Finished with training, now what? A new scientist's perspective

I was born and raised in Northeastern OH, and enlisted in the US Navy after graduating from Jefferson Area High School, OH in 1991. From 1991-1995 I served onboard the USS Denver (LPD-9) as a trained Operations Specialist and completed one Westpac Cruise in support of Operation Restore Hope/Battle of Mogadishu. In 1996 I transferred to the Ohio Army National Guard and served as a Heavy Constructions Equipment Repairer until 2002. During this time I completed a BSAS in Food & Nutrition-Die