Reenlist vs getting out?

Don't make fear based life choices. If you still want to be a Marine because you like it stay in. If you don't, get out and go to school. Make sure to study the post 9-11. Get paid to train for your next career!

To stay or get out is choice only you can make. Weigh your options both positive and negative. Additionally if you choose to separate ensure you have a plan to execute well in advance. The last thing anyone wants to do is get out then say "now what". Lastly, talk with your transition assistance folks, they may help clear some of the waters for you

What does your initial gut instinct say?

Sgt (Join to see) - I will share this with you. When I made the decision to get out, I didn't have a degree either. As a communications expert I knew I would at least have a chance in landing something and through hard work and listening to others, I crafted my resume to work with me and over the past few years have grown within the corporate IT environment.

While I'm not familiar with your background other than that you served in the Corps, I'm sure you are able to write a good working resume. Have you considered getting out and going to school? You have your GI Bill and can work towards your degree in Physical Therapy. The one thing a lot of people do is do what you are doing. Thinking you can step out of the uniform and right into your dream job. While it sometimes happens, you have a greater chance of getting out and finding a way to work towards your dream job.

If you are wanting someone to help review your resume and stuff, let me know, while I'm not an expert I have enough knowledge to give you good advice so you don't end up at McDonalds.

Lord knows how many times I've thought about getting out with it being only my first term, but I've personally decided to give it one more just because I do want to go to school first, and I've had countless Chiefs and First Classes telling me to stay in for your twenty, it's worth it. My promotion helped with my motivation as well, and I've honestly considered commissioning. Still thinking about that one. You don't really get to know the Navy or Marine Corps in your first term, so I don't know if you're on your first or what have ya, but if you are I'd absolutely suggest you give it one more shot.

Stay in the Corps as long as you can. Most civilian jobs are boring, have low pay and NO job security. Most college grads these days don't make as much as an E-5 in the military.

I've seen both sides of the fence. If you can put up with the BS of the military and they are willing to keep you - stay in. You are going to be 40 years old someday. Better to reach that age with a steady monthly retirement check than without. Also, get working on at least an associates degree. It will help you get promoted in the Corps and it will prepare you for civilian life down the road.

I am literally in the same exact boat. Im 23 I have been in for almost the 6 years and now that my enlistment is coming up I'm low key stressing weighing out all of my options. I have my associates degree finished but its the CCAF which doesn't exactly do a whole lot on the outside. The way I see it though is when my enlistment comes up AND I just found out I'm promoting to Staff Sergeant this month. I didn't think I was going to be such a hard decision to make but now that the time is coming up quick I definitely understand where you are coming from. Im thinking I should have at least a Bachelors degree to get out with so I might either go guard and be a full time student or stay in to keep all my benefits and continue schooling through TA. My biggest piece of advice I can leave you with though is have a good mentor that's either been in the military a long time or retired from it. I feel like they have so much wisdom to build off of and If you consider a good mentors advice you really can't go wrong.

I get where you're coming from big time. I was army infantry for a few years, hated my unit command and got out. At first it was bliss. Freedom, work not fucking with me while I was home, PT on my own schedule, loved it. Then reality set in. I aspired to become a cop which takes up to a year or more to get hired on as, and had to work a couple temporary jobs while that was in the works. I was making a fraction of what I was on active duty, and had to work nights on top of that. Not to mention shitty civilian healthcare programs. I immediately looked at going back in, and eventually lead to be going back to active duty. Now, I'm not sure if I'll do the full 20, I made several mistakes like making a cross country move after ETS, moving from a cheap place to a very expensive place, and because I could fly across the country for LEO testing I didnt have a good job lined up after I got out.

That was my fuck up. You don't gave to have the same result but just do a realistic pro and con about cost of living, pay, benefits etc. It's amazing how quick you rack up a year or more at a "temporary" job, then turn around and miss the quality of life you once had. Oh, and the bullshit- contradicting policies, incompetent leadership, etc...it's everywhere. Not just in the military.

hey so... I just got out of the Army after 9 years active duty service. I deployed to Afghanistan twice and was a credit chief for the Apache helicopter. I was like you, I wanted freedom and the enjoyment of being a civilian. Although everyone's life is different, there remains one thing that is the same, you need to do what you believe is best for you and your family wetter it be a spouse and kids or close relatives. No one can say anything negative about that. As for myself I have been out for 6 months now and looking to get back in. Being a civilian is not everything it is cracked up to be. I hope this helps, and good luck on whatever you choose to do.

I had this problem after I got out. You have to weigh your options. Without knowing what your MOS is its hard to give advice. You can count on the fact that it is very,very hard to get civilian companies to recognize military certifications. Then whatever you do make sure to not lose one scrap of paper showing what you did. A dd214 just isn't enough anymore. You can also look at the private security sector, which boils down to making a lot more money for the job you do now, you just don't have the support of the government anymore. Dana Corp is one of these companies. Honestly it's best to stay in until you can draw a pension, the civilian job markets pay scale with no college really sucks.