Time Machine: Would you have enlisted/reenlisted?

Absolutely. Of course that's easy to say now since I'm already retired and working on my second career!

Still don't know what I wanna be when I grow up, would pick military until I figure that question out

I am glad that I have served this great nation for nearly 20 years. If I were able to continue to serve I would but due to service limitations I will be retiring next year. Obviously I wish things had gone a little diffeerently but in the end I know I did what was right for me and my family.

I only the regret the 3-years wasted on recruiting duty, other than that I wouldn't change a thing!

I wish I would have never gotten out. I got out in '99 and got back in after 9/11...and then received a medical in '03. I had only been back in the fleet for three days when our LT. decided that a 15 mile hump with packs and gas masks was in order. Since I had not had time to fully check in yet, I borrowed a gas mask from another Marine...who had optical inserts...which led for a great lesson in checking your gear before using it. Needless to say, that was the most interesting hump I had ever been on...depth perception is something I no longer take for granted! At any rate, after a couple of years of not really doing much PT, (I was a Corrections Officer...basically sitting on my ass all day)my body was hurting. I went to sick bay to get some Motrin, and the skipper noticed that I had been on light duty for 10 days back in '97 for a strained muscle in my back. This one incident led to a conclusion that I had a "chronic condition." Had I stayed in, I don't think I would have been given a medical discharge, plus I would be 2 years away from my 20.

I joined the Army in Nov '83 as a means to leave rural Alabama, and to also allow myself an opportunity to change/improve my fortunes. 27 years, 1 month, and 9 days later I retired (Dec '10). I guess you can say I took advantage of the opportunity and definitely changed/improved my fortunes. I can sum it up this way, I thought about it, I did it, I enjoyed it, & I'm glad about it (serving my country)! Defend and Serve.....Army Strong!

I am glad I enlisted. I realized that I was wasting my time and some of my parent's money as I was not ready for college. I was too wound up to settle down. Since I wanted to go into the Army when I graduated, I just went down and enlisted. I figured that I could gain some retirment years and some college benefits at the same time I was cooling my jets and determining what I wanted to do longterm. I was lucky that a recruiting operations (Operations Golden Gate 1986) kicked in the day I was picking my MOS and I was able to choose from a ton of jobs. My uncle talked me out of going Airborne Ranger on the first enlistment and advised me to pick a technical MOS with a clearance and reup for the Rangers if I didn't go back to college or get out and work. I went back to college in the Reserves and returned 5 years later as an officer. Now, 28 years later I am awaiting the O-6 board results with retirement in the next 1-4 years and no regrets! The Army is not for everybody, but it was definitely for me!

27 years. While arm chair quarterbacking myself, I can say that there are some things I could have handled better, but, overall, I can honestly say that it was rewarding, illuminating, and that I was able to be where history was being made. So, no, I wouldn't trade it.

I am glad I reenlisted. I look at the Army as a mode of transportation. I got the train to get somewhere else in life and I kept reenlisting because I was not prepared to get off the train. I tell soldiers everyday to not get off the train until you are ready to and not before you have accomplished your goals for enlisting.

On the one hand, I wish I could go back and enlist right out of high school instead of waiting, then I would be retiring this year! But on the other hand, it would have been in the Navy not the Army. And I would not have met my wife and had the beautiful family I have if I had not been in the Army, so I guess things worked out like He planned after all!