To all those who have gone recruiting and returned to the fleet, how was your transition going back? What was the good/bad/ugly?

From the Navy's stand point, its always voluntary. I have had friends before i came recruiting who had a successful tour recruiting, but they said it changed them. From work ethic, mindset in critical situations, to feeling entitled. In my three years of recruiting ive seen good sailors go bad, bad sailors become good, motivated sailors become lazy, humble sailors become entitled. As every recruiting area is different and the demands for every recruiter are different, its arguous independent duty.

I ask this question as i am transitioning back to the fleet, which has changed immensely since ive been gone.

I dont see myself as having any issue adjusting back. Re-learning ship life and equipmemt is about all i expect to be rough at first. Recruiting has definitely made me a better leader by looking at the big picture before making any hasty decisions. Many more aspects have been improved, but ill keep it that for now.

You ask a very good question and from an Army perspective, I have never had a recruiter, well former recruiter say that they lied to someone to get them in. Most folks I know who did recruit, voluntarily and not mandatorily are super troopers who reintegrate quite nicely. It is the same as being a flight school instructor, you daily run into folks who remember you and you do not quite remember them. I remember who recruited me, my first Drill Sergeant and more, but none of them would have a clue who I am. The same is said of me and my time training are flight school, I remember the very best and the very worst, the 80% in the middle are muddled together.

i did my transition back to the fleet not too long after 9/11. We were now at war. The biggest adjustment was learning all the changes to my MOS field and being a SNCO in the fleet.
A large advantage I had that helped me was the listening skills and communication skills I learned as a recruiter. It made me a more approachable leader.