The Military... What Made You Stay?

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:18:21 -0400

This is for any enlisted SM who re-up'ed after your first contract ended or any officer that stayed after their initial ADSO was over.

It is specific to that second term of reenlistment or that 1-2 years after you could have left - you chose to stay. Why?

What made you stay - especially if you thought you were only in for one term? Was it a mentor? An awesome job?

And the opposite for those of you that got out - why didn't you want to stay? What could have changed your mind?

Invite others to respond by typing @name

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 9 at 2015 6:19 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:19:31 -0400

I have not yet finished my first term yet (one more year) but I hope to continue to stay in as I enjoy the camaraderie with the military that can be found with just about any other veteran you meet. It is a family like no other.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Mar 9 at 2015 6:20 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 18:20:50 -0400

If not me then who?
It felt like an important job
It was fun

When those three things ended at 28 years I pulled the plug.

Response by MSgt Robert Pellam made Mar 9 at 2015 7:37 PM

MSgt Robert Pellam — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 19:37:26 -0400

I did 21 in the Air Force.

The reason I joined the Air Force was because I was not cutting it in college. No Discipline, at least that is what I figured out many years later. I was using the AF as a fall back because I didn't want to be that guy living with or off his parents. I wanted direction.

I joined for 4 thinking, "We shall see." Those first 4 were something else. I seen true leadership, I seen mentoring and all these other things displayed that I really didn't have clue were but I wanted to learn. So I stayed. I had a good job that I liked and just started to watch and learn. It also helped my first duty station was Luke AFB, outside Phoenix, AZ.
I was hooked, and stayed. Loved every minute of it good and bad. More importantly, I took away discipline and a set of core values that I use. It was a great experience for me.

Response by SGT Jim Z. made Mar 9 at 2015 8:51 PM

SGT Jim Z. — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 20:51:37 -0400

I re-enlisted because I had duty station of choice which I chose Germany. Well that led to the Clinton Balkan Vacation Package which I did not see much of Germany though I saw some of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, and Italy. Plus a few touchdowns taking the DC-9 medevac back to Germany. I re-enlisted again to come back to the states and again had duty station of choice.

Response by CSM Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 4:49 AM

CSM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 04:49:16 -0400

My Drill Sergeant dropped me into a pool of awesomeness and badassery, I couldn't just leave :)

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 10 at 2015 10:59 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 10:59:38 -0400

I wasn't ready to hang up my uniform yet. I felt like there was still work to be done in training junior Marines. I had too much knowledge over 6 years and a deployment to teach to Marines who probably won't deploy in the near future. Most of the other Marines were getting out so the knowledge base was shrinking.

I LOVE BEING A MARINE! lol

Response by PO2 David Hagwood made Mar 10 at 2015 9:02 PM

PO2 David Hagwood — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 21:02:34 -0400

I really like being in the Navy. I'm the kind of person who likes things to change up now and then. I'm on my 3rd contact now and I have done various jobs, been too many different places, and the experience is always new. I really enjoy going out to sea, and overall I really like what I'm a part of. We're the deadliest force on the seas and we can project that force ashore. I love our Marines and the Navy Seals. They're the Navy's fighters and the spearhead in battle. Our pilots are so good that they can do a controlled crash landing on a moving aircraft carrier in rough seas and we can dominate any role in the air, fighting, attack, tanker, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and logistics. There is much to love about being apart of the Navy. :-)

Response by CSM Michael J. Uhlig made Mar 11 at 2015 3:32 AM

CSM Michael J. Uhlig — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 03:32:20 -0400

I stayed because I fell in love with the Army.

I had an outstanding squad leader (SGT Joel L. Chambers), I couldn't believe there was an organization that cared so much for the individual Soldier. The fact that my mother was diagnosed with a terminal cancer and they afforded me the opportunity to be close to her (compassionate reassignment) for her last six month of life made a huge impact on my life. I was hooked and have been trying to look out for Soldiers interest the same way since.

Response by PO1 Mark Filter made Mar 11 at 2015 3:55 AM

PO1 Mark Filter — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 03:55:59 -0400

I joined out of patriotism before 9/11. After two years of training, I finally reached my first duty station at NSA Hawaii. The rotating shift work killed me and I did not adapt well. It was a now retired Senior Chief who talked me into staying in. I reenlisted and got accepted to a special duty assignment at DTRA. I spent 7 years there, finished my degree, and then separated. Unemployed ever since. When you are in, you will complain about it. When you are out, your service will be one of the most treasured experiences of your life.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 17 at 2015 3:41 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 15:41:24 -0400

Difficult question. I originally enlisted because I wanted to learn another Asian language after learning Japanese in high school and the army with DLI was the best way to do that at the time (mid 1980s).

I reenlisted for the college money (Reserve Montgomery GI Bill and Tuition Reimbursement).

By late 2001 after the events of 9/11 and an extreme increase in rhetoric and posture from North Korea I felt that my country needed me again, specifically my Korean language skills and knowledge of the culture and history of Korea.

Since my direct commission in 2003 nothing has changed. North Korea remains an aggressive and unpredictable threat and our alliance still depends on bilingual and bicultural soldiers, NCOs and officers in both militaries

Last year I was considering retirement, but a new reserve unit stood up focused entirely on Korea and serving as staff augmentees for US Forces Korea. At this point, I'll likely stay until they kick me out on my 60th birthday, and after that perhaps try to stay on in a civilian capacity.

Response by SSG Gene Carroll SR. made Oct 18 at 2015 7:10 PM

SSG Gene Carroll SR. — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:10:41 -0400

I had more there than in civilian life.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 18 at 2015 7:14 PM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:14:38 -0400

I was not serving in a skill that i was good at and I had no marketable skills for civilian world.

And, I wanted to completed my degree. The military was making that possible.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 20 at 2015 3:50 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 03:50:39 -0400

I was an enlisted Soldier, ready to get out after my first enlistment and then I was deployed. My deployment was a lame sham show to a rear location, and the only way to stay/extend to do a different mission was to re-up. At that point, six years already passed, and it wasn't much, so six more for a nice tax free bonus didn't hurt.

Three tours later, I realized I could do more and became an officer. I hit 17 years in April, and I don't know where the time went, but I love it. I cannot do everything, but I can try, and I want to be here to lead Soldiers and accomplish the mission.

As SGM said, if not me, who?

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2015 12:41 PM

Maj Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 12:41:30 -0500

I had no clue how I was going to make money whole going to college, I enjoyed it, and I got orders to Okinawa! Glad I stayed in!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Nov 1 at 2015 1:12 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 13:12:11 -0500

I was a one trick pony.

Response by SSgt Paul Esquibel made Nov 1 at 2015 2:20 PM

SSgt Paul Esquibel — Sun, 01 Nov 2015 14:20:51 -0500

For me I always wanted to see the world and I did, so I actually didn't reenlist until almost 5.5 years as I had extended my 4 year enlistment and from then on just kept reenlisting as the Air Force was providing what I wanted and that was to live in countries and experience a culture outside of America

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2018 12:18 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 00:18:36 -0500

I was branch detailed and wanted to see what another branch was like...regret it now! I think?