Is it still worth serving, or going back in?

PFC Scott Conley — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:43:29 -0400

With the political environment that we are currently facing, and the stories of what happening to current service members would returning to service be worth it?
I feel very uneasy about the future of the economy and want to secure a livelihood for my family, i know the army would provide that, but is it worth serving under this administration?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 3:07 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:07:29 -0400

There will always be "politics"
There will always be "stories of things happening to service members"

Want a better situation in the military? Make it a profession where you have some experience in what is going on around you and you can navigate the system.

From your perspective as a PFC, yea, it sucks, it sucks as a LT as well, but I'm guessing the 1SG or BN XO might feel differently. They've been through ups and downs, and you will to if you give it enough time.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 3:13 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:13:15 -0400

PFC Scott Conley Explore all your options carefully before making a decision. Administrations come and go, so do not base a decision on who is in the White House. What is your dream job? Do you have the education needed for that job? I knew that I needed a degree for my dream job so I worked on my degree while working as an operator at a chemical plant. Five years later, I obtained my degree, and started a 33 year career at a job that I loved. Good luck!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 3:19 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 15:19:15 -0400

"Stories of what's happening to current servicemembers..." What stories are those? About what? I love a good story.

There's always politics and politicians playing games with those of us in the military. How long were you in before? You should have realized this then.

Response by SFC Randy Hellenbrand made Oct 29 at 2021 6:05 PM

SFC Randy Hellenbrand — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 18:05:33 -0400

Trust me, the retirement is worth it. As for the reich wingers, turn the fascist in and get rid of them.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 8:27 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 20:27:27 -0400

"This administration"?
This is the 5th president since I enlisted. I haven't noticed how any "administration" affected my day to day life in the military.

What is "happening to current service members"?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 29 at 2021 8:46 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 20:46:36 -0400

I'm curious. What has been happening to current service members that is making you second guess getting back in? I'm also curious about something else. Now, your profile doesn't show dates of service....which by and by there is nothing wrong with that....but, considering that a standard contract is either a 3 or 4 year hitch for AD....did you get in trouble and lose rank or get in trouble and never made it to SPC? The reason why I ask is because I am trying to see if we can eliminate a possible future post from you asking about getting in with an RE-2 thru 4...or a post about getting the Discharge Type upgraded.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Oct 29 at 2021 9:29 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 21:29:32 -0400

Politics are a cycle. Sometimes the leaders are fo the left and sometimes the right.

If you want to serve don’t base it on who is in the White House because it changes. Make the decision off of your goals and your family situation. That’s what matters most

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Oct 29 at 2021 11:14 PM

SGM Bill Frazer — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:14:31 -0400

What stories???? You do know the Army made 102% of their retention quota for the year. That drops prior service to almost 0% chance til next FY. Plus they have tightened up the criteria for re-enlistment.

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Oct 30 at 2021 8:40 AM

MSG John Duchesneau — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 08:40:33 -0400

Yes! Please don't believe the divisive BS the media and various ideological groups want you to believe. Biden, or any other president, isn't going to lead us down the path to destruction. Some people said Obama was the worst president in history and some said it was Trump. Guess what? The good ol USA is still here - despite 12 years of divisive and, some would say, destructive presidents.

You service as a soldier should not depend on who is president who how much you like them. As a Soldier you serve your country. Yes, the president is your commander in chief but your country endures regardless who is president. In my 35 years of service I served under 7 presidents and I can't say I voted for most of them.

As a Soldier you get a lot of respect, great benefits and good pay. The trade off is that you may have to risk your life in the performance of your duties and you don't get the luxury of choosing who your commanders are at any level or what missions you will be given.

If you want to serve your country and have a financially stable future get back in the Army.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 30 at 2021 6:12 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 18:12:21 -0400

If, as a PFC or SPC, you're worried about the CEO of your company, then it's probably not the company for you.

You're talking about retirement. You're a PFC, meaning you got kicked out early, or reduced and then kicked out. Either way, you probably have less than five years of service meanimg you're another 15 or so to go to an active duty retirement. News flash - you are two to four presidents away from retirement. If you think that jut one president can make it not worthwhile, then you just shouldn't rejoin. As sure as I am saying this, in the next 15 years another president that you hate even more will be elected into office. If you aren't willing to follow the president the people elected, or you feel that it will be bad for you in the future, then quit now. We follow the president who is elected, not the one we want to be elected.

