Can we get a place on here where military members can talk about their businesses? It would be good to share info and stories to aid in our growth. I am active duty and have started my own military website. I'd like to have other military members who own businesses to talk with.

<<<< Owns a small business, is a vet, is looking for new work. I would love to see this happen.

And if you're hiring, I have resume in hand I really, really need a job.

welcome to the forum...


i think that is a good idea. a lot of us have side businesses

Originally Posted by Team Infidel

welcome to the forum...


i think that is a good idea. a lot of us have side businesses

Yeah. At the risk of detracting from the thread, what the hell else CAN we do? For all the talk of "We give veterans priority," the only happenings are those that employers take to meet their EOE goals.

It sickens me.

All of us have done more managing, more leadership, more problem solving, and faced more complications than any civilian will EVER face... yet we're denied jobs because we don't have a piece of paper mommy and daddy bought for us? Not fair and not right.

Us vets should have a place to network to support each other and begin offering each other the chance this civilian life refuses us.

I know I am brand new here, but make this happen, my brother. Many of us need networking support!

In advance, thank you and RedLeg!

Hm, I don't know if we should create a new forum just for that (yet).
Couldn't the Registered Members Only forum be used for that for now??

And by the way SassyAFGirl, there seems to be a "conflict" between your username and your profile info.. (username: girl, and Gender: male?? )

Originally Posted by Redleg

Hm, I don't know if we should create a new forum just for that (yet).
Couldn't the Registered Members Only forum be used for that for now??

And by the way SassyAFGirl, there seems to be a "conflict" between your username and your profile info.. (username: girl, and Gender: male?? )

LOL, didn't even notice it was his/her first post. DOH!

Perhaps s/he is confused by the political correctness we're faced with

Regardless, it doesn't matter, bro. It's still a good idea to have some type of place, dedicated or otherwise, where vets/AD can interact/network to support each other in a civilian venue. I know that I am desperately trying to get out of my line of work (own a small property management company) and find something entry level - in AZ or just about anywhere. I'm in a spot where I am under- or over qualified, and my age is definitely against me (37).

For instance, I contacted Cox Communications: I'm not qualified to accept an IT position, even though I admin at several sites and literally oversee 40,000+ online members, plus my company, but I am overqualified to do customer service. WTF? I am too qualified to answer a phone but not qualified to fix small computer issues?

RedLeg, this is frustrating! I know for a fact that if I had work and a member here asked me for employment, I'd give him/her a job as long as I could verify their service record (I try and hire only vets, and I ALWAYS verify their discharge - less than RA-1 and you don't get the job). All 5 of my employees are vets. But again, I need out of this line of work.

I don't think we need a forum for it per se, but we should have a child forum (sub board) that:

1. Employers and employees can seek work;

2. Is only available to those with verified military service with an honorable discharge (free service from DOD);

3. Can discuss small business and employment opportunities between vets;

4. Can post links from the VA and Fanny Mae for veteran-only openings, job improvement, training opportunities, etc;

5. Is protected so that posers cannot read or post until verified (again, an easy task from the DOD website or from AKO or NCONet (even Lightfighter.com will verify if you know how to ask)). Just indemnify yourself though the contract of usage so social security numbers aren't registered or held in cookies.

Give it some thought, brother. I have no doubt that I am not the only one (aside from the OP) suffering from career issues. I'd offer to help, but I am way too new here. However, if traffic produced excess cost, I'd offer a year of hosting as a donation.

-Richard

(11M, 1989-1993)

PS: No, I am not the OP, lol. Just range my IP and you'll see I am indeed in Phoenix and the rest of the crap we can verify. I'm just on fire for this idea, coincidences be damned.

Check your PMs AZ..

Hey does South Korean service count as well?
I don't know what your business is but maybe you could help this former jar head out. I'll PM you. Don't feel obligated at all but I'd be an idiot not to ask.

Originally Posted by the_13th_redneck

Hey does South Korean service count as well?
I don't know what your business is but maybe you could help this former jar head out. I'll PM you. Don't feel obligated at all but I'd be an idiot not to ask.

I appreciate the interest, 13, and I'd have no issues at all hiring from other-then US origin. I am a property manager, BTW, meaning that I fill apartments and houses for rent, evict when necessary, and remodel buildings when the owner wants upgrades or an apartment/house becomes vacant to prepare it for the next renter (read: I do construction with a buttload of paperwork and lots of lawyers).

The issue is that I have to get OUT of this business so I am trying to scale down work and letting employees go one by one. If you return to my last post above you'll see that I, myself, am seeking employment. I hate this job, lol. It's nice to work for yourself, as I can simply take time off to spend with the GF and her son without any permission needed, but it's equally as frustrating because I'm typically working 7 days a week just to make a small, 40-hour paycheck. Feast or famine, brother. I'd rather just do my 40 hours a week and have steady income, rather than the nonsense I deal with now. Evicting people right before Christmas just isn't the type of person I am, business or not. I just can't do it.

I'll return your PM here in a few, because I DO have some ideas for you. Watch yer PM's. If you don't mind manual (Manuel) labor I can hook anyone up with a job. I just can't do it anymore with my leg in the condition it's in. But I've been an Industrial Electrician here in AZ for 15+ years and have no problems at all getting people together for work.

If there is anyway at all I can help you out I'll bust my tail to do so.

Hey I really appreciate that.
Maybe I will stop by if that's fine with you.
My old man has had his own business for the past 20 odd years and yeah it is tough. When I'm out of work I help him out (like now).
My friend I told you about who's got his own business going is also having it real hard so I also help him out whenever I can.
I don't mind manual labor... did a little construction for a short while years and years ago. And the Marines is basically manual labor. One of my additional duties was maintaining the heating system (which was built BADLY) so I know a thing or two about pipes (though I'm no expert). The stupid idiots who designed it had it made so that water would drain UP and the air would be vented out DOWN. So OBVIOUSLY it didn't work so well. Man this is a story onto itself. I actually have a crane license (Austrian) though I'm badly out of practice and I gotta say my experience is very limited. I remember one time we were just back from a FTX and we'd been out a few days and we didn't get much sleep (food, water... the usual) and when we got back around midnight I wanted to crash but I had to stay up all night just to get the damn thing working. Then I had a conversation with one of the Staff Sergeants who was on duty and said, "I love this job," and I meant it.
Having your own business or not doesn't make you any better or worse.
Personally I wouldn't want to unless I worked as a consultant (talk and let the others work hehe).
Either way, don't stick your neck out for me or anything. I really appreciate even an offer of a "maybe."