prevention experience?  Well, I have a degree in Criminal Justice and was a cop for most of my Air Force career.

I was offered the job of manager trainee before I left the office.  I told her I wanted $60,000 a year, and they agreed, and paid me $16 an hour.  OK, do the math.  $16 an hour is $32,280 a year.  How do you get to $60,000 from there?  It is called overtime.  Another 25 hours at time and a half.  Yep, I was on the schedule for 65 hours a week.  Not "can", but "must" work 65 hours a week.  But....managers make $125,000 a year and work when they want.  Salary.  Regional managers make $160,000 a year.  I had a goal.  But wow, it was hard work.  Clerks work the cash register.  Managers walk around and talk to people.  Assistant Managers and Managers Trainees work their butts off.  

Trust me, that did not last long.  Because one day I picked my wife up at the Pentagon, and we needed a third person in the car to use the HOV lanes.  So, we got in line to get a rider, and the first person saw my truck and said "I ain't riding three to the seat".  The second person said, "I'll ride in the back if you want me to, I want to get home."  During the ride, the person told me about his job, and that he worked for a guy that used to head up security on Air Force One.  I remembered that one of my first supervisors in the Air Force (Bill Laramie) had made Chief Master Sergeant and was the NCO in charge of Air Force One security for a while, so I asked if that was his name.  Of course, of the thousands of people that could have gotten in my truck, this guy worked for Bill Laramie.  I laughed and told him to tell Bill I said hi, not that I thought he would remember me from 20 years prior.  The guy and I exchanged numbers and I thought that was it.  

But no, the story is amazing.  It turned out the guy in my truck was quitting his job, and Bill Laramie was looking to hire another person to replace him, inspecting U.S. Embassy Security at embassies around the world.  And, it turned out Bill Laramie remembered Jim Pryor, and I ended up taking the job of the guy that had gotten in my truck because the first guy in line would not ride in my truck.  

That one ride home turned into an incredible post military retirement.  I spent 5 years with the State Department, got promoted to GS-13, and then when the military transferred my wife to Denver, I followed along and became the Wing Antiterrorism Officer at  Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado.  Not to be satisfied there, my supervisor from Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, Mike Marshall, contacted me and told me he had a job down in Colorado Springs that he thought I would be perfect for.  I said "I'd work for you anytime Mike.  I make $86,000 a year at Buckley, and as long as everything is equal, I'd take the job".  His reply "It pays $93,000".  I quit that day.  

So once again fortune smiled upon me from one of my military mentors, and I started my new career path as the Manpower Specialist for the National Security Space Institute.  Oh, surprise, they noticed I was a former cop and security specialist in the civil service, so they soon moved me in to the security management team.  From there I was promoted to the head of security for the entire company, and that set my career path for the next 13 years as what is known as a Facility Security Officer.  Sounds like a guard, but it is actually managing all security aspects of a classified program including the material, the facility, and the personnel.  It's an interesting job, but after 13 years and 4 companies, I found myself in 2020, miserable, tired of having a security clearance, tired of getting yelled at by my boss, and just overall done with the security career field.  And I worked for the largest contractor in the world, The Boeing Company.  Making $120,000 a year.  But again, miserable.

Then COVID-19 arrived in the USA, and we all had to work from home.  In May, my wife suggested we fly to Las Vegas for the Memorial Day Weekend.  The plan was to fly on Friday, stay with her aunt Saturday and Sunday, and fly back home on Monday, Memorial Day.  We got there Friday, we spent Saturday out by the pool, sun shining, and no worries in the world.  Then on Sunday we went to Lake Mead and spent the entire day boating and relaxing on one of the islands in the lake.  And I found myself smiling the whole time.  Relaxed.  Comfortable.  I looked over at my wife, and it hit me that she'd been smiling the entire time also.  

When we got back to the house Sunday evening, my wife had decided to change her flight to the end of the week, but I was going to still fly home Monday.  But the more we talked, the more I realized I did not want to fly home.  Ever.  I wanted to stay in Las Vegas forever.  I felt at home.  So, I notified my boss that I was taking the week off and would be back to work the following week.  Well, back at my home office.  If I had thought to bring my laptop to Las Vegas I would have just worked from Vegas.  But since I did not, we instead went up to Utah for a couple of days, and again, so much fun.  Finally, back home on Friday, and I knew.... without question.... that our days in Colorado Springs were numbered.  I knew.... without question.... that my days of having a security clearance were numbered.  I not only wanted to change cities, I wanted to change careers.  I had no idea what, and I still do not, but I know it will be in Las Vegas. 

We have sold our house in Colorado Springs.  Christa has sold her father's house in Michigan, and she will inherit the proceeds.  Thanks to a great real estate market in Colorado Springs, we have enough money to last while I look for my next job.  Christa is already looking at UNLV to finish her bachelor’s degree.  We have found the house we are going to live in for the next year in Las Vegas.  We have a move date.  We are making it happen.  We will figure it out.  I will find a job.  She will finish her degree and find a job.  We will be fine.  We know it.  And we could not be more excited.  

As I said, I am scared.  I am excited.  I am ready.  It is time to finally figure out how to just be happy, and not do a job for just the money.  There is a job in Vegas for me.  I cannot wait to get out there and find it.  In a few months.  I am taking time off. First serious time off I have taken in 40 years.  Then, when the time is right and the right job is found, I will go back to work for a few more years until I completely retire.  

If we are friends or family, you are invited to come visit in Las Vegas.  We have room for you.  If you are not either, well, bye.  LOL