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Have you experienced enough of both the Military Life and the Civilian Life to make a good assumption on which one is "easier" to live?
Military Life
Civilians
Retirement
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 22
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I think deployed life is a lot easier. You concentrate on doing the mission, all other stuff is taken care in an easier manner, however resting periods are short, your life is simpler. Having experienced active and reserve side, and civilian (Was 37 when I signed up) I can tell you that I find reserve a little more challenging, as you have to deal with a full time civilian/government job and take care of reserve side matters on daily basis at time, in addition to family. Not trying at all to minimize what the active component does, but the challenges in themselves what they represent. Sometimes is like having 2 full time jobs.
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Suspended Profile
Military life. Things CAN get stupid or hard, but civilian, at least for me, showed me how important having people who understand and know you really is. There is a designated support channel built in to the military structure. For people like me, that is huge. Part of the reason why I came back in from the IRR after a year.
Also, I used to think USAR and NG were slackers... boy was I wrong. Some of the most trained soldiers I have come across were in the USAR and NG. They have to pack a months worth of training into 2-3 days and then go live as civilians. Impressive to say the least.
Also, I used to think USAR and NG were slackers... boy was I wrong. Some of the most trained soldiers I have come across were in the USAR and NG. They have to pack a months worth of training into 2-3 days and then go live as civilians. Impressive to say the least.
SP6 (Join to see)
I’ve done both, the Guard does accomplish a lot considering the time constraints.
When I worked 12 hour night shifts plus the Guard, that was rough...
When I worked 12 hour night shifts plus the Guard, that was rough...
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Both have their up sides and down sides, but I think this depends on the individual.
Some people need a more or less strict structure on their life. These people find military life easier.
Some people need more personal freedom in their life. These people find civilian life easier.
I've find difficulty in both just as I've found some things easier. Like...
Civilians don't have to wait until the end of an enlistment to fire the office idiot while the military has to deal with the moron until the end of his/her enlistment.
If you want more money in your pay check, you can ask your civilian employer for a raise or more hours. Good luck with that in the military. Oh, and if your civilian employer says no, you can simply look for another job that will.
Paying rent or a mortgage sucks!
Paying for your health care sucks!
Trying to figure out who is in charge of what can be difficult as a civilian since there isn't always a clear cut chain of command.
Politics are politics; military or civilian.
Not having to prove how physically fit you are... PRICELESS!!!
Some people need a more or less strict structure on their life. These people find military life easier.
Some people need more personal freedom in their life. These people find civilian life easier.
I've find difficulty in both just as I've found some things easier. Like...
Civilians don't have to wait until the end of an enlistment to fire the office idiot while the military has to deal with the moron until the end of his/her enlistment.
If you want more money in your pay check, you can ask your civilian employer for a raise or more hours. Good luck with that in the military. Oh, and if your civilian employer says no, you can simply look for another job that will.
Paying rent or a mortgage sucks!
Paying for your health care sucks!
Trying to figure out who is in charge of what can be difficult as a civilian since there isn't always a clear cut chain of command.
Politics are politics; military or civilian.
Not having to prove how physically fit you are... PRICELESS!!!
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PO3 (Join to see)
"Not having to prove how physically fit you are... PRICELESS!!!"
~AMEN~
Sad story that the navy still hasn't figured out that even though this is a requirement of being a servicemember (you have to REMAIN in good physical shape - it's part of your JOB DESCRIPTION no matter what your rate is) they don't make it part of your everyday job duties. This is where the navy seriously falls short of the other branches of the service. Fat chiefs, everywhere. At least there were when I was in....maybe they've corrected that problem in the last 10-12 years....?
~AMEN~
Sad story that the navy still hasn't figured out that even though this is a requirement of being a servicemember (you have to REMAIN in good physical shape - it's part of your JOB DESCRIPTION no matter what your rate is) they don't make it part of your everyday job duties. This is where the navy seriously falls short of the other branches of the service. Fat chiefs, everywhere. At least there were when I was in....maybe they've corrected that problem in the last 10-12 years....?
