What did you do in the days and weeks afterward when you left the service?

I was medically retired due to cancer. So instead of going to Iraq like I was supposed to, I had my own battle at home. I spent a lot of time at Walter Reed Medical Center (the original one). I lost my left thumb to the cancer. Being ambidextrous, I had to learn how to do many things again. I already suffered PTSD and it came back on me with a huge bang. I was in hell with the VA not having the care I needed and declaring me unemployable.
Once I was 5 years clear of cancer, I turned my world around and started helping fellow veterans. I joined the VFW, DAV, AL, but I found my calling with AMVETS. They treated me as a fellow veteran and respected me for it. That's what I have been doing since, and I love it.

I transferred to the Reserves in Boston Ma on Friday & the following Monday I was a Freshman at Boston College after 3 years of active duty. I called all the Jesuits "Sir" , saluted all of the ROTC Cadets, called all of the women "Ma'am and when called on in class I would stand at attention and answer "Sir" or "Yes Sir" ..finally after a few weeks it sunk in my head that I was no longer in the Marines but it was a challenge.

Slept in... Lol

In June 2008, I took my wife to Williamsburg, VA on our way to eastern Tennessee to attend a medical school graduation for a relative who had gained an additional medical specialty of Internal medicine COL Mikel J. Burroughs. I had nausea, fevers, and chills and was disoriented when we went to teh graduation ceremony. It was interesting afterwards at a reception at the relative;s home where 30 internal medicine doctors were diagnosing me and offering recommendations for treatment. Turned out I had diverticulitis.

Buried my father who died 6 days after my retirement date. The last thing he ever watched on tv was a DVD of my retirement ceremony. As an Army veteran he wept during the flag folding ceremony.

I felt awesome when I separated. I retired after 25 years of service.

When I left the service I had one boy going into the service and still had a 5 year old and a 15 year old at home. And I was married, and still am married to a wonderful woman.

I did absolutely nothing for about 3 months. Well, that's not really true. I took my boys to school, came home and got my workout in or went surfing, for my workout. Then I either answered some emails for my online health and fitness business, then either did some stuff around the house or took my lady to an early lunch and maybe walked on the beach or went to movie. The day was ours until it was time to pick the boys up from school.

I did that for about 3 months and then got a call to go do one of the many jobs I did when I was on active duty. But my life is still very relaxed. And I still have my business I operate from home. It's nice to be in a situation where I don't have to rely on an employer. I work because I want to, not because I have to. It's my goal to bring family back together by showing them what I've done to set my family up like this.

I became a Navy spouse. Then, after a near-miss throat punch to a LT(jg) who couldn't stand Marines, I got a "real job" --one that I could use as an excuse to avoid the spouse-related functions. Started learning civilian and grew a goatee. The facial hair lasted about a year. Basically, I assimilated.

I took over 60 days Terminal leave and toured Civil War Battlefields. I grew a beard. Started working as a Pest Control Inspector 3 weeks before my terminal leave was up.
And I smoked as bit of weed to see what I'd been missing. Ends up it wasant nothing.

School, Gym, Blog.

I wanted to go to school, but my wife at the time sure wasn't going to work - so I had to work. I managed to get a decent job, and while totally submerging myself into that so I didn't have to deal with the issues I had. It wasn't healthy to work 70 hours a week, but better than booze.