Retirees - When did you know it was time to hang up the uniform?

For me it iwas a medical condition I have been fighting with for a few years now.  I will have 23 years in when my retirement date hits.  I promised myself that when my body cannot handle the pain anymore I would step down to allow another Soldier to step up and take my place in this great Army.  I just hope all the Soldier's I have the pleaseure of teaching, mentoring and training has learned from my accomplishiments as well as my mistakes.

When BS + PC > Moral compass. 

After 35 years TIS my body is telling me it is time to hang it up.  I love being a soldier but have noticed a severe loss of respect and discipline in the army.  It will be sad to hang my uniform up and at the same time I am ready to be able to go and do whatever I want whenever I want.

I submitted my packet when my fun meter was pegged.  

With more than enough time for retirement, these types of discussion become more and more relevant.

When it's no longer fun and rewarding.

I said in another thread: the Army has given me a lot but it has also taken a lot (my health, family time, a couple marriages). When it takes way more than it gives could be another time.

When it stopped being fun and turned into a job. Also with office and base closures.

My decision was simple.  When I was in Korea I heard the phone calls to children back home who were heart broken their mom/dad was away for a year or more.  I vowed then that if I should ever have a child that would be my last term of enlistment.  My son was three weeks old when I was shipped out to Iraq in Feb. 2003.  My term ended while I was in Iraq and when I returned I ETS'd back home. 

A few things led up to it. I was scheduled for CSM Academy and rotation out of Germany after 7 1/2 years. I finished up my tour in Kuwait during Desert Shield/Storm and returned to my unit in Germany to find out they wanted to send me back into the Airborne. That was the straw that broke the camels back for me. We retired out of Germany, took a 45 day terminal leave and processed out of the Army at Ft. Carson, Colorado at 37 years old. I don't regret it for a minute.

When I retired in 1996, USCG came out with Early Retirement Program, had to have between 18-19 years of service, I was at 18.5.  Retired with Full Benefits at 38 years old.  Best decision I ever made.  My advice is Retire early enough to be marketable in the Workforce.