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

Staying the fuck out of Tijuana

I would have kept in better touch with dudes that ended up taking their own lives. Other than that, in the last 22 years, I've received more than I feel I've given, because even in the most miserable of times, I've gotten to be around other service members such as yourselves.

I would have signed up as a member of the Georgia National Guard and attended basic training between my junior and senior year of high school. That would have meant doing drill once a month during my senior year of high school - something that my 18 year old self wanted no part of. Looking back it would have given me another year for retirement pay. Since I ended up attending West Point, I wouldn't have gone to AIT the next summer anyway and my GA NG contract would have been over at that point. But what teenager listens anyway...

If I could have done anything differently, it probably would have been enlist at a younger age.

I would've joined when I was 18 if I could do it all over PO2 Robert M.!

COL Mikel J. Burroughs SFC William Farrell Maj Marty Hogan TSgt David L. Col Carl Whicker LTC Stephen F. CW5 Jack Cardwell Cpl (Join to see) Maj William W. 'Bill' Price CPL Dave Hoover SPC Douglas Bolton LTC Greg Henning Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. SPC Margaret Higgins Alan K. Lt Col Charlie Brown PVT Mark Zehner Sgt (Join to see) SSG Michael Noll

Looking back, I think everything worked out better than I deserved. At most career crossroads I made the decision that I thought was best for my family. When I look at the alternative in every case, I still think I made the right choices. On a personal level I wish I had listened more and studied harder when I was a young officer. As a senior officer I should have had more humility.

I would have never gotten married, kept my mouth shut and ears opened more. Would have done college, and invested my money rather than burning it up in the bars

I would have reupped but family matters at home came first,so that was that,I have to admit I did find a home in the Army if only for a very short time.

I did okay going from E1 to CW3 over 29 years active, but if I had to do it all over again, I would have accepted the CO's offer towards the end of Basic Training to attend the USMA Preparatory School. Instead, my punk ass 19 year old self said, "Thank you sir, but I must decline the offer. I only plan on being in the service for 4 years, and then I want to go to a civilian college". That was probably only rivaled by the time in late 1986 when I had 8k bonus money in my bank, and a friend from back in the states said I should put the money into this company called Microsoft. He was wicked into computers, and promised me it was a great idea. Instead, since I was in Germany, I bought a used Mercedes, and tooled around in it until it broke down two years later.

Well When you have a Commander that is being QMP out. And he takes it out on his command. That sucks. I missed a promotion by one point because of his taking away his commanders points. And as such he flushed my chance at going to OCS. That was when I decided to get out and become a police officer. The best part of that was years later he was out of the service and I arrested him for drugs and a DUI. So win win. Oh and I reminded him that he was still a Piece of SHIT.. :)