Looks like the move to Florida will finally happen! Also finally doing VA chapter 31.

The Wife and I have been wanting to move to Florida for a solid year now.  It got postponed months ago because we decided to work on some job skill-related stuff first and then I had an awesome job offer I was waiting on.  Then the quarantine happened.  Well, we've been sick of Baltimore long enough, so we're fixing a final few PITA things with our house, I'm using VA's chapter 31 to take a tech course (Thank you to whoever it was that told me about chapter 31) and once I get my A+ certification we're moving down to Sebring.  Hopefully from there I can continue and take Network+ afterwards, maybe CCNA, but that's another thread.  So if everything goes well, we'll move in August.  And the timing is perfect, because my dad is retiring right before that and he and my stepmom are taking their new camper trailer and their dogs and going on a very long road trip, so The Wife and I will be staying in their house for cheap while we get jobs down there and get back on our feet.  Some time this month we have to drive our challenge Civic down to park at my dad's house.  1,000 miles in a mostly gutted civic with one working speaker sounds like an exciting time.  Hopefully we'll still be able to make it to the 2020 challenge.

I can't friggin wait.  I've been wanting to move for so long.  Also a long time ago someone on here told me about VA chapter 31, and whoever that was, thank you.  

Congrats. I moved here 20 years ago and like it. It’ll take a bit to get used to the heat but no cold makes it worth it. 

I'm coming up on 5 years myself. Even with all the bullE36 M3 of Orlando (and there is a lot of it) there isn't another place I'd rather be. Stampie is right- no cold makes it worth the occasional hurricane and the heat. 

I grew up in Florida so it won't take me too long to get used to it again.  I'll never get used to the hottest weather, but with all the arthritis I got as a present from the Army, a lack of cold weather is more than welcomed.  Also, year-round autocrossing, rallycrossing, and HPDE.  And no state income tax.  And gator tail.  And family.  The list goes on.  

Congrats on what seems to be a solid plan.  

I'm not familiar with VA Chapter 31 and if it is for former military, I do not qualify, but this seems like a good time to again share the knowledge with some explanation of Chapter 31.

VA chapter 31 is a program for disabled veterans that pays for education - "retraining" for vets that are not in their preferred job sector.  I worked intel in the Army, now I'm doing glorified data entry (decent job but no future).  I want to go into IT, and my military experience is reasonably geared towards that, so in short the VA will pay to retrain me and get me into the IT field.  Somewhat similar to the GI bill, but I believe without the monthly stipend.  It's the VA so communication to set everything up can be cumbersome but so far it definitely seems worth it.

You're welcome. Kick butt with your retraining!

Also you totally still get the monthly stipend.

Great to see some good news here! 

Congrats! Welcome to the best state ever!

Oh I grew up in north Florida (Florbama, as they call it).  Crawfordville, just south of Tallahassee.  I didn't like it there.  Very different from central/south Florida, which is more my style.  I've lived all over the country, and now it's time to return so I can autocross my challenge Civic until it dies (then rebuild it).  We're very excited for the move.

Also I've started the whole process, so looks like I'll be starting school for computer networking on August 21st!  

I also tried the Crawfordville deal for 20 years.  I found the only saving grace was it was a short drive to get in some of the nicest remote salt water areas in the State.  High rated school district.  But the town itself had little redeeming cultural value. Basically a lot of folks that commuted to Tallahassee to work.   I think you will find the Sebring area more interesting... but you are going to cuss and swear at all the grayhairs clogging up the only artery to anywhere (US 27).  

Thank you for your service. 

infinitenexus said:

Oh I grew up in north Florida (Florbama, as they call it).  Crawfordville, just south of Tallahassee.  I didn't like it there.  Very different from central/south Florida, which is more my style.  I've lived all over the country, and now it's time to return so I can autocross my challenge Civic until it dies (then rebuild it).  We're very excited for the move.

 

Also I've started the whole process, so looks like I'll be starting school for computer networking on August 21st!  

Ha. I grew up in Tallahassee.  Still have family scattered around the area up there.

I will admit that I prefer the pseudo-winter of north Florida rather than the single season of southern Florida. 

Are there many IT jobs in Sebring?  I've only been there for the race, but I was never under the impression that it had a lot going on outside that. Could 100% be the fault of the way I got to the track

Welcome back to the sunshine!

There's not a ton of IT jobs in Sebring, but there are plenty of remote ones.  Also if all goes to plan, then in about 5 years The Wife and I plan on moving to Tampa, where there'll be plenty of IT jobs.    There's not a ton of most things in the Sebring area, but it's got family and beacoup racing opportunities and right now that's what we need.

Also, some things have changed since a few posts up.  I'm no longer taking a tech course up here and then moving.  I'm signing up for a networking program at a college down there.  My classes start August 21st so we should be down there at the beginning of August!  At least that gives us a month and a half to pack up and sell extra junk up here.

Makes sense, CentCom and a decent amount of military friendly IT places up here.