If you think it's not worth serving, then don't. Another down the road will be even worse. However, if the question is about your family, you've already figured out what is right for them so go do that.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Oct 30 at 2021 7:07 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 19:07:05 -0400

Serving our Country shouldn't depend on which party controls the White House or Congress or how well the economy is doing. I know these are all potential factors in the decision to serve, but the primary thing is your willingness to dedicate your life to serving. I was commissioned when LBJ was President and Vietnam was in full swing. I served under Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, HW Bush, Clinton, and G Bush. I came back later on as an Army Civilian under Obama.

It was all very well worth it for me. I had a steady job for 22 years. After the Carter years that job also paid well. The GI Bill paid for two Masters Degrees. I learned many skills and acquired knowledge in a variety of fields in my career. I was able to put together a strong resume that helped me land a good paying job after retirement. Also, I really liked my job. For the first 16 years I was an active pilot--a job so good sometimes it was hard to believe they actually paid me to do it. Later on as a staff officer and military exercise planner I used a lot of creativity of "make stuff up" as part of joint and combined exercise designs. My family benefited from exposure to different parts of the country and cultures. The kids mostly went to good public schools on and off base. We lived on base often giving the family a safe environment. The retirement benefits have been very well worth the years I spent in the Service. Perhaps one of the least well known is TRICARE for Life (TFL). TFL picks up the 20% of medical expenses for hospitals and doctors that Medicare doesn't pay plus it has a very good pharmacy benefit.

We did have some social changes during my time in the Service. In the 1970s we began sincerely integrating people of many races, religions, and cultures into the Services. We also integrated women into an ever-increasing number of MOS/AFSC. When I was commissioned in 1969 there were no women pilots in the Air Force. When I completed my second assignment in 1977, women pilots were starting to show up as pilot training instructors. By the time I retired as an Army Civilian I had worked for a female Army Major General and had the pleasure of meeting the Army's first female General (O-10). We started with "race relations training" in about 1972. My last human relations training was SHARP as a GS14. When I started in the Air Force, being homosexual was grounds for discharge. I went through don't-ask-don't-tell in the Clinton years and watched other sexual preferences become acceptable while I was an Army Civilian. Through all of these changes, my dedication to serving our country remained the main reason I stayed in.

I always believed my work was a calling. I didn't do it just for the paycheck or other benefits. I did it for my country. I still believe military service is a calling. If it's yours, then it's always worth it.

Response by CW3 Raymond Mead made Dec 22 at 2021 12:33 PM

CW3 Raymond Mead — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 12:33:42 -0500

I did return to the Army after almost four years, and on and retired. I found, at that time at least, that the administrations had little effect on day to day life. At that time the Army was apolitical, as it should be. I served under a couple of administrations that I agreed with and some that I didn’t. We rarely discussed politics, especially during duty hours. We didn’t have social media to post our concerns or dislikes, which I think was much better. I would not return to any branch of the military as it is today.

Response by CW3 Raymond Mead made Mar 12 at 2022 11:14 AM

CW3 Raymond Mead — Sat, 12 Mar 2022 11:14:28 -0500

It depends on your reasoning. Don’t do it for the money or the benefits. I was a draftee who etsed when I came home from Vietnam. It was not a good environment for us. I made it 47 months before going home to the Army, where I welcomed with open Arms. I tried to pick up where I left off and do a better job the second time around, and I did. I went to college using both the VA and Tuition Assistance and took a lot of Army Correspondence Courses. I went from E2 to CW2 in about nine years. I enjoyed the Army and I did it for my country, remember those days? I served under administrations I liked and some I didn’t. That’s what it’s about. I didn’t whine, bitch, or complain about who was in the Oval Office. In fact that could get you in hot water with your chain of command. My politics was Army, period. And morale was a lot better under that understanding. We didn’t have websites where we could badmouth the POTUS. We were far more professional than that. I retired as a CW3 more than 30 years ago. I have watched retirement benefits erode during that time. But I didn’t do it for the benefits. If you want to return to Active Duty, have a reason. Be prepared to give as much or more to the service and your County than you expect to receive. Eventually you will get a degree of satisfaction you never expected. But don’t do it for the money or the benefits. You will be very disappointed if you do.