Your enlistment anniversary: How important is it to you?

I am superstitious, never buy a ribbon or medal before you see the orders. It is important to me to track milestones: first year, first ADSO, 10 years ( the fish or cut bait line) and the big one 20 years. Congrats on your milestone. If it is important to you, don't let the fun sponges kill it for you. Kudos on keeping your uniform and records straight.

I think it's a little different for everybody. For me all it means is another year, maybe another ribbon, perhaps some another service stripe. If I gave it any real credence at all it would be that it serves as a reminder of when I got out of jail and turned my life around. If it weren't for the Army I never would have met my beautiful wife, or been blessed with the two most amazing(sure I'm biased, you will be too) children ever. So for that I'm grateful, but the date itself holds no inherent value to me otherwise.

I hit my 3 year mark in September. Its very important to be its like a 2nd birthday. I can't wait to get my stripe sewn on either; although I haven't worn my ASU since AIT graduation.<div><br></div><div>Enlistment Anniversary....Yeah its a big deal.</div>

Are we talking the anniversary of my DIEMS, PEBD, BASD, or current period of active duty? Each of those means something different to me.

DIEMS in May means nothing any more. PEBD in July means service stripes and pay raises. BASD in December means I'm closer to retirement (I don't actually observe the date; I keep a running count). April is when I came on tour so that means GCMs and clothing allowance.

Honestly, if it doesn't affect my uniform I don't pay it a whole lot of attention.

It is very important to me, as it marks the anniversary of the day that I started my favorite job and made a dream come true. 

Considering it's also my birthday, I'd say pretty darn important. I joined on my 17th birthday.

It's important to me because it marks the anniversary of getting my life on the right track! As an added bonus, my wife and I use it to as a 'date night' out from the kids, so I definitely look forward to it every year.

SPC Shelby,

Recalling my first 3 years, it went slow and I thought it would never come to an end. I was in for 4 years initially. I went delayed entry in June and active in that September in Oakland, CA.

Some of my basic training platoon were from there and they came to the recruiting station in handcuffs by the law. They were ok. It was the Drill Sergeants who came back from Thailand and Vietnam that we had to worry about. It was a crazy and alternative universe back then. At Ft. Ord, I did 18 months, I had a short-timers attitude, then I went to Germany and completed 26 months.

Back then, dates were important to me. It was also part of the army culture on how many days and a wake up there are til a Soldier goes home. The days were counted everyday and the wake up is the day a Soldier left his unit and got on the free bird back to the world.

I remember counting the days on my calendar to deros, get back to the world, Conus. Getting on that freedom bird was an experience for me. I did ets at Ft. Dix...landed and processed out in a week. After I went home, 72 days later, I re-enlisted.

It was not enough time to adjust to civilian life but I had the opportunity to get back in, so I did the next 16 years in active duty and eventually retired at 20 years. Still looking back on my first hitch, I take pause now and then on my first formation and the Drill Sergeants.

My first enlistment, I received a Good Conduct Medal and a service stripe. That was it. Service members derosing from Germany at that time were receiving Army Commendation medals and some MSMs. I didn't get jack because all I wanted to do was get on free bird, and get back to the world and get out of the army. I thought that time 4 years was enough.

The National Defense, Overseas, Professional Development, Army Achievement Medals and everything else did not come until later on.

It was a different time and a different generation ago.

For me I kept track of my anniversary in the Army until I hit the 10 year mark. For me the 10 year mark transitioned my thought process from the short 3 to 4 year contracts to the career focus. After the 15 year mark I began to look towards retirement or at least beginning to set myself up for a successful life outside the Army. I believe it is important though to ackowledge your commitment to the branch of service in which you volunteered to serve.