With the exception of retirement, what is the number one reason for leaving military service for the civilian sector?

Shannon Arroyo — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:39:45 -0500

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 4:41 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:41:23 -0500

Better paying jobs, stability, freedom...I'm intel. I'm the only one from basic or AIT who has the same MOS who is still active duty. One person is still Guard. Everyone else got out because you can make more doing our job as a civilian.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 4:54 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:54:03 -0500

The Job I want, the Location I want, and the wage I negotiate!

Response by SP5 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 4:55 PM

SP5 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:55:25 -0500

Shannon Arroyo A major reason, aside from economics, is the impact of service demands on the service member's families. The overriding threat of being involuntarily separated in mid-career, not through misbehavior, but for "failure to advance" must also be considered. How many high performing individuals within their level and MOS have been sent away for lack of advancement? Just my .02.

Response by SGT Russell Wickham made Feb 15 at 2018 4:59 PM

SGT Russell Wickham — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:59:12 -0500

My number one reason for getting out was when we got back from a month long field problem, certain 3rd platoon Joes left SI in a truck, so the E-5s put the soldiers in formation and began to administer corrective training. The squadron CSM came running down, stopped it, had all the NCOs form up on one side and the Joes on the other and ordered the NCOs to apologize for hazing the Joes. I realized right then that the kinder, gentler army had no place for me. I buried a man because of it, when an undisciplined trooper who did what he wanted killed the truck gunner when he rolled the truck because he wouldn't listen to his NCO. It wasn't so much leaving for the civilian sector, as much as leaving because I had become a dinosaur and had no desire to adapt to what I considered a foolish policy.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 5:10 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:10:25 -0500

Shannon Arroyo I had a break in service. I think everyone leaves for their own reasons. I came back into the military for my own reasons. There is a big difference between military life and civilian life and if I had to pick just one thing that I noticed to be the biggest difference it would be quality of life.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 5:22 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:22:21 -0500

Shannon Arroyo The opportunity to work at your dream job.

Response by SSG Alan Pelletier made Feb 15 at 2018 5:33 PM

SSG Alan Pelletier — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:33:25 -0500

As a combat veteran with a few deployments, I enjoyed being alive. Thought I'd pursue "alive" in the civilian sector. School, professional activities, social relationships were just nice, "add-ons."

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 5:44 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 17:44:25 -0500

I had back to back deployments. Came home to see people get promoted within the same MOS with 0 deployments.

Apparently it was my fault for getting deployed and not going to NCOES.

I have a better job in the civilian sector.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 6:20 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 18:20:35 -0500

When I left the first time I was exhausted and becoming increasingly cynical. It was spreading to my Soldiers, which wasn't fair to them. I knew it was time to leave. Hoping to avoid that fate this time around.

Response by PO2 Peter Klein made Feb 15 at 2018 6:44 PM

PO2 Peter Klein — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 18:44:48 -0500

Never intended to make the military a career.

Response by PO3 Steven Stinnett made Feb 15 at 2018 6:53 PM

PO3 Steven Stinnett — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 18:53:26 -0500

It paid for three degree's, A.A., B.A., even Grad-School M.A. Thank-You

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 6:58 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 18:58:18 -0500

To broaden your horizons, see the light, and expand your life with the rest of the world.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 15 at 2018 7:16 PM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 19:16:31 -0500

Because they won’t get promoted.

Response by MSG John Duchesneau made Feb 15 at 2018 9:28 PM

MSG John Duchesneau — Thu, 15 Feb 2018 21:28:50 -0500

People don't like working 80 hours a week and having to abide by arbitrary and unnecessary rules and regulations.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2018 8:58 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 08:58:43 -0500

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Sometimes...it actually is.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2018 9:05 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:05:32 -0500

I haven't retired yet, nor do I plan to for a while. I've noticed cynicism within the ranks of people who want to get out, family problems, spousal problems, and a loss of commitment to that lifestyle. I had a really good E-5 in my section get out because he was the sole provider for his ailing mother, who had cancer and was going downhill. He had also become disenfrancised because he never deployed. In my opinion, they should get out - they're doing the service a disservice by staying in.

Personally, the way I feel now, I'd only leave if family was suffering or I had to chose between the military or my family. Family comes first. I love the Army, I love what we do, but family is most important.

Response by Cpl Bill Fleischauer made Feb 16 at 2018 9:18 AM

Cpl Bill Fleischauer — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:18:27 -0500

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Response by COL Rich McKinney made Feb 16 at 2018 9:50 AM

COL Rich McKinney — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 09:50:13 -0500

Mine was that Bill Clinton had promised everything to everyone during the campaign and said he would take it out of the Defense Budget. I came into the zone for promotion and the outlook was bleak. The promotion rate for the previous year had dropped from the traditional 80% to just 50%, and my branch manager predicted 1/2 that for my year group. I decided not to take the chance and left for the Reserves.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Feb 16 at 2018 10:58 AM

CSM Richard StCyr — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 10:58:31 -0500

Some military job skills are highly sought after in the civilian market place, and the pay offered often out strips the military.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2018 11:15 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 11:15:22 -0500

Shannon Arroyo $$$ you get more for flying commercially than in the Air Force. Same with cyber and the Army, etc.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 16 at 2018 11:26 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 16 Feb 2018 23:26:43 -0500

In the medical field we will make more money with the added benefit of just doing that one job we spent many years educating ourselves.

Response by LTJG Thomas Ehler made Mar 4 at 2018 4:17 AM

LTJG Thomas Ehler — Sun, 04 Mar 2018 04:17:52 -0500

Both times I got out, I was in a career field that was downsizing - not much actual work or minimal funding to accomplish it, reduced options for duty stations, no more reenlistment bonuses, etc. When you hit that, the only thing left is the lifestyle. If the lifestyle isn't enough to justify putting up with the rest and you're a long way from retirement eligibility, the choice is simple.