Posted on Jul 4, 2016
TSgt Alex Benningfield
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More than growing a beard or growing you hair like Joe dirt, what was that one thing you couldn't wait to do as a civilian. Whether it was/ is something you can't do in the military or you just were not in the right situation to do.
Posted in these groups: Military civilian 600x338 Transition
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SFC Instructor And Platoon Sergeant
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I am about to hit my 14 year mark and am so jealous of all of my fellow senior NCO buddies who are approaching imminent retirement or already in the process. I would take the 15-year 35% option in a heartbeat if it were an actual option a Soldier could choose to take.

I am a fifth generation Soldier dating back to the civil war. My father retired at a Corps-level CSM. I do love the Army as it is all I've ever really known, BUT SO MUCH AS CHANGED SINCE 2001-- and most not for the best. It is just not the same organization I grew up so familiar with. My family tells me the Army is cyclical and there are good years followed by bad years (dead broke and downsizing [hallowing out of the force]), so maybe I was just "spoiled" having joined for and at the beginning of the war.

I am most looking forward to not having to worry about the security of my job in a downsizing Army that forces competition and politics for mandatory promotions that should you not get you'll be forced out early (possibly with no retirement or much of anything) for "stagnation and poor leadership." I did not join to perpetually worry about my job security or play politics for rank.

I wish I would have done so much differently with my Army career in retrospect, but hindsight is always 20/20.
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MSgt Richard Rountree
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I was tired of being in charge and really looked forward to just being one of the guys...
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MCPO Couch Potato
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This is _SO_ common!! I remember hearing about a retired Navy Captain (O-6) that was spotted sweeping floors at a local K-Mart. When asked, he just said that the job gave him the excuse to get out of the house, it had ZERO pressure, and it helped his blood pressure drop to human levels again.
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SFC David McMahon
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I thought it would be the beard and the hair but it turns out it gets annoying (ha ha).

Honestly...I've sat the whole day and done nothing but played PlayStation...

Another day I spent the entire day at the gym...

And another day I spent working on my car....


And that's nice....really really really nice....


Ha ha ha ha, good luck to you!
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