Posted on Feb 1, 2016
How to Decide to Leave or Stay In the Military (Part 1 of 2)
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Stay or Go? There is probably no greater decision for a military member regardless of their military service, military occupation, or status in the Active military, Guard or Reserve. The decision to transition is an emotional decision and you need to do your best to separate, for a time, the emotion from the practical decision making components of deciding to remain in the service or depart. The following six factors will help you determine if you should stay in the service or depart.
1. Do I Like What The People 2-3 Levels Above Me Are Doing? This is probably the single best question to help you decide to stay or go. First, look up the ranks and assess what the people who are 3, 5, and 7 years your senior are doing. Do you like the demands of their jobs? Is it interesting? Do these people like what they are doing? Are their advanced educational opportunities that you are excited about? Can you see yourself fulfilling the requirements of those jobs? If you say no, then is it possible to move into another military occupation you would enjoy? For example, if I am a U.S. Army Infantry officer that loves technology, could I move into the U.S. Army Acquisition Corps to help make design and purchase decisions on new U.S. Army Infantry equipment? If you love the military but do not like what future positions hold, then that could be a strong indicator you are ready for something new?
2. What is the True Value of My Military Pay & Benefits? What is the true economic value of all aspects of my military compensation, benefits, healthcare, access to services, and future retirement compared to the geographic location that I want to move? In short, if I live outside Fort Benning, GA today what will I need to live in San Francisco, CA tomorrow? USAA has a great calculator called the Military Separation Assessment calculator that provides a comparison between the value of your military pay and benefits and what you will need to replicate it at your new living location. Comparing Fort Benning, GA to San Francisco, CA, a service member would have to more than double their income level to have equal, not better, benefits. This calculator is meant to inform you of the totality of the value of your benefits, not scare you to stay in the military. Military members receive a great deal of “hidden” value in access to base amenities, health care, Commissary, etc. that do not exist in the civilian world. The financial planning and creating an 8-12 month emergency fund to transition from the military is an essential step.
3. What’s The Life Stage of My Family? The decision to leave for a single service member or a married service member with three children really is different. A single, transitioning service member can literally go anywhere, do anything, and need few resources to do it. A family is a completely different consideration where housing, access to good schools, transportation, medical care, and tens of other choices dominate. A service member at any life stage can separate successfully, but if you are married with children just understand that the complexity and planning involved is about 10X a single service member due to your obligations. Also, the timing for a military family to leave the service is critical to make jobs, school, and medical care work.
Once you make a decision to stay or go, then sit on it for three months. If after three months, you still feel good about it, then you have made the correct decision. The decision to stay or leave the military is a very difficult decision. By understanding your family’s life stage, the true value of your military compensation, the precise education requirements for a new career, your opinion of your military career progression, looking at the potential of new occupations, and understanding what your friends and family think of your choice, then you can make an informed decision to stay or leave the service. If you decide to leave, the first step is to create a robust, comprehensive, resourced, and detailed military-to-civilian transition plan.
Look for Part 2 of this article coming soon.
Content Provided Courtesy of USAA - Article At USAA Member Community - Going Civilian Blog
1. Do I Like What The People 2-3 Levels Above Me Are Doing? This is probably the single best question to help you decide to stay or go. First, look up the ranks and assess what the people who are 3, 5, and 7 years your senior are doing. Do you like the demands of their jobs? Is it interesting? Do these people like what they are doing? Are their advanced educational opportunities that you are excited about? Can you see yourself fulfilling the requirements of those jobs? If you say no, then is it possible to move into another military occupation you would enjoy? For example, if I am a U.S. Army Infantry officer that loves technology, could I move into the U.S. Army Acquisition Corps to help make design and purchase decisions on new U.S. Army Infantry equipment? If you love the military but do not like what future positions hold, then that could be a strong indicator you are ready for something new?
2. What is the True Value of My Military Pay & Benefits? What is the true economic value of all aspects of my military compensation, benefits, healthcare, access to services, and future retirement compared to the geographic location that I want to move? In short, if I live outside Fort Benning, GA today what will I need to live in San Francisco, CA tomorrow? USAA has a great calculator called the Military Separation Assessment calculator that provides a comparison between the value of your military pay and benefits and what you will need to replicate it at your new living location. Comparing Fort Benning, GA to San Francisco, CA, a service member would have to more than double their income level to have equal, not better, benefits. This calculator is meant to inform you of the totality of the value of your benefits, not scare you to stay in the military. Military members receive a great deal of “hidden” value in access to base amenities, health care, Commissary, etc. that do not exist in the civilian world. The financial planning and creating an 8-12 month emergency fund to transition from the military is an essential step.
