I'm currently on the hunt for a government job with benefits, and I'm feeling quite desperate. As a Marine veteran who served as an MP for five years and later worked as a civilian law enforcement officer for a year, I have six years of experience in law enforcement. I got out of the military in 2018 and I'm now finishing my master's degree in social work. Since leaving the military, I've only had one government job, which ended prematurely due to a toxic work environment. I’ve been itching to get back into a role where I can truly contribute and give my all. However, it feels like nobody is willing to hire someone like me without a master's degree and over five years of experience, which I will have in two years. Recently, I learned about the potential signing bonuses for prior military or law enforcement personnel, which can be upwards of $50k for government positions. This has made me seriously consider applying to ICE, which is a huge step for me. I’m skilled, educated, have a good credit score, and am physically fit and hard-working. Yet, the thought of joining ICE just to secure a career feels insane to me. I'm tired of feeling stuck and am ready to get back into the workforce.