One of the best boundary party chiefs I ever knew never rose above that until he was near retirement. Then he started being chief of parties. After he retired he still did some parttime work doing research, etc..
I have also worked with Instrumentmen for life. and have heard of, from more than one source, about chainmen for life. My main mentor told me about a head chainman he had assigned to him when he worked for a big company that was in his 60's at that time and had been head chainman for about 40 years.
It takes all kinds. I didn't learn how to be a really good rodman/chainman until after I made PC. I moved up too fast.
Yes, I've been thinking about for years now, But I live a comfortable life, day to day I am the boss, and when the real boss calls me he says "are you still working for me?"
Working for the state doing existing conditions for the past 3 years. I miss construction layout, you have to know how to deal with those guys. They can be a lot of fun.
Snoop, your avatar has bothered me for long.
thanks Gene
I have 2 guys I use on a regular basis. The three of us total about 167 years in the field, I will be 63 this July.
Older guys may not move as fast but they are dependable and hard working, and loads of fun to be with.
We just finished a topo that had been done by two other surveyors and was very lacking in quality. The home was a burnout and is hillside, so a good map is needed to make sure there are no suprises in construction.
Yesterday the 3 of us worked until the sun went down. Today, 2 of us pulled 10.5 hrs, 609 shots total.
Yea...older guys are best to have around.
I would be the greenhorn on that crew 😉
OK Dave you can tie flagging on nails, just stay out of our way LOL.
What was that story about the young bull and the old bull on top of a hill gazing down on a herd of cows in a valley?...
Beer...
Nature compensates the old bull with wisdom.
I've heard it said that old golfers don't hit as far as they used to, but have a smoother swing.
Beer...
Ah yes. It was something like that....
58/40 here, 2 x hp41cx, 2 x hp48gx, ACAD since ver 2. 30 yr. old pouch, tack ball. Unemployed for the first time in my life.
Bill, you would be the best helper I would have had in a very long time.
"I yam wot I yam, and that's all wot I yam"
Popeye
Their is nothing wrong with being a crew chief for life but time will come, soon, when you are no longer physically able to do field work every day. When that day comes you better have one of two things:
1) enough money saved up to retire, or
2) office skills sufficient to justify keeping you working their.
I say that if 2) is your strategy you should plan on passing the test. It just isn't that hard to do.