jmact1

Isn't it true that Chinooks are faster than Apache's- Unless, of course, the Apache is in a sling under the Chinook?

Did you choose to not re-up or did you get Chaptered out for too long in grade? Just got back from Wiesbaden where I was a contract provider at the AHC. We had a lot of higher ranking NCO's, the gnarly old guys with service going back to Granada, getting letters in the mail informing them that they were done. Also, did you stay in the same 11B MOS throughout your service?

I have a friend who has been doing this for years in CA. He does not have a law-enforcement background, I think he has a teaching degree, was never in the military. I think initially he worked for himself, but for some time has been an investigator with the public defender's office. He describes the work as essentially like doing research, finding deadbeat dads, double checking the prosecutor's investigations, etc. Spends a lot of time on the computer, going through people's trash, etc. Really not much in common with TV and movie PI's.

I also know there is a big difference between uniformed patrol officers and police investigators (a huge difference in the armed services). I looked through your comments so far, and I couldn't see if you mentioned what you did when you working for the PD.

My friend is essentially a pretty smart guy with good people skills, and as a PI he produces results. What do you think might give you an advantage, as a former police officer, over my friend?

I worked 10 yrs at a maximum security prison often closely with the medical staff. Working in a prison, especially for a women, isn't for everyone. A year is certainly giving it a good try if the OP didn't like it. On the other hand, it kind of grows on you. There were plenty of nurses and other staff that had been there for years. I was friendly with one nurse that had worked there 25 yrs.+, longer than anyone else on staff, she knew some things, let me tell you. We used to say prisons are full of dangerous, very disturbed people, then there are the prisoners...

I should have clarified, he works for the Federal Public Defender and loves his job. In our conversations, he never has said anything about being in any kind of danger, and I don't think he even owns a firearm. Most of the stories he's talked about were actually civil cases, but that might have preceded the govt job. But like I said, his assets are that he is smart and good with people. Also, he's a big, tall guy.

I agree with the idea that a good investigator probably specializes in some area. Seems like computer crime is certainly a growing area, and a PI that specializes in that probably never leaves his office. I worked in a max prison; some of the guards were actually great investigators, always on top of everything in their pods, really into it.