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When I joined the Army in August of 1990, I did so for a few reasons:
1. I've always been VERY politically aware about what was happening in the world. I've always striven to learn the facts and not be a knee jerk reactionary.
2. It SERIOUSLY pissed me off to see that Saddam Hussein thought he could just cross a border and take whatever the f*ck he wanted.
3. If I'm honest with you, I was 22 years old and in need of direction in my life. Discipline I had, direction I was lacking.
For those three primary reasons, (of course, there are many more), I spent exactly 7 days in the DEP and shipped out to basic almost as fast as I had signed up.
I was a willing warrior! I was eager to fight for and defend our American way of life. It took me just under 3 years to figure out that my own Government didn't hold the same viewpoint.
The final straw came about 3 years into my enlistment, when the guys and I, (including my E-7 - a helluva guy!) were playing poker in the barracks one night and we started talking about the only thing everyone on post was talking about...the impending visit of Pat Schroeder (D - Colorado) who was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. She was on a tour of all the 3rd ID and was going to make recommendations to President (cough) Clinton about base closures in Germany.
To make a long story short, months later, we, the soldiers of Ferris Barracks, Germany, couldn't even fiscally afford to go on live fire exercise at Grafenwoehr because we couldn't afford the ammunition for our rifles, much less the rounds for the BFV's and the M1A1's. Previously, we had completed this training, without fail, twice a year for about 6 weeks at a time.
To me, that was the writing on the wall. If my own government wasn't going to give us the ammunition needed to train effectively, then I saw no reason to dedicate the next 25 years of my life to that way of thinking...and I got the hell out.
If you didn't serve until retirement, for what reason did you decide to ETS?
PS. Up until the time I actually applied for early release, my E-7 (poker buddy) was CONVINCED that I was going to re-up, because I was a good soldier. For the record, I was a DAMN good soldier; I entered service as an E-1 and in under 3 years made E-4. But my E-7 failed to understand the depth of my conviction on this matter - either give me the tools and training to fight, or f*ck off. I'm no ones political football.
1. I've always been VERY politically aware about what was happening in the world. I've always striven to learn the facts and not be a knee jerk reactionary.
2. It SERIOUSLY pissed me off to see that Saddam Hussein thought he could just cross a border and take whatever the f*ck he wanted.
3. If I'm honest with you, I was 22 years old and in need of direction in my life. Discipline I had, direction I was lacking.
For those three primary reasons, (of course, there are many more), I spent exactly 7 days in the DEP and shipped out to basic almost as fast as I had signed up.
I was a willing warrior! I was eager to fight for and defend our American way of life. It took me just under 3 years to figure out that my own Government didn't hold the same viewpoint.
The final straw came about 3 years into my enlistment, when the guys and I, (including my E-7 - a helluva guy!) were playing poker in the barracks one night and we started talking about the only thing everyone on post was talking about...the impending visit of Pat Schroeder (D - Colorado) who was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. She was on a tour of all the 3rd ID and was going to make recommendations to President (cough) Clinton about base closures in Germany.
To make a long story short, months later, we, the soldiers of Ferris Barracks, Germany, couldn't even fiscally afford to go on live fire exercise at Grafenwoehr because we couldn't afford the ammunition for our rifles, much less the rounds for the BFV's and the M1A1's. Previously, we had completed this training, without fail, twice a year for about 6 weeks at a time.
To me, that was the writing on the wall. If my own government wasn't going to give us the ammunition needed to train effectively, then I saw no reason to dedicate the next 25 years of my life to that way of thinking...and I got the hell out.
If you didn't serve until retirement, for what reason did you decide to ETS?
PS. Up until the time I actually applied for early release, my E-7 (poker buddy) was CONVINCED that I was going to re-up, because I was a good soldier. For the record, I was a DAMN good soldier; I entered service as an E-1 and in under 3 years made E-4. But my E-7 failed to understand the depth of my conviction on this matter - either give me the tools and training to fight, or f*ck off. I'm no ones political football.
Re-enlistment
Transition
ETS/EAS
Training
Politics
Edited 11 y ago
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 173
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I retired after 26 years in the U.S. Army because my branch mangers didn't want to work with me on getting stationed near my home in Clarksville, TN. I made MSG with 13 years of service and thought I would be SGM before 20 years. After I missed my window, reasons unknown. I served several tours with the 101st ABN DIV (AASLT) in Iraq and had an opportunity to go to Okinawa, Japan the tour following my last deployment in Iraq on a MITT. I took the three year tour in Okinawa and when I went to transition back to the USA I made every attempt to get within a reasonable distance to Fort Campbell, KY. The Branch Manager promised me New Orleans and I agreed. A month later they told me that position was no longer available so I told them I would just retire if they couldn't deliver. Even though there were positions available at Fort Campbell for my MOS and rank they refused to give me an assignment there because they were told to reserve them for someone that hadn't been there before. Needless to say, I retired at 26 years even though I would have done two more if the Army had been willing to work with me on an assignment. I'm actually grateful I retired when I did because even though it took six months after retirement to start receiving VA benefits and I almost lost my house because I was trying to live just off of my Retirement check it all worked out in the long run. Wait times for VA benefits have increased so most likely I would have lost my home if I had retired now as apposed to then. Overall I had a pleasant 26 years in the military and now that I'm receiving my VA disability benefits am living well. Best of luck to all those trying to retire now.
