Posted on Feb 18, 2016
What did you do in the days and weeks afterward when you left the service?
66.9K
1.39K
371
78
78
0
RP Members, Connections, and Friends one of those Questions that was lost in RP Outer Space, but still a great question.
What did you do in the days and weeks afterward when you left the service
Did you take a vacation?
Do you remember where you were when you left the service?
Did you immeidatley start going to school, look for a job, draw unemployment?
How did you feel?
I drew unemployment and starting looking for a job right away, while attending College immediately - I was married and had to get going!
What did you do in the days and weeks afterward when you left the service
Did you take a vacation?
Do you remember where you were when you left the service?
Did you immeidatley start going to school, look for a job, draw unemployment?
How did you feel?
I drew unemployment and starting looking for a job right away, while attending College immediately - I was married and had to get going!
Discharge
Honorable Discharge
Transition
ETS/EAS
Retirement
Edited 7 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 174
7
7
0
It was a long time ago, almost fifty years, but I remember it well. I played a round of golf on the afternoon of my discharge, then set about applying for GI Bill educational benefits. I soon found out that the $100 per month benefit would not support a family of three, so I went to school by day and worked by night for the next three years.
(7)
(0)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
PO3 Lee Oliver Thanks for sharing. I did the same thing the opposite way, I worked every night and on the weekends at Sears Credit Central and went to school fulltime to knock out a Bachelors degree while serving in the National Guard at the same time and then upon graduation immediately went to OCS as a Staff Sergeant! Had to support the family and pay the bills. The GI Bill for me in those days was $407 a month for a fulltime student - still wasn't enough with interest rates on homes at 16% and higher from 1980 - 1983. I was lucky and bought a home contract for dead from a retired dentist and he gave me break with only 6% interest and a $307 house payment. I was lucky and the rest is history!
(2)
(0)
7
7
0
While still on terminal leave, I started working for the fire department that I had been volunteering for my last 4 years in the Army. It was a temporary position but lead to being hired on at a larger department here in Colorado, which I still work at and will retire again at 55 years old. (5 years from now).
(7)
(0)
SFC Terry Murphy
COL Mikel J. Burroughs - I live in Woodland Park, just west of the springs. I would suggest that you look up here if you want peace and quiet!
(2)
(0)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SFC Terry Murphy I'm very familiar with the area. I lived in Castle Rock, CO for almost seven years before moving out here to Oceanside, CA. All my riding buddies live down in the Springs. I just sold my house in Castle Rock, CO in October 2015 and I'm looking to buy again down around the Springs area. I will definitley keep Woodland Park in mind - definitely!
(1)
(0)
SFC Terry Murphy
MCPO Roger Collins - Denver and the surrounding area is liberal, everywhere else is still pretty conservative.
(1)
(0)
MCPO Roger Collins
Not according to all that has happened in the elections since 2007 and the MJ ruling. I still have a lot of extended family in and around Denver, and I'm not seeing it from back here in the East.
(1)
(0)
7
7
0
When I first ETSed before rejoining, I did nothing for 2 months. Then me and the wifey decided to leave California and move to Texas due to cost of living site unseen. We loaded the car and sold everything else. It was liberating. It was like a reverse manifest destiny adventure. It took us 10 days and we were in no hurry. Made lives out here and never looked back.
(7)
(0)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
1LT (Join to see) Great story and yes California is way to high for it's good - We are moving too in August back to "God's Country" Colorado!
(1)
(0)
MAJ Anne McGee
Glad you made it to Texas! I exited Active Duty in 1994 from Fort Hood, TX and have lived in Texas ever since. My husband and I are not Native Texans but we like to say that we got here as quick as we could! :-)
(1)
(0)
7
7
0
The next week I went to work as a Civilian employee of the Department of the Army, stationed in Japan.
(7)
(0)
COL Mikel J. Burroughs
SGT James Hastings I have a lot of veterans friends that have taken positions overseas after getting out. Thanks for sharing!
(1)
(0)
6
6
0
6
6
0
COL Mikel J. Burroughs I had second thoughts. It was one thing to go from the civilian world to military, but reentering the civilian world? More of a shock than basic training (which wasn't a shock, sorry SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL ) Never have fully adjusted.
(6)
(0)
6
6
0
I open a gas station right after I got out then went back to old job and did both for a year then found another job and work there for 29 years
(6)
(0)
6
6
0
6
6
0
I left service right after my third deployment and went back home to Alaska. Took a year off to to spiritually and mentally find out who I was. I collected unemployment and took the journey into the VA. I totally felt lost not waking up to go to morning formation. I started school about 6 months but I missed the service.
(6)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google