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PO2 Randall Mitchell
Yeah, unless you're morbidly obese and costing the company money, they don't care.
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CW4 Craig Urban
Good comment. So did mine and two other kids by herself. That is why I joined when I was 17
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I spent 6 years in the Navy and I've been separated going on 5 years. So far, I believe the military life was easier. In port we would muster at 0700, wait around until 0800 for mandatory PT to start, then complete PT at 09-0930. After PT, we would shower and get ready for the workday. Usually I would be done with showing and putting on my work clothes by 1000. I'd do some maintenance until 1130 and then go eat chow. Chow would end around 1230 and then I would work again until around 1600-1700, then the day was pretty much over unless you had duty. If you do the math I only really worked 5-6 hours per day. At sea, I would stand watch and do a few hours of maintenance per day, totaling about 8 hours for the day. In the private sector, you are expected to be working as soon as you clock-in until you clock-out, 8 solid hours (minus a 30 minute lunch).
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Being a civilian is 10 bazillion times easier, and I am grateful that I am able to appreciate the freedoms and not take it for granted.
No military politics.
No duty days
No WEEKEND duty days
No watch
No deployments
No uniforms (depending on your job)
No working parties
No mess cranking
No double standards
No special liberty chit to drive more than X miles away during my "free time"
No leave....and waiting for an approval to buy plane tickets home and getting stuck with a crappy ticket price because you didnt want to risk wasting money to purchase the ticket if your mean chain of command wouldnt approve the leave. In the civilian world, you simply take "vacation time."
No "big brother" looming over your EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
Best of all, NO MICROMANAGEMENT.
Civilian life is a piece of cake.
No military politics.
No duty days
No WEEKEND duty days
No watch
No deployments
No uniforms (depending on your job)
No working parties
No mess cranking
No double standards
No special liberty chit to drive more than X miles away during my "free time"
No leave....and waiting for an approval to buy plane tickets home and getting stuck with a crappy ticket price because you didnt want to risk wasting money to purchase the ticket if your mean chain of command wouldnt approve the leave. In the civilian world, you simply take "vacation time."
No "big brother" looming over your EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR ENTIRE LIFE.
Best of all, NO MICROMANAGEMENT.
Civilian life is a piece of cake.
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SSG Adam Reed
P03 Hicks, not to shoot down your points, but I'm sure there are many negatives about civilian life too. Such as:
No civilian politics
No earned leave
No guarantee on employment (contract)
Pay for your own Mortgage/rent, lights, groceries etc
Weaker command structure at work due to workers rights
Take care of your own housing projects
Cook your own meals
No guaranteed pay raises, COLA
No guaranteed over time
"Not my job" attitude from co-workers
too many more to mention, but just my opinion. Thanks for commenting.
No civilian politics
No earned leave
No guarantee on employment (contract)
Pay for your own Mortgage/rent, lights, groceries etc
Weaker command structure at work due to workers rights
Take care of your own housing projects
Cook your own meals
No guaranteed pay raises, COLA
No guaranteed over time
"Not my job" attitude from co-workers
too many more to mention, but just my opinion. Thanks for commenting.
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PO3 (Join to see)
I think it's a glass half full, half empty kind of situation. I don't see anything wrong with any of those. I take pride in paying my mortgage. I work for it, it's mine. THANK GOD I cook my own food. I'm much healthier now than eating canned ravioli and carb infested breakfasts or sugar loaded "perceived" healthy breakfasts that the military provided. My co-workers are pretty fabulous. The ones who aren't don't stick around for long. Definitely no skater attitudes of "what's the least amount of work I can get away with doing today?" that was common in the service. Hallelujah my pay is based on my PERFORMANCE and not BS time in service. It gives me motivation to work my @$$ off to do a good job for my employer, rather than waiting to be given hand out based on union-like pay.
