Let's see....... After the Army, I tried going back to school. Worked managing a McDonald's, managing pet stores, part-time snake collector/handler (to pay for school), went to work in the real estate industry in the title aspect== searching title records for real estate transactions, then as a title examiner, title officer and worked myself up to a Senior Title Officer, doing mufti-million dollar projects in SoCal for about 25 years. Laid off when RE took a dip.
Bummed for a year, working as a "hired gun" for attorneys (a court "expert" in aspects of real estate law), taught a few basin RE law to pick up change.
Went back to school under an adult re-entry program, earned a BS in Marine Biology (with honors), taught a college course in Tropical Ecology in Belize while waiting to enter grad school.
Finished grad school in 2 years with high honors, doing my thesis on black bear behavior (I am now age 48). I continued with my scar collection (first started when working in the pet stores, and continued while collecting reptiles in the desert). After college, I volunteered teaching kids at a Regional park in Los Angeles, worked as a part-time guide for wild hog hunting, taught substitute high school and a little college such as Marine Biology labs for my old college.
A year later, I was offered a job in Sacramento with the Feds as a biologist. After 2 1/2 years I was offered a transfer and promotion in Washington State. And my scar collection keeps growing. Been here about 11 years, with about 5 more until I can retire. We plan, then, on me getting my Ph.D.==I'll only be 75, so I should be able to teach another 10 years or so.