What aspects of military life did you find difficult to walk away from?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 11:25:18 -0500

Over the last 5 1/2 years, there have been a few things that I've found difficult to adjust to in the post military life.

First, medical care. In the fall of 2013, my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Over the last year and a half, I've been finding that I really miss the level of medical coverage I've had for my family. Especially where it concerns prescriptions.

Second, daily attire. For the short time I was in, it was easy to know what I was going to wear every day. You had several uniforms that were ready for wear every day of the week. Now, it often times feels like a struggle trying to figure out what clothes to wear over the course of the week.

Third, the work. I thoroughly enjoyed my job, but the NCO leadership aspect and the AFSC aspect. I knew the impact of the work I was doing. It was briefed on a daily basis and we were in constant contact with those that we were helping. In my particular AFSC, things were never monotonous and more often than not, were challenging. I also loved being a mentor to young airman. Now, I find myself missing the work I've had done and can find it challenging to be in a non-leadership role (I'm confident I'll find myself back in that position soon, I'm just impatient :) ).

Last, the people. In my experience, the leaders I served under and those I served with were some of the best people I had ever known. Most of the people I became friends with now live in the DC or Denver areas. It's hard when a lot of your friends live in a different time zone than you. Its even more difficult when you (unintentionally) rate any new potential friends by the ones you served with. It's also difficult when you keep moving around and can never seem to make new friends because of this deep seated anxiety that I'll have to move again and feel like it prevents me from having more friends. In my post military world, I've actually moved around more than when I was in the Air Force.

I'm curious the kinds of challenges my fellow veterans and retirees have faced in this post-military life.

Response by CPT Chris Newport made Mar 25 at 2016 10:06 PM

CPT Chris Newport — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 22:06:08 -0400

For me, as an RA Officer and Army Brat, it was a love hate relationship; bad superiors made it so the only way to ease the pain, because I loved the Army, was to leave and in the end, I resigned. I miss being a leader, testing myself through the hardships, using the equipment, the discipline, and overall challenge. I would also like to say comradeship but there was none there for me. There was also the need for the ultimate test of combat but I missed on that too. It was my calling and Ive been lost ever since. Airborne!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 9 at 2018 4:56 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 16:56:19 -0400

I miss the camaraderie with fellow officer, NCOs, and soldiers.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2018 7:11 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 19:11:21 -0400

I was delusional about the business world, so it wasn't that hard for me to make the decision. However, I regret it. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone to OCS and stayed for a full 20, then gone and done something in the civilian business world. I miss the importance of Soldiering - feeling part of something that matters (perhaps there's some narcissism there on my part), and I miss the people. The civilian world, for one thing, is NOWHERE NEAR as humorous as the Army. What I DON'T miss is the pay.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Dec 24 at 2018 1:53 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Mon, 24 Dec 2018 13:53:28 -0500

What is needed for some... is to keep a foot in the door. I’m not an official recruiter.. I see people getting out and now they got reservations about getting out. My prob was that I started out in the AF Reserve and I busted my backside to get my next sill level done. I. Did the bypass test in BMT got a 100% , I still hated I had to ojt in it ... but got the drift...
did what was required and then some.. My
Great Aunt was a Pro Chef. I apprenticed under her and another assistant of hers.
A Chef’s associationn said I couldn’t apprentice under her because of being family... it’s done in Europe a lot. Alas it’s not Europe. I worked circles around them other Airmen. The Sgts knew I knew my stuff... I earned opportunities to get to do contingencies while on my 5 level CdCs.and OJT. I got a 100% on my volume tests which were “closed book” in the ‘70s. The EoC was also. I’d read they had the EoC open for a year or so but went back to closed. Book tests.. things just weren’t working out.. Guys were complaining about my getting to go to other units.. it was a reward for outstanding work and tests,.. One jump I had was the Train’g NCO only lived a couple blocks from me in my neighborhood and I was getting my tests passed and turned in faster. They were doing just enough to get by.. and couldn’t figure why.., Seriously.. a year to do CDCs?... just cause they only went in once a month ... I understood they had a civilian job.. but that was no excuse to not spend time doing their books. I did Reserves, my Vo-tech job and schoolwork in my senior year in H.S. I had got waivers to be able to stay in H.S. and do Reserves at same time. My truck I pulled was Reserve is like a part time job.. I had my AFJROTC Commandant and Recruiter and Staff assistants go to bat for me with big people in the Reserve... I missed some school occasionally.. pulled off those extra drills .. I felt s’thing missing..
and I think the AF Reserve and AF did also. By chance a sitrep come up in the AF and they needed people to become active and I got asked. I’d already graduated an A1C. Had my 5 skill level
Several months. So I had TIG/TIS.. by that June I would have enough time as a 5 level because extra drills added to my time in skill level. So I signed the papers
To switch over. I was told there was. The prob of my Age.. 17. My folks had already signed for me to go Reserve why’d I have to do it again... J.A.G. Said there be no prob.. why repeat the process.. To make sure when school was done for Juniors on
June 12 I left that afternoon to McGuire AFB, NJ. When I got there I got processed next few days.. had my room..
Temporarily I was at the Reserve Squadron TDY until June 22 My B-day. Same day I signed on and put my A1C stripes on my sleeves. (My TIG for A1C went back to my enlistment date from when I put it on when I Graduated BMT.
as did my pay.) So nice.. I was already living in the ABGP Squadron Barracks.
That saved having to move.. .. I was a
Happy A1C.. doing my job full time...
Anyway for some.. they just need to keep that foot in the door...