It's all about attitudes. Civilian life is better for someone like me, who wants to be rewarded for the work I do, not rewarded for "time." I will still give time, but my performance should be a bigger factor of my pay, than simply existing and breathing the way union and time in service pay scale tables work. No way, no thank you.
It's all about attitudes. Civilian life is better for someone like me, who wants to be rewarded for the work I do, not rewarded for "time." I will still give time, but my performance should be a bigger factor of my pay, than simply existing and breathing the way union and time in service pay scale tables work. No way, no thank you.
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SPC Angel Guma
To be fair, I think in the military, much depends on your command, command climate, the buddy system/old boy s network and how much they like you in that morass. A bad command and toxic leaders can easily kill a career. But honor and loyalty matter. If you are privileged to be around folk that believe in honor, having a military job is so much worth it. But if you end up with idiots, woe onto you. In the civilian world at least, you have chances to make your own breaks if you end up stymied under toxic leaders. They can be quick to fire you for no pretense, but if you are hard working enough, it's not the end of the world. But shitbird s in the military ruin it for you and everyone. For me, pride in my uniform, flag and honor meant more than anything else. I can never live again the rush of landing in Afghanistan and knowing that I was there, making history, accomplishing the mission. But it's a hard balance
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I have been in the National Guard/Reserve since 1986 and have worked civilian and military simultaneously for the last 28 years. I LOVE being a citizen soldier and don't desire active duty, but I am very proud to be called up during training and time of war. I believe citizen soldiering is critical to society, just as the early settlers modeled for us.
Which life civilian or military is easier? It is completely dependent on the personality of the individual and how they adapt to change.
Military life is great if you thrive on structure, training and organizational feedback. You typically don't realize or value the opportunities you have in the military until after you leave it. When you leave the military you can get the filling of remorse, missing that critical role that you played in an organization and that no one cares about you and your family. No military org structure to come and check in on how you are doing.
Civilian life is great if you don't need the military discipline and organizational structures to survive. You get significantly less feedback on your work, training, fitness, outside responsibilities, family life, everything. It is tremendously freeing to know your schedule is your own or to be worked out with your family/spouse and employer. You have time for hobbies and weekends without implied commitments.
Which life civilian or military is easier? It is completely dependent on the personality of the individual and how they adapt to change.
Military life is great if you thrive on structure, training and organizational feedback. You typically don't realize or value the opportunities you have in the military until after you leave it. When you leave the military you can get the filling of remorse, missing that critical role that you played in an organization and that no one cares about you and your family. No military org structure to come and check in on how you are doing.
Civilian life is great if you don't need the military discipline and organizational structures to survive. You get significantly less feedback on your work, training, fitness, outside responsibilities, family life, everything. It is tremendously freeing to know your schedule is your own or to be worked out with your family/spouse and employer. You have time for hobbies and weekends without implied commitments.
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Easier? In the ranks, you are given a mission, you are expected to fulfill the mission. You have rules to follow in fulfilling the mission. You have expectations placed on you by your leaders and your brothers. You have the guide rails of MOS and UCMJ, and fraternity. You had people that counted on you and that you could count on.
Out in the world, You got the law. you either work your job and follow their rules or make your own job and build your mission. In a right to work state, you never know which day is your last with the company you work for. It is a colder more hostile environment where friends can turn to enemies in nothing flat and if you aren't practicing good situational awareness, it can catch you totally by surprise. I don't think either is easier. For my mindset there is only that which is preferable. For my money, it's in the service.
Out in the world, You got the law. you either work your job and follow their rules or make your own job and build your mission. In a right to work state, you never know which day is your last with the company you work for. It is a colder more hostile environment where friends can turn to enemies in nothing flat and if you aren't practicing good situational awareness, it can catch you totally by surprise. I don't think either is easier. For my mindset there is only that which is preferable. For my money, it's in the service.
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