DOC training

[s.vermeire]

Is anyone else heading to the academy on Monday? I'm actually getting there Sunday night. I figure there has to be a few PAFOAers going. Thought I'd get a headcount for whatever reason.

[Steve in PA]

Is this the academy down by Hershey? I have a female friend who is going to be a CO. I'm not sure when her reporting date is/was.

I was one of her references

[xd40_jim]

Hey, good luck, I went 3 years ago. What prison are you going to work at afterwards?

[s.vermeire]

Is this the academy down by Hershey? I have a female friend who is going to be a CO. I'm not sure when her reporting date is/was.

I was one of her references

Yep, just down the road in Etown.

Hey, good luck, I went 3 years ago. What prison are you going to work at afterwards?

I'm going to Frackville. From what I've heard it is a good starting point. My drive is long, but I need to get my foot in the door and after not working for 18+ months I need the income.

[shefearsnothing]

You guys are going to work in county prisons?

[djturnz]

Somebody has to, right?

[shefearsnothing]

yeah. I get that. I didn't mean it that way. I am curious though...why the county instead of the state? The county jails don't pay SHIT. You will make a LOT more working for the state, get better benefits etc. Just curious is all.

[s.vermeire]

yeah. I get that. I didn't mean it that way. I am curious though...why the county instead of the state? The county jails don't pay SHIT. You will make a LOT more working for the state, get better benefits etc. Just curious is all.

It is the state training academy. The train all state corrections employees and also open the training to other agencies to participate in. I don't know if all county prisons utilize the training or if some have their own training.

I am going to work for the state and while the starting salary doesn't sound too good as a number the benefits certainly make up for it and I know that it's just the 'starting' salary. In my last job I was putting 15% into 401k and stock plus ~160 biweekly for insurance. Now I'll be putting 6% into pension and my insurance is at no cost... Makes up for most of the 14000 pay cut I'm looking at from my last job.

EDIT:Just did some quick calculations and without taking into consideration any tax deductions; just tax bracket, retirement, and insurance my net pay is only 2500 less. Not bad for a 14k cut in salary. This doesn't take into account the 2 kids that I now get to claim either, they should easily make up the 2500.

[Steve in PA]

My friend will be working at SCI Chase in Dallas when she is done with her training.

[shefearsnothing]

Yeah I wasn't picking on you or trying to look down on you or anything. I just know that Lebanon County for example doesn't pay their guys SHIT and they don't get decent benefits or anything. That's all I was saying. I figure if you're going to put up with scum you might as well go all out.