Posted on Aug 24, 2018
What is it that keeps some of you from leaving the military?
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Hey Rallypoint,
Long time no see. I just got done with my second tour, and I’m finally coming up on my ETS date from the reserve this upcoming March. During my terminal leave, I got to visit good friends and family, eat stupidly good food and drink some stupidly good alcohol (Uber was always involved, full disclaimer), and go on a really awesome month long trip to Iceland, Scotland, and Spain. In short, I got to do all the things that traditionally make soldiers realize how good life is outside of the military, and make them leave before retirement.
I’m due to ETS this upcoming March at what will be my 9 year anniversary, which is just under the “crap or get off the pot” marker. I came away from this last deployment with a profound sense of bitterness with the military, and particularly the kind of low-grade, self-serving, spineless individuals that seem to be infesting the ranks at all echelons. My personal situation is that I live a phenomenal life in Phoenix: I make a solid amount of money working for a bank, have a great network of actual friends, and generally get to travel two to three times a year for vacation. I keep telling myself that I’ve got it *really damned good*, and that I should just get out while I can.
I was lucky that USERRA exists, and I still have a great job that’s 100% supportive of my secondary career, and that my support network is still here. I don’t know why I keep thinking about reenlistment, in spite of everything that happened. I’m not 100% physically, and emotionally/spiritually, I’m probably not at full capacity either, but I love the job. I know that I’m going to miss a lot of my fellow NCOs, many of whom trained me when I enlisted eight years ago.
I guess my end questions are for the lifers. How do you keep doing it? When you have to support something that you find spiritually or morally incongruent with your own viewpoints, what is it that keeps you going? Do you ever regret not getting out and being a regular person? At what point is it okay to walk away?
Long time no see. I just got done with my second tour, and I’m finally coming up on my ETS date from the reserve this upcoming March. During my terminal leave, I got to visit good friends and family, eat stupidly good food and drink some stupidly good alcohol (Uber was always involved, full disclaimer), and go on a really awesome month long trip to Iceland, Scotland, and Spain. In short, I got to do all the things that traditionally make soldiers realize how good life is outside of the military, and make them leave before retirement.
I’m due to ETS this upcoming March at what will be my 9 year anniversary, which is just under the “crap or get off the pot” marker. I came away from this last deployment with a profound sense of bitterness with the military, and particularly the kind of low-grade, self-serving, spineless individuals that seem to be infesting the ranks at all echelons. My personal situation is that I live a phenomenal life in Phoenix: I make a solid amount of money working for a bank, have a great network of actual friends, and generally get to travel two to three times a year for vacation. I keep telling myself that I’ve got it *really damned good*, and that I should just get out while I can.
I was lucky that USERRA exists, and I still have a great job that’s 100% supportive of my secondary career, and that my support network is still here. I don’t know why I keep thinking about reenlistment, in spite of everything that happened. I’m not 100% physically, and emotionally/spiritually, I’m probably not at full capacity either, but I love the job. I know that I’m going to miss a lot of my fellow NCOs, many of whom trained me when I enlisted eight years ago.
I guess my end questions are for the lifers. How do you keep doing it? When you have to support something that you find spiritually or morally incongruent with your own viewpoints, what is it that keeps you going? Do you ever regret not getting out and being a regular person? At what point is it okay to walk away?
Retirement
Military Career
Civilian Career
ETS/EAS
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 19
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Walk away when it feels right. I got fed up after 6 years active duty. Got a good job in civilian sector. Four years later joined the National Guard, then became fulltime Guard. Just do what you think is in your best interests.
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Get out....by what you have written you're heart isn't in it.
If you were active duty I'd tell you to suck it up for 11 more years just for the retirement, educational, medical and health benefits. There is life after you retire from the Army and @ 20 years service you're still a young man. If you plan both financially and get an education while in the military you should have no issues succeeding in civilian life. Best of luck to you and thank you for you're service.
If you were active duty I'd tell you to suck it up for 11 more years just for the retirement, educational, medical and health benefits. There is life after you retire from the Army and @ 20 years service you're still a young man. If you plan both financially and get an education while in the military you should have no issues succeeding in civilian life. Best of luck to you and thank you for you're service.
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For my 20+yrs it was my troops, the system often sucked and periodically the oxygen thieves abounded. But I always ran into enough good officers to ignore the spineless ones, and I had great troops.
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SGT Bradley, i discovered after my 6 years of active duty that the military is more of a relationship than a job. If the squeeze isn't worth the juice than yes maybe your time is up. And SGT thats ok. Those of us who've been out more than 10 years do miss some things about our time in, we miss the brotherhood mostly. But after 9 years you've earned the right to live in peace. Enjoy your life after service, and with our thanks.
Btw i graduated from Buena HS class of '97
Btw i graduated from Buena HS class of '97
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The Military is not for everyone. That being said, if you can’t handle it or you think it’s no longer for you then leave. It will still be there when you’re gone and you just might change your mind. There is more opportunity in the Service then most other occupations but it is your choice. Good luck and I wish you well.
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For me, I keep coming back to soldiers. I take pride in mentoring and seeing them succeeded. When I left active duty I was just freshly pinned E5, I kept looking at my ASU's and thinking that I can't let that go to waste. I am now in the reserves and I love it. I didn't think I would, but really I love helping soldiers. That is one of the things that drives me every time I drill.
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i did my four years as an infantryman. I loved my training, but could not see doing this for twenty years. I would have liked to talk to a recruiter about another MOS also I regret getting out of the reserves.
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At this point I've got 8 years left until I'm eligible for the legacy retirement. I may do another 14 after that to get me to 62, I may not.
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