What was the deciding factor that made you decide to leave the military, stay for the full 20, or come back into the military?

I joined the Marines for what I knew would be four years. I am proud to have served. I wanted a career in law enforcement. This was an excellent way to serve my country, and keep a family tradition going.

It’s a long list of why I got out, but a key was a conversation I had with my Platoon Sgt while in Korea. I asked if you figure in deployments, schooling, field time, overnight duty, etc......what percentage would you say you’re away from home for the night. He said “probably 50%”. Being newly married at the time, when my ETS day came 4yrs later I got out. After being out for 8+ years, I remember thinking “being married was one of the big reasons I got out, but I’m not married anymore....” ended up re-enlisting in the NG about a month after I would have hit my 20years.

Honestly, I joined because I needed a job and I wanted a way to go back to Germany to see family there. I’ve been in 11 years now and have traveled the world and was stationed in Germany twice.

I’m looking at a possible MEB within the next year and to be honest, I’ll happily accept and welcome it. For me, I’m just tired. I’m exhausted. I am ready to move on to something different. Don’t get me wrong, the army has provided me with values to live by, it’s taught me a lot, I’ve been able to travel and even take care of medical things I would never afford outside the military. But, eventually you gotta just leave and change up a bit. Hats off to y’all doin 20+

My goal was to be a lifer that's we called it when I joined. I was having a good career made SSG at 7 years graduated top 2 of NCOS schools, the time I had 9 years in had already 3 years of platton Sargent time with above ratings, serving at the 101st. 1995 went to korea, and then returned 1996. 1998 came down on orders again for Korea, 1999 to 2000. This was bullshit. I friends in Germany that we're still there homesteading since 1991. The army in my veiw was just taking from a small part of the aviation branch and sending us on the crappy assignments while others had a nine to five job where they seen their families day in and day out. It cost me my family. When your in 1/101st you stay gone. And then back and forth to korea 2 years apart. I sometimes regret leaving but they didn't leave me much of a choice.

I was at 23 years and approaching HYT, I was offered a HYT waiver to go back to sea but my body was beat, ended up with 80% disability. The one thing I miss is the people , I served with some really great ones!

I was injured in iraq, walked into a mortar blast oddly enough. Blew out 4 discs in my back and 3 in my neck, no penetrating trauma so my unit though i was faking it, got tired of getting crappy details and not getting any help for my injuries. I got med boarded, they said there was no chance of rehab and staying in. So i took the 10% disability severance pay. Dont ever do that! Fight for everything you can get. I have degenerative disc disease now and i cant do any job that requires heavy lifting. The good news is that the va rated me at 90% so that and my pay as a jailer makes ends meet. The reason i got out was no one was trying to help me, i was treated like a huge inconvenience and was given every single cq and staff duty and sgt maj detail they could think of.

I enlisted for four years in the Marines. I spent my first year in Iceland, did a UDP WESTPAC and Med float. I got what I expected out of it and at that point I was ready to get out and move on with my life. I was briefly recalled from the IRR during Desert Storm, but whatever I thought I might have missed quickly evaporated.

My hearing became damaged..was already an E-5 at 20 years of age...I was so disappointed...I ate up my military service with delightful relish...loved every bit of it...I thank God every day for allowing me the opportunity to serve my wonderful adopted country..the wonderful USA !!!!! If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I would in a heart beat !!!!!

Honestly after I finish this last bit of time I just want to be out. It's nothing personal or towards any one event. I'm just bored and want to do something else. People have given me shit for my decision but I still try 100 percent while I'm still in and I'm man enough to tell the truth no matter who's asking.

I stayed but by the end. I seen people promoted who couldn't lead their way out of a paper bag. And didn't have the technical expertise of a private.