With a military background in depot aircraft repair, the eas...

With a military background in depot aircraft repair, the easy move was the obvious one: going from I-Level maintenance to Depot Level maintenance. So that's what I did, and I stuck with it for a couple of years.

I found it very unrewarding. Don't get me wrong — the job was decent, and I love contributing to the United States. But it felt like a dead end. Everyone told me I was doing a great job, and then when it came down to promotions it was always the same: empty promises, or a job opening that got cancelled.

Eventually I said enough is enough, and I left.

I'm in a better state now because of that leap. For the first time, I actually feel like an adult.