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I have had this discussion with many of my Army buddies and gotten a variety of interesting responses. For a small number it was their chosen career from the first time they raised their right hand. For others, like me, it was gradual; the Army kept offering something too good to pass up, so you kept signing on the dotted line until you were suddenly a career Soldier and couldn't imagine doing anything else. I have met a few that made the leap after 9/11 and have been in ever since. So what is your story? When did you realize you were in it for the long haul?
Military Career
Retirement
Esprit de Corps
Time in Service
Service
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 23
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I never fully realized I was a lifer until I reenlisted for the last time. Before that I would reenlist for 2 or 3 years at a time just trying to figure things out. Once I went "indef" it really hit me. I also had a reenlistment ceremony combined with a promotion ceremony to SFC. That might have had some effect on the level of realization I felt.
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CPT (Join to see)
1SG,
The creation of the "indef. enlisted contract" seemed to bring it home to a lot of Soldiers on the enlisted side.
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When I first reenlisted. I signed up for 6 years and had every intention of doing 20 years. I retired 2 1/2 years ago with 20 years and 8 days of service.
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I realized in my 1st deployment that what I actually do isn't offered in the civilian world unless I work for an ABC company. Once I got back and found out that the army actually pays for me to go to these schools that only lets me advanced work. Plus the Army takes care of family. I think I got a pretty good thing going right now. All I have to do is be in the right place at the right time in the right uniform.
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