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I originally joined the National Guard (Louisiana) to pay for college. After Basic and AIT, I had a much greater appreciation for soldiers and soldiering. I spent 4 years attached to the 527th Engineers in Bossier City, La as a 51R until it was changed to a Mechanized Infantry Unit. I was retrained as an 11B and was mad at myself for not doing that from the beginning. Infantry simply appealed to me much more. Our CO was a former Delta and he pulled some strings and got us the EIB course for our summer camp in '92. I made it with no bolos. That award changed my perspective yet again towards the military and I remember after getting the EIB and my E-5 at the end of summer camp (both blood awards, still don't know why we did that) I started talking to the recruiter about going active. I'd already been passed over for promotion before this due to quotas, but I didn't get bitter about it. My plans to go active changed when President Clinton was elected. I knew budgets would get slashed and I also knew that I was too much of a "nice guy" albeit a very good soldier to move up under such an administration. I transferred to an armor unit in Shreveport, La and ETS'd there as a 19D. My CO, Bn Sgt Mjr and Brigade CO all tried to get me to stay in even if it meant them losing me to the Regular Army but I told them I wasn't going to be a part of what I was convinced Mr Clinton would do to the military. In retrospect, I wish I'd stayed in. I came within a signature of joining back up after 9/11. The military loses good men and women all the time because politics play to much of a part in all parts of it. I wish for the men and women of the Armed Forces that it was not so.
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Aircrew favoritism in the command. I saw a lot of good maintainers get passed on awards and promotions, and a lot of really bad conduct of aircrewman get swept under the rug. I made E-5 in 4 years and had a feeling I would make E-3 before I made E-6. At the time I thought I would do better things with my career if I could get a college degree and come back as an officer, but life happens. Got the degree, but still working towards that other goal.
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I left to take care of a legal issue with my daughter(9 yrs old at the time). I was told that if I left I couldn't get back in because I was flat footed. But, if I transfered I could stay. I had to move in a hurry so I left. After the issue had been resolved I went to the Colorado guard and practically begged to get back in but they said no since I was flat footed. Three yrs later, after 9/11, I got a call. The sergeant on the other end of the line said,"We see that you use to be an MP would you like to come back?" I asked, "Is this and order?" He said, "Well no." I replied, "well no." He countered with "Sergeant, I know about your disability. I wouldn't be sending you overseas." I asked, "Are you a recruiter?" he said yeas and I replied, "SO WAS I."
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I was medically disqualified for reenlistment.
I was 34 when I enlisted. After I finished Basic Training and AIT & was diagnosed with bone cancer. I managed to complete my 6 year commitment (with 2 years in the IRR) and one deployment to Afghanistan after an total knee and partial femur replacement.
I was 34 when I enlisted. After I finished Basic Training and AIT & was diagnosed with bone cancer. I managed to complete my 6 year commitment (with 2 years in the IRR) and one deployment to Afghanistan after an total knee and partial femur replacement.
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I joined because I needed a new direction. I was 23 with two years of college and no prospects in a tanked economy. I was an unemployed lithographer, navy brat, and and planned to go 20 years with it. I joined with Pres. Reagan as my commander in chief.
I left the service after busting tail trying to get into a rate, tried for three and ended up back in my old civilian job, lithography. Only the prospects were nearly as bad as the rate had almost no upward mobility. My one chance to work in rate was snatched because my command considered me more valuable in a civilian billet with MWR. Yes, really. So I left at the end of my enlistment and became a civilian in fact.
I left the service after busting tail trying to get into a rate, tried for three and ended up back in my old civilian job, lithography. Only the prospects were nearly as bad as the rate had almost no upward mobility. My one chance to work in rate was snatched because my command considered me more valuable in a civilian billet with MWR. Yes, really. So I left at the end of my enlistment and became a civilian in fact.
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I was advanced from E1 to E4 in 19 months. I thought I was on fire, and I was on a fast track to sergeant. THEN I got hurt, and all of a sudden, I was a piece of crap in the eyes of the Army. I had a platoon sergeant tell me that as long as I was on profile, he would never send me to the promotion board.