3. What’s The Life Stage of My Family? The decision to leave for a single service member or a married service member with three children really is different. A single, transitioning service member can literally go anywhere, do anything, and need few resources to do it. A family is a completely different consideration where housing, access to good schools, transportation, medical care, and tens of other choices dominate. A service member at any life stage can separate successfully, but if you are married with children just understand that the complexity and planning involved is about 10X a single service member due to your obligations. Also, the timing for a military family to leave the service is critical to make jobs, school, and medical care work.
Once you make a decision to stay or go, then sit on it for three months. If after three months, you still feel good about it, then you have made the correct decision. The decision to stay or leave the military is a very difficult decision. By understanding your family’s life stage, the true value of your military compensation, the precise education requirements for a new career, your opinion of your military career progression, looking at the potential of new occupations, and understanding what your friends and family think of your choice, then you can make an informed decision to stay or leave the service. If you decide to leave, the first step is to create a robust, comprehensive, resourced, and detailed military-to-civilian transition plan.
Look for Part 2 of this article coming soon.
Content Provided Courtesy of USAA - Article At USAA Member Community - Going Civilian Blog
Command Post
Transition
Military Career
Civilian Career
Edited 10 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 18
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This is great advise right here. I did almost four years of active duty and I fell into that "I know better than everyone else" when I was a know nothing Airman, and I allowed myself to be asked to leave. 7 yrs after that the guilt of not completing something I started, and the still desire serive made me join the Reserves and I love every time I put the uniform on. This year would have been my retirement year and even though I regret not staying in, the choices I made allows to carry the torch longer.
I tell many frist and second term Airman moat of what you states, and without a concrete job in place. Then stay in collect time for a pension then find a new job. Get school out of the way, gain life experience and when you retire you will be better off.
I tell many frist and second term Airman moat of what you states, and without a concrete job in place. Then stay in collect time for a pension then find a new job. Get school out of the way, gain life experience and when you retire you will be better off.
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So I can only speak to own experience and the counseling i have given others. When I hit the 10 year mark I decided that I would retire at 20 - there were other things I wanted to do with my life. I had a plan and I worked toward a set of goals to achieve that plan. That included honing existing skills and acquiring whatever additional skills or resources I needed to make the plan possible.
Toward the end I actually turned down certain opportunities (including promotion) because they would have incurred additional service obligation.
I saw too many folks over the years hang on to active service to the bitter end, either because they were never 'ready' to retire, or afraid of the unknown, or hadn't prepared for transition. I also saw way to many folks who just shriveled up and died because they had nothing after retirement.
You have to plan for the future - the old saying, fail to plan, plan to fail. I was fortunate - very early in my career I was given some sage advice - make a year plan, a 3 year plan, a 5 year plan and a 10 year plan - review them constantly, adjust for change - but plan. I do that even today.
Toward the end I actually turned down certain opportunities (including promotion) because they would have incurred additional service obligation.
I saw too many folks over the years hang on to active service to the bitter end, either because they were never 'ready' to retire, or afraid of the unknown, or hadn't prepared for transition. I also saw way to many folks who just shriveled up and died because they had nothing after retirement.
You have to plan for the future - the old saying, fail to plan, plan to fail. I was fortunate - very early in my career I was given some sage advice - make a year plan, a 3 year plan, a 5 year plan and a 10 year plan - review them constantly, adjust for change - but plan. I do that even today.
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Great article and questions everyone needs to ask themselves. It amazes me how folks get out with no plan whatsoever.
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Sir,
I think those are some valuable points to consider, especially point number one. Thank you for posting it.
I think those are some valuable points to consider, especially point number one. Thank you for posting it.
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Step 1) Am I in the military
Step 2) if yes, GET OUT
Just kidding, I'm trolling! LOL
Step 2) if yes, GET OUT
Just kidding, I'm trolling! LOL
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