I am currently focusing on my credit and money management skills.

Once you've been to 6-10 meetups and you only focus on building relationships without asking for a mentor, you will have plenty of options, especially if you are willing put your skills out there to help them.

Being a firefighter gives you a distinct viewpoint and skill set that are advantageous in real estate investing.

I wanted hardly any rehab since I had never learned those skills.

Now its just not answering your phone issues.. bottom line you need sales skills  Tech skills and its a life style not a job.

But think about if getting a license fits with your interests and long-term objectives.Recall that investing in real estate is a journey, and it's acceptable to begin small and pick up skills along the way.

Looking forward to transferring those skills in to property management. 

I have the skill set and experience so it makes sense to meHas anyone done this/can anyone offer advice about how to get started?

We get lucky sometimes in our investments and then we forget that and attribute it to our own skillfulness.  

Negotiation is a critical skill in real estate transactions.