I agree with what these guys are saying about the military, but since that is not an option for you, here is my advise. Keep doing what you do. Learn to do it well. Find a better employer in your field who can keep you busy. Remember, a steady, smaller paycheck is better than a larger, but unreliable paycheck. You are taking this advise from a guy who spent 11 years as a carpenter. Once you have gained a reliable payday, begin to put some money away. It may take a few years, but when you have money in the bank, your options really begin to open up. Be Patient, be patient, be patient. The people around you that you see as sucessful have spent years, sometimes decades at their chosen profession to become what they are today. It takes time and dedication. Have long-term goals that are attainable, yet challenging and a few that are nearly impossible to reach. This will keep you motivated and driven. Re-evaluate these goals and how best to approach them at every fork in the road. There are only two ways to become successful no matter what your education level or life experience. The first is luck(win the lottery, invest in the next microsoft), the second, more common way, is to work hard and smart toward a goal or goals for years and years and years and years. Even Bill Gates worked his ass off for years before he made his first million. It takes time.
Lastly, re-evaluate your appearance and decide how it affects where you want to go. People all want to be individual, employers want to hire robots. Somewhere in the middle is reality. If you truly want to get a "normal" job you will have to fit in. Would you want the doctor who is operating on your heart to to be covered in tattoos, shaved head with a 10" goatee and peircings all over his face? Probably not. Doesn't mean he couldn't do the job, he just doesn't fit what you would stereotype as a good doctor. This is how a prospective employer evaluates you when it comes time to hire.
I hope this all helps.
Greg