Posted on Jun 9, 2018
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As I look at various comments here on Rally Point I notice that a majority of contributors are in two dominating status's "Veterans" and "Retired". Current service members limit their contributions and we all understand why. My question is this for "us" Veterans. Do you regret not spending enough time in the military to become retired. And to our Retired brothers and sisters do you wish you would have gotten out earlier to pursue other endeavors?
Posted in these groups: 
Service
Retirement
Service Retirement
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 35
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Sgt Jay Jones good read and share. I think I overdid it, I was E-7 at 18 years, I stayed in 25 years and 3 days. I am glad I did obtaining my Master's/ Bachelor's degrees two deployments (Iraq and Afghanistan) over at the 22/24 year mark.I am proud of it, but I was drained chasing E-8 in the process. " Duty Honor County" was the calling. I am glad I stayed in for the right reasons(1989-2014).
PO1 Tony Holland SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack Cardwell]] COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield SPC Jovani Daviu LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold SSG William Jones MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy
PO1 Tony Holland SFC William Farrell PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas Maj Marty Hogan SGT (Join to see) SGT Philip Roncari SPC Margaret Higgins SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth SP5 Michael Rathbun CW5 Jack Cardwell]] COL Mikel J. Burroughs ] CPL Dave Hoover SFC Shirley Whitfield SPC Jovani Daviu LTC Stephen F. SGT Jim Arnold SSG William Jones MSgt Ken "Airsoldier" Collins-Hardy
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL Maj Marty Hogan Sgt Jay Jones I'd have done it forever if they'd let me. Unfortunately they HYT'd My Ass at 21 Years. I got to see a lot of really neat places and do a lot of cool things. "You Think 007 is Cool? I Am 007" LCDR Montel Williams.
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SP5 Peter Keane
When did this happen ? Vietnam drawdown ? We had a LTC go to SFC so he could stay till 20. Did you get this option ?
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CPT Jack Durish
SP5 Peter Keane - No. They truly wanted my tail out of there and would have come up with something if the drawdown wasn't available. Yes, there's a story in that, one too often told. Suffice it to say that the Division general staff loved turning me loose on a problem to see how many senior officers I could offend.
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Easy question for me- joined on my 19th birthday and have not taken my hand down yet. Last week I just went over 34 years and looking for two more. Will give me just shy of 37 years when I hang them up. Would be cool to get to 40 years, but to be honest my ops tempo the past 10 years has been extremely high and I am about at the end of my usefulness and am taking up room. I still score over 99% on my fitness test and out perform those younger troops wanting to take my place. Do I wish I would have done something else- would have been interesting to see where I would have gone and who I would have been if I left. I am not leaving rich- but I built a great life during and for after. I can look back and be proud of what I have accomplished, where I have been, and the decisions I have made. Great question Sgt Jay Jones
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero SFC Pete Kain SSG David Andrews SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Charles H. Hawes CPL Dave Hoover TSgt Joe C. SPC Jovani Daviu Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Sgt Randy Wilber SGT Gregory Lawritson Cpl (Join to see) Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth LTC (Join to see) MSG Frederick Otero SFC Pete Kain SSG David Andrews SCPO Morris Ramsey SPC Margaret Higgins SGT Jim Arnold PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SGT Charles H. Hawes CPL Dave Hoover TSgt Joe C. SPC Jovani Daviu Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. 'Bill' Price
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LTC Greg Henning
Maj Marty Hogan I enjoyed my time in the military. I did not want it to end but the MRD is hard to fight. Some of my friends are still working as contractors, not for me.
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Maj Marty Hogan
LTC Greg Henning - when I am done- I am done. Much of my last three years have been traveling. I have about 2-3 months gone a year. I know deployments can run long- but being gone a week home for two and gone again take a slow toll on your sanity. 24+ hour travel itineraries just to get there, long days, bad food, and strange beds/cots/chairs make for a bad back. Don't get me wrong I like what I am doing, it just comes time to let someone else do it.
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LTC Greg Henning
Maj Marty Hogan I understand completely. One of the main reasons why I chose education is because I believe in some small way I can shape a young person's life. Hang in there your time will come when you move on to the next chapter in your life.
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