So trump announced recently his ban on transgenders in the military. I have been planning on going into the Coast Guard once I finish my senior year in high school and now I can't if I come out the closet. I can't go to collage because I have no foreign language credits so no collages at least that I've came across won't accept me. I thought about going to a Technical collage because they would accept me but my dad is really against. So I just don't know what to do because I can't come out to anyone definitely if I don't know what I should do. Can anyone help?


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The school or direction you take in life should be determined by what you  enjoy. You may end up spending the next 40 years of your life working at a profession so it should be one that you enjoy getting out of bed so you can go to work. For me the profession was computer programming but it may be something entirely different for you. Experience as many things as you can and look for a profession you enjoy so much that you would want to do it even if they didn't pay you to do it.

Quote from: Dena on July 29, 2017, 04:08:40 PM
The school or direction you take in life should be determined by what you  enjoy. You may end up spending the next 40 years of your life working at a profession so it should be one that you enjoy getting out of bed so you can go to work. For me the profession was computer programming but it may be something entirely different for you. Experience as many things as you can and look for a profession you enjoy so much that you would want to do it even if they didn't pay you to do it.

There's 4 things I love doing and want to do, I'm working towards all of them.
Be a helicopter pilot, work CAD/CAM, work in a machine shop, and do photography.

I really wanted to be a helicopter pilot which is why I've been planning to go to the Coast Guard. While in the Coast Guard I would take CAD/CAM classes which they would pay for because they give you $4000 or so a year for education. I'm already a completer in machining and OSHA 10 certified. I'm in my third year of Photography class also. I'll be a completer in engineering this year also. My family is basically broke, I have a part time job and make more money then my mom. I doubt I could afford collage even if I can find a collage that would accept me. This is why I wanted to go the military route. I just don't know where to go once I finish high school.


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I would be very careful about getting into Photography as your primary profession because there is a good deal of competition in that field. If you are in college, use the courses to fill in your elective but don't make it your primary degree. If you want, you might be able to take those classes in a continuing education class.

CAD/CAM could be learned in trade school fairly quickly  and as you wouldn't need all the electives that you need in college you could be working in a year or two. It sounds like this would be a good choice for you.

Helicopters are difficult to fly and it easy to wash out of the programs. I suspect there is a long line of people who want to learn to fly however if you can get some training in before you apply with the Coast Guard, it would make it more likely that you would be selected.

I agree with Dena on both points. The single most important factor in life is doing what you enjoy. Anyone out in the working world for some time has come across countless people whose attitude is "This Job SUCKS", which is sometimes followed by "But what can I do?". I suspect, Dena and for sure myself, often have a hard time believing that I get paid to have fun. I have a career that just followed on from my hobby & fun since a small kid, playing with electrical & electronics.

My second choice was a toss up between an electrician or auto mechanic. Besides liking the smell of solder flux, I also enjoy swinging wrenches. Most times I do all my own car repairs and have fun doing it. The really big jobs where I either don't have all the right tools, or the time, or the weather is against me (NJ), I know a good mechanic with reasonable rates that I can trust to do the job right.

So I have to disagree with your dad about a trade school if there is something in that arena that you enjoy doing. Especially depending on the trade and where you plan on living. Top notch machinist are always in demand. Specialty welders also.

I am a bit surprised that colleges require 2 years or more of a foreign language. I never really saw the use of it in engineering. Half of English is foreign to start with! Like most of what they tried to teach me in engineering school, my 3 years of Spanish was a waste of time beyond Donde esta la casa de banyo?  Oh and the real stuff you need to know to survive in some neighborhoods I travel through 

Quote from: Dena on July 29, 2017, 06:50:51 PM
I would be very careful about getting into Photography as your primary profession because there is a good deal of competition in that field. If you are in college, use the courses to fill in your elective but don't make it your primary degree. If you want, you might be able to take those classes in a continuing education class.

CAD/CAM could be learned in trade school fairly quickly  and as you wouldn't need all the electives that you need in college you could be working in a year or two. It sounds like this would be a good choice for you.

Helicopters are difficult to fly and it easy to wash out of the programs. I suspect there is a long line of people who want to learn to fly however if you can get some training in before you apply with the Coast Guard, it would make it more likely that you would be selected.

I don't plan on having it as a primary job, it's just a fun thing to do. Like I'm doing a wedding next weekend but I definitely don't plan to do it professionally. I know helicopters are hard to fly but it's something I really want to do. I'm working with some people down my block that own a small county airport not to far away to see if I'm able to get some experience. My plan though at the moment was to enlist in the Coast Guard as an AMT ( aviation maintenance technician). During those 4 years take CAD/CAM classes and then become an officer to become a pilot.


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Quote from: JoanneB on July 30, 2017, 06:51:22 AM
I agree with Dena on both points. The single most important factor in life is doing what you enjoy. Anyone out in the working world for some time has come across countless people whose attitude is "This Job SUCKS", which is sometimes followed by "But what can I do?". I suspect, Dena and for sure myself, often have a hard time believing that I get paid to have fun. I have a career that just followed on from my hobby & fun since a small kid, playing with electrical & electronics.

My second choice was a toss up between an electrician or auto mechanic. Besides liking the smell of solder flux, I also enjoy swinging wrenches. Most times I do all my own car repairs and have fun doing it. The really big jobs where I either don't have all the right tools, or the time, or the weather is against me (NJ), I know a good mechanic with reasonable rates that I can trust to do the job right.

So I have to disagree with your dad about a trade school if there is something in that arena that you enjoy doing. Especially depending on the trade and where you plan on living. Top notch machinist are always in demand. Specialty welders also.

I am a bit surprised that colleges require 2 years or more of a foreign language. I never really saw the use of it in engineering. Half of English is foreign to start with! Like most of what they tried to teach me in engineering school, my 3 years of Spanish was a waste of time beyond Donde esta la casa de banyo?  Oh and the real stuff you need to know to survive in some neighborhoods I travel through 

I've tried to take sign language at my school but the teacher didn't want to teach me from what I understand. All of her other students were female and even though I'm a 4.0 gpa student she said that I wouldn't be capable at learning sign language. I'm just confused at where to go because I want to do all 4 of those things and the only way I could work it out was by going in the Coast Guard. Now I'm not sure weather to go that route where I most likely would have to keep hiding myself because of the new ban or go with most like never becoming a pilot and not even knowing where to go.


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