Okay, this one might be long winded, but I’ll do my best to compress it into something simple. I’ve been a maintainer for 7 years now, my goals and dreams are taking the backseat lately because I’m also about to be a single father with twins. I want a realistic future in the Army if I stay, but I feel my time/potential is wasted in the Maintenance world, especially since I’ll be E6/staff role in another year or so and hate being confined to the motorpool.

I have considered SFAS, reclassification, flight warrant (i love aviation and wanted to get my ppl and use my gi bill to go to the airlines, self doubt keeps me down about it) and even things like the SMU and 160th for support MOS’s like mine. I’m 28, my body hasn’t been neglected much and I pt daily, if not twice a day back in the states. I want to do what’s best for my children, but I can’t stay in the Army in this same job and not lose my mind or further decay with my mental health.

Lastly, I’m stuck in Europe now on rotation with 101. I am enrolled into college attempting at least one semester before I leave here. I have a 104 GT (yes I’m a 🥔), I have minimal debt and my former partner and I just want to see one another succeed and be happy for the sake of our children having quality of life. My children are 3hrs from the Campbell area and I could see them every single weekend if I stayed there. I personally don’t have a better plan for myself (post-ETS) besides try my hardest at flight school for my commercial ratings and hope and pray I am good enough to make the cut. Being all ambition and no drive sucks.

So this was long winded, but has anyone found themselves in a similar spot? Any advice or suggestions from those single dads? Maybe those who reclassified and found a better place of belonging?