Looking to dive in
Hey there everyone. I'm looking to get into this. Background on me. At one point or another my whole family has been involved in aviation. I took an interest in it as well. While in highschool I started flight lessons but stopped for multiple reasons. Mainly because I know I was going to enlist in the military. (I refused to go to college and new the cost of that was not flying in the military). I don't really regret that decision. The path I chose was to be an intermediate level mechanic on the engines of the F-18 legacies. It was awesome for a couple years. I started A/P school and it took me about one class to realize that wasn't my path. However during my time in the military I got this (what my current coworkers consider strange 🤣) appreciation for logistics and planning. For some reason I never really acted on it or considered further options. The F-18s went away and I wasn't a fan of the other occupations the Marine corps was offering. (I asked for ATC and they wouldn't budge). It was time for me to get out. I still felt like I owed something to the world so I became a Firefighter and later got my paramedic license. The job can be rewarding at times. But due to issues with our department and issues with the local government I (maybe selfishly) feel like I've reached a point where I've given too much of myself and want to start a life for me. Please believe me when I say the service to others wasn't the issue. But the world has changed a lot. I did the math recently and realized I have to work for about 30 more years before I can retire from there and I've already done 4. That math didn't sit well with me for a 50 percent pension. I've applied to ATC and only got qualified on the exam. Then my family member sent me a link to an article about flight dispatch. I was like no way. This combines a lot of what I love. I'm in a weather forecasting class now at Penn State. While I was in the military my dad who works at FedEx ramp tower gave me a tour of the ramp, mx, GOCC, maintenance control. And I remember I lit up when we went into GOCC. I remember I saw a bunch of people on computers taking in info and executing on it. I just didn't fully comprehend what it was at the time.
I'm working towards finding the right dispatch school now that I can work into my vacation that I bid for next year. But is there anyone who is a dispatcher in Memphis that I may be able to shadow for a couple of hours or something. Just to like watch it happen in real time. Now that I actually have a faint idea of what's going on? It may not be possible but it would be cool if that would be a thing. I don't want to walk away from a secure job and be like no, this ain't it.