After combat in '03, I had surgery. I stopped giving a crap. I was medically discharged in 2005, and I remember a 1SG tell me that he would sponsor me to the promotion board. I said, "Thanks, Top. But that's too little too late to me."
After combat in '03, I had surgery. I stopped giving a crap. I was medically discharged in 2005, and I remember a 1SG tell me that he would sponsor me to the promotion board. I said, "Thanks, Top. But that's too little too late to me."
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SMSgt Eldo Hill
when I retired from the Air Force I didn't want to retire, I really wanted to stay for 30, I did everything I was suppose to do to make E9 but t because of politics at that level some people didn't see my dream that way, I ran into an 06 who I had never work for that replaced my comander and he stopped my decoration which if I had gotten it I would have made E9, then I shipped out to Germany and the squadron comander who was an 04 took an instant dislike for me for doing my job and making hers easier, she did every thing she could to ruin my career but being only an 04 her efforts were to no avail since my military career was flawless, then I shipped out back to the states and my decoration which was written by the base comander excutive officer and I saw it, but never received it again the promotions for E9 came out and again had I gotten my decoration I would have made E9, I might add on each cycle my board scores were tops the only thing that kept me from being promoted was the decoration. So I got tired of the politics where my career was in the hands of someone that disliked you for what ever reason,so I retired with 25 years, other than that I had a wonderful career.
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SPC Dan Seese
I was drafted in 1971 and served two years. Those were the days of the "draft dodgers". Really didn't want to go, but had a step dad that was a lifer in the Navy.
I made E-4 in less than a year and spent almost a year in Germany before ETS. Don't remember anyone ever trying to get me to reup, but figured I had served my country and didn't want to take the chance of having to be shipped to Viet Nam.
I made E-4 in less than a year and spent almost a year in Germany before ETS. Don't remember anyone ever trying to get me to reup, but figured I had served my country and didn't want to take the chance of having to be shipped to Viet Nam.
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When I left, these were my reasons.
1. My drill sergeant had a husband addicted to cocaine. Some nights, she would stay up all night, she was a nurse, then come to work and take her anger out on us, all day.
2. The platoon I was in, was a bunch of go to the army or go to jail convicts. Come to find out, they screwed up my orders and I wound up in the chain gang platoon.
3. The other drill sergeant was an airborne ranger and liked to beat up privates, for the hell of it.
4. Senior drill instructor was a lush.
5. The other drill sergeant like to bang the recruits, he figured the female's, in his platoon was his own private harem.
6. The captain in charge of the Company liked to take pictures all day.
I went in to Serve my Country not for this crap, I somehow wound up in. Washington did the rest and I left, hence the private rank if that's even a rank to be proud of. I'm no hero but, I have spent the rest of my life since then, protecting my country from those who would harm her citizens and their families.
1. My drill sergeant had a husband addicted to cocaine. Some nights, she would stay up all night, she was a nurse, then come to work and take her anger out on us, all day.
2. The platoon I was in, was a bunch of go to the army or go to jail convicts. Come to find out, they screwed up my orders and I wound up in the chain gang platoon.
3. The other drill sergeant was an airborne ranger and liked to beat up privates, for the hell of it.
4. Senior drill instructor was a lush.
5. The other drill sergeant like to bang the recruits, he figured the female's, in his platoon was his own private harem.
6. The captain in charge of the Company liked to take pictures all day.
I went in to Serve my Country not for this crap, I somehow wound up in. Washington did the rest and I left, hence the private rank if that's even a rank to be proud of. I'm no hero but, I have spent the rest of my life since then, protecting my country from those who would harm her citizens and their families.
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I am currently still in, going on 11 years, I've been deployed 4 times. I joined as a scout in 2005 because it just felt like I needed to. I loved the army. I still do. But in the last 5 or 6 years it has changed. Training is almost non existing. And when we do its just half ass check the block. It's nothing like it use to be, and no one seems to care. The government acts more like we're a nuisance than anything, and it has bread an environment full of politics from within the ranks. Soldiers, ncos, officers, they are more married about themselves and their career more than the mission. And then have the nerve to complain about the army. There is few of us that want to stand up and make it great again. Everyone talks like they do but actions are always the loudest in any debate. I Have stayed in only for my soldiers. I have thought long and hard about just calling it for what it is and get out. We no longer have support. Not from our government, our people and expecially our command. I don't know why I feel so compelled to stay. But I always completely understand when people have had enough and leave, it's like getting out of a bad relationship. I can only hope someday it'll be great again.
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After 16 years the Army felt they didn't require my services anymore. Discharged me in the name of "Army Force Restructuring". No early retirement or TRICARE. It's all good though. I will not stay where I'm not wanted. When they need people to defend our country they better look else where. I've already done my time in the desert.
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