In reply to Hans:
youre doing the right thing. if you dont always fit the regular work culture and have something to offer, stepping forward when youre still young enough to do something about it is great.
think tho; dynamic careers are often quite isolated, in that to make it work you need to play the long game. the skills required and the skills you end up with can set you apart from simply dropping back into the mainstream. not always, but there are lots of capable but rogueish folk out there who peaked at 40 and now either drink hard, are in 3rd marriages or get into trouble. not all but enough to make a stereotype.
time in the reserves (particularly the more adventurous groups) is a great call. you will meet others from other walks of life and see worlds you may not now know about. in this respect its a better option than the full time forces for now, you can go onto that of course if you want, but there are other options.
its also a fast track with credibility and renumeration to build skills and experience, something not always easy with civilian models.
effectively, it gives you choices in a sector thats quite limited, self-serving and inward looking.
so, beyond something like that (full time or part time) theres options but all are made broader if you have some academic base too. doesnt need to be a phd from the school of oriental studies, but after the sharp end stuff peaks its your brain that will sell you. and face it - younger folk are coming in all the time. in 10 years it will be a guy where you are now.
lots of ex-thunderbird ninja guys have the skill base to keep with the hot stuff, but when youre 40 you need to have stategic and management skills too, otherwise you end up doing stuff so far below your qualifications you will get depressed by it.
for the long game, maybe study a language and something that will give you status as a specialist. jobs exist in consultancy that still havve you out there, but you need leverage in the workplace. if you factor having a family or even just a residence into all this, you need a platform that grows just like a manager or consultant in any field.
anyway, along with/beyond the military theres options like SaR, international development, geo/petro, surveying, infrastructure assessment, asset strategies, disaster assistance, product/material R&D, defence projects, training, stunt and film work, safety advisor, adventure tour leading...lots of options.
a lot will be based on qualifications and stamps of approval, but nothing beats experience in this world. someone who takes the initiative to go and do relevant stuff under their own steam stands out glaringly. folks who dabble or only go where theyre told are a dime a dozen. if you can stand up and present yourself and be responsible for your own background and be shown to be willing to put your hand up for committed stuff, you will be valuable to those who understand what these things are worth.
im ranting because ive drunk lots of coffee, but i say all this from experience and im doing ok, even after making some stunningly brazen choices.
id say good luck, but its not about luck at all.
