Time Machine: Would you have enlisted/reenlisted?

When I first joined the army it was due to the fact that I need a job so the recruiter gavel airborne and ranger but the down side was it was a cook. So four years down the road and I reclassed to become a 15R and I love my job.

I am a DS?DS veteran. I enlisted in 78 and too SSI during the Clinton Drawdown. I got out Because of an ASS chewing by a CSM for attending too many Schools. I was in the top 2% of my MOS. I was always taught from Day One. Go to as many schools as possible. Mind all of my schools were MOS/ASI oriented.

I enlisted in the first place for my family and that hasn't changed.

Im glad I enlisted, I've met a lot of great people been to a lot of great places and experienced crazy amazing things. The first time I reenlisted it was great. I went to my choice of duty station (Ft. Carson, Colo.) Deployed with some great people twice and had a killer time. Now im coming up on another choice of REUP or get out. With the ever changing military not too sure Im going to stay in. Things are changing and it doesnt seem to be changing for the good. Im proud of what Ive done for my country and the Army, but I think its time to hang up my boots and turn in my rifle.

If I could do it again, I probably wouldn't have gotten out after my first term. I made the mistake a LOT of initial-term Soldiers make, and I based my view of the future and the Army on my first duty station and my mediocre leadership and command climate. I ETS'd, I was out for a year and then came back in to the Army. Luckily I kept my SPC rank.

But then again, had I done that, I may not have gained that perspective and been able to use it in my current career as a Career Counselor. If a Soldier or NCO I speak with is not happy in their unit and it is their first duty station, I encourage them to reenlist for another duty station, and not base their view of the military solely on their first duty station!

Tough call. The men in my family are strongly encouraged to serve. I don't regret that one bit. My time in the Marine Corps was great. In hindsight, it may have been smarter to have gone through college or a service academy, then the Marine Corps. As for reenlistment? I knew after 4 years it was time for college. Instead of reenlistment I wish I'd have known about the Annapolis or Westpoint options as a prior enlisted Marine. I never realized you could go at that point. If I had, I would've jumped at the opportunity. Glad to know now so I can help others or my sons when they serve.

I'm glad I enlisted, somewhat glad I did not reenlist but often wish I had taken up my CO's offer to go Green to Gold. I have to say that I did not reenlist because I felt I was treated pretty terribly by the military at large during my time in and was not about to stick around for more of that. Had things been better I might be making a career out of it or at least would have given it another shot.

In a heartbeat. The AF offered me a nice little bonus to reenlist but I deferred because I wanted to go back to school. I wish I had joined the Reserves or Guard after my active duty commitment was fulfilled.

Going to play devil's advocate - to be fair, considering the target audience, this poll will already be skewed. This isn't exactly the most welcoming community when it comes to any sort of criticism with the military experience. I would also be willing to bet that most posts will be positive experiences of the military - you're not going to see many people posting about regretting to join/re-up, for fear of retribution.

When I first enlisted, I was at a low point in my young life, as in for a 19 year old I had at the time issues that my 35 year old self feel now as trivial. Whatever the case I did enlist. I love my job, I love my country and I love my Army. That being said I will never regret any reenlistment I have done. Do I sometimes look back with regret at some thing's that I could have done with my life that would have made more of an impact on me in a self-centered, i.e. money, and a career that would have less of a physical impact on my body, kind of way? Of course. Yet through all of the ups and downs in my career, I will take it and if I had to reenlist again (I am indef as well) I most certainly would. Simply because of the contributions I have hopefully made to someone else's life.