If someone asked what could you have done differently in your military career, what would you have chosen?

I would have accepted the early promotion to Captain and taken the job as Senior Province Intel Officer in Nha Trang in 1969.

I would have stayed in the Corps and made a career out of it

Went to college FIRST, not afterwards.

After 30 great years, I only have two regrets. (1) That night in Freemantle and (2) take more pictures - and label them to know who, what, where and when. Other than that, it was a helluva ridel

I would have choosen the military over my now ex wife

I had orders for OCS and the physician assistant program. It was ripped away from me because I was transferred to another company across post and the chain of command there canceled the orders and told me they knew what was best for my career.

Picked a better career path

I should have joined right out of high school.

Would have gone back in after I got married. The one thing I kick myself for is only doing 4 years.

It might be meaningful for first year recruits to be able to read these posts. I think that having the voices of the future echoing somewhere in their ears might possibly be helpful to them as they start to walk the same roads. It seems that the "regrets" fall into similar situations that we recognize and correct as we mature - getting married too young; not understanding the value of enlistment opportunities; stressors of family vs military service; lack of financial planning/knowledge/choices; immaturity. Likewise the things people thought they did right are alike - taking the offers of schooling and training opportunities; using deployment to travel and learn; being wise about enlistment and financial opportunities for future financial security; making choices that took family obligations into consideration.

I want to say as a non military person who has known people who are both career and short time military vets, that there's no right answer for anyone. Military life isn't for everyone, and for sure not for every spouse or family. It was rough on my cousins, but my Aunt adapted. My niece wasn't thrilled about her husband's frequent deployments and his dad was dying, so he didn't re-enlist after 12 years in, for which now he's grateful. My girlfriend loved her career so much she became a contractor when she retired. My cousin only got out because she had two kids, but her husband retired and she loved the travel. We all have regrets, and things we're thankful for. The bottom line is you have to do what you think is right at the time, live your life out, readjust if you don't like what's happening, get help if you need it, and keep moving ahead.