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

In basic the TI Gave a fatherly talk the day before we graduated.. told us that we had the most important decisions to make in the next four years.. getting married and get out of the service ... I now know I screwed the both up!!

Should have hired a lwyer to defend myself from MMSC (ss) Winkleman & stayed in...

Maybe a branch transfer after getting out of the Army. I enjoyed the Army but not the job I had or much options I had with them.

To have known about ADD in 1969 (which wasn't in existance then), May have made a career difference instead of just 1 tour!!

I would've stayed on active duty Navy for 20. Married the girl I was dating.

I would have gone to more schools. I regret not doing Airborne/Air Assault/EFMB/SFQC/Ranger etc.. I should have just put in for anything and really made an experience out of it. There is no civilian equivalent to that stuff either..

I got out after 11 yrs, 3mo, 17 days, because I didn't want to spend 2+ years away from my wife and newborn son. I had orders for Vincenza, Italy and my wife was a QASAS. The QASAS slot there was a GS12. She was a GS11, I was a SSG. The QASAS program would not even consider sending her there. DA wouldn't consider sending me any where else, so I declined to reenlist. I ended up with an reup code of RE3, which means if I wanted active duty in the future, it would be as a SP4. HR asked if I wanted to join the IRR, but as an E4. No, thank you. So I got out and ended up as a retired Dept Army GS13. I really wish I could have stayed on AD, but I guess it kind of worked out.

Been more family oriented while achieving career goals!

I would have embraced military life earlier in my career. Because I joined to avoid getting drafted, I spent too much of my first enlistment wishing I were back at home. When I finally grew up a little and started being where I was instead of dreaming of being somewhere else, I kind of liked it. By then, several years had passed and I'm sure it affected my promotions.

I had a chance to commission as an officer in the USAR but I wanted out of that unit so bad I transferred out instead of taking the commission. Should have stayed at least long enough to have gotten that bar.