Did you regret getting out of the military? What is civilian life like?

SFC, or Gunny as they say in my neck of the woods. I feel that yours is the ideal military experience. There is a certain threshold after which your skills become marketable. The Junior enlisted to NCO gives you a sense of greater responsibility and a sense of even greater purpose, but once you cross the line to staff and above you're much more of a manager. You are trusted with the well being of many swinging dicks, entire companies, units, departments, etc. You are the head and all those in your care are the body. You can pen to paper a significant resume out of all the logistic, personnel, administrative, and managerial experience that can only be achieved in the high ranks. The problem is when service members like me leave during a down stroke. I was in the situation that OP was in. My leadership was awful, I needed help and could not find it, I didn't know where to turn, and I left as a new NCO. My life since then has been very challenging. I am now a clinical manager for a pain practice but it took a long time to get here. I feel like I exited the military prematurely and without any foresight just because I couldn't stand the bs I was going through. I was Marine Corps Infantry and very much accustomed to bs, mind you. Back to my point, I had 2 combat tours, loads of experience under my belt, I was skilled in the art of warfare and medicine. I saved lives. I thought for sure a job would be the least of my worries. I approached the SWAT team since it seemed a natural fit and was told I'd need about 6 years of school. Everywhere else worthwhile demanded a degree. I went to school and still am underemployed. The reason I find is because most places that pay a living wage don't care much about a degree, as expensive as it still was. They care about experience. My experience was valuable to me and I rose above my peers, excelling in what I studied, but I look at my resume. High school, jobs, military, and after 5 years of service it just looks like I'm a rolling stone. Hopping from one thing to another. This impression is certainly not the case. I dedicated my life in service to my brothers. But you don't see the real commitment on paper; all you see is 2 years here, 4 years there, etc. You, however, have an entire career behind you. Companies see that and they see dedication. Your resume fills as you pick up and your responsibilities grow. Likewise if you have at least 10 years and a rocker under you. My advice to OP and to anyone reading is this: You joined. Commit. Really make a career out of it, you learn more about yourself as you grow in leadership. I was no rank chaser and didn't care in my youth, but it is significant. Through rank you discover how much you can handle, where your strengths and weaknesses are both in your work and as a leader. The workplace is starved for great leadership. Teach yourself how to fit that bill. Don't be afraid to grow and give it your all. Really make something significant out of your time. No more counting down to EAS. No more impatiently chasing something else just because you're in a slump. Do you know what keeps civilians in their jobs for so long? Desparation. They may hate their jobs and lives but if they leave and take a pay cut it could be detrimental to their families. My modest salary is what my family depends on, and starting from scratch somewhere else is difficult. Not for you! Change your mindset, your unit, your duty station, your rate. Attend the classes, the special programs; develop and hone new skills! Motivation is what keeps the military going. If you're not motivated, you're doing something wrong but the good news is you can fix it. There's what I learned in hindsight; retention is low, motivation is lacking, and it's never too late to change your circumstances for the better! Rah and Semper Fi! - Doc Kiraly

I couldn't agree with this more. Before you make a decision, transfer to another command. If you still feel the same way after your time there then it's probably time to move on to another challenge.