Seeking advice / opinions

[DonRotolo]

There's a third option here.

Before I get into that, just understand that the comments about FIRST not being a part of your decision are spot on.This is not the middle of the season, and the team WILL survive without you.

OK, when you were born, did you know how to make aluminum into robot parts? Did you know about chains, motors, circuit breakers, etc? No, of course not. You LEARNED about these things, very probably because these topics interested you.

Finding a JOB is no different. You must LEARN how to do this, even if you think you know how already. You should spend 8+ hours a day - every day - on this specific task. If you're not doing that, you're not putting in enough effort.

An offer: WE, then other mentors of Chief Delphi, are a treasure trove of expertise (=experience + knowledge), and we are willing to help you learn (and succeed!) in this new task of finding a job. PM Ken Leung and ask if we helped him land a job or not.

And we can help you, too.

Getting started: What kind of work are you qualified for? What kind of work do you prefer? Experience? Education? Got a Resume? Post it. With some info, we'll move forward.

(BTW, I have nothing against the military. I just think you've set yourself up with a false dilemma)

Don

[Siri]

I understand your dedication to your team--and it must be amazing for this to be bothering you so much--but in my mind, family and financial stability always have to come first. Given how you describe your team, I'm virtually certain that though they'll miss you, they'll understand your situation.

If it's any help, many, many teams have been in this situation before. A lot of them faced it as rookies without a seasoned FIRST/etc mentor on board. Others (like mine) faced it when that mentor had to leave. We didn't begrudge him at all, and we've had another absolutely excellent mentor step up to take his place. We've also had several other fantastic mentors step in as well, and in some ways the team is better for overcoming the difficulty. Were we lucky? Yes, absolutely. And audaces fortuna iuvat. Your team can make it too.

As to the military, I'm not one to encourage joining for the money. Do some people do it? Yes, and a few take to it very well. Many others don't, unfortunately. I'd highly encourage you to think this through well past the financial considerations. In the end, though, it's your choice. I think Don's got a great start on another alternative.

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

Your eventual choice and how you go about handling your difficult situation will set an example for the students, no less than your engineering mentoring.

Absolutely. In fact, I'd argue it's more the former. If a prior student's perspective helps cement this at all, I have literally lost track of then number of times I've been at a loss/in over my head and wondered, "what would Clem/Foster do?" (other than undoubtedly tease me for asking the question) I'm surprised how often it works.
Note: I'm not saying FIRST should be a deciding factor here. Trying to live your life such that you'd be proud to serve as a role model? Doesn't strike me as a bad philosophy.

[Clem1640]

I have been an FRC mentor for 5 years and a Head Mentor for 2½. I take my role as mentor very seriously, but I also enjoy it and find it extremely satisfying.

But I have a family which depends upon me. Work is not an option; it is a necessity (for almost everyone). I am not specifically advising you to join the military, but I believe gainful employment (either military or other) needs to be a first priority.

For me, being employed enables me to participate in FIRST. It is not possible to choose one or the other; mentoring could not happen if I were not employed.