I am considering driving for a living

[axhammer]

My first post here folks, and a couple questions,

I am getting ready to retire from the military with over 25 years as an enlisted man. I live near a port city, with many job opportunities. Trucking seems like a good fit for me. I figure the first year will be the hardest due to learning a new job, and having to work my way up from the new employee status (getting lower pay for less desirable routes). I have a kid in high school, so I want to stay put for the time being. I figure in a couple years I may want to relocate. It seems to me like truck driving is so versatile, it would be an easy thing to do.

How hard is it to relocate from one state to another as a truck driver?

What would you veterans of the highway recommend for someone like me, retired military and starting out a new career as a professional truck driver, are there any specific career paths you would recommend, and what are they?

Tankers or Hazmat
Containers
Long haul owner operator
Stay local driving for an established company
What about working for a big company like UPS or FedEx

Thanks in advance!