What percentage of your career did/ have you spent overseas (over 40% for me)?

LTC Paul Heinlein — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:03:42 -0400

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 21 at 2014 9:07 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:07:31 -0400

Only about 2 years so far. That is why I joined the Guard. I am going over for trip number three coming up. It makes for a hard life. I recall on my second tour I relieved a SL that had been deployed more than he was stateside. He was a SSG with 9 years in.

Response by 1SG Mark Colomb made Aug 22 at 2014 12:07 PM

1SG Mark Colomb — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:07:19 -0400

47%

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Aug 22 at 2014 12:14 PM

MSG Wade Huffman — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:14:13 -0400

Sir, I spent 59% of my time overseas (EXCLUDING TDYs and deployment time) and I'm glad! My wife and I decided early on that we should spend as much time as possible overseas and see as much as we could since the opportunity may never arise again. Assignments included Germany (2x), England, and Italy. If I had to do it over, I would do the same!

Response by CPO William E. Mahoney made Aug 22 at 2014 12:18 PM

CPO William E. Mahoney — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:18:06 -0400

20% of my 21 year career was overseas 10% on shore duty and the remaining 70% on sea duty

Response by SGT Richard H. made Aug 22 at 2014 12:49 PM

SGT Richard H. — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:49:32 -0400

About 25% for me.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 22 at 2014 12:59 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 12:59:27 -0400

Currently (due to a Korea Assignment) I am at 86% of the time overseas. I just got picked up for Civil Affairs and I imagine that number will stay pretty high!

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 22 at 2014 2:03 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 14:03:32 -0400

15% - just over 3 years out of 20

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 22 at 2014 3:45 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 15:45:10 -0400

1.5 years out of 8... so between 18 and 19%

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 22 at 2014 5:13 PM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 17:13:21 -0400

Currently on month 47 (OIF, Korea, OND, OEF, OEF) overseas. out of just under 12 years, if you count my time in the National Guard, or just over 9 if you just count Active Duty time.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Aug 24 at 2014 3:08 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:08:29 -0400

When all is said and done, 25% will have been spent overseas (3 yrs in Korea split between two tours and 2 year-long deployments to Iraq).....unless you consider El Paso as foreign country duty..... ;o)

Response by LTC Paul Mullins made Aug 24 at 2014 3:55 PM

LTC Paul Mullins — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 15:55:42 -0400

43% of 23 active duty years. 2x Germany, Belgium, Korea and OEF. Definitely enjoyed the European time. And surprisingly, all of those just happened without hunting for them. I even wanted to avoid Korea, I had been married 3 months when I received those orders.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 24 at 2014 5:18 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 17:18:30 -0400

I spent 13 years straight in Germany. February 2015 will make 16 years active for me.

Response by 1SG Steven Stankovich made Aug 25 at 2014 2:38 PM

1SG Steven Stankovich — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 14:38:31 -0400

I am at 50% right now...55% when I DEROS next year...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2014 3:17 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 15:17:19 -0400

Sir, right now I'm sitting at 7 out of 8 years overseas. My next assignment will for sure be State side. I will either be submitting my Warrant Officer packet , going Drill or going Recruiter.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Aug 26 at 2014 1:54 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 01:54:35 -0400

RESPECT! LTC Paul Heinlein Thank you for your continued service. I can't imagine 40% overseas. I'm all used up with only 2 deployments. My poor neighbor was a scout and he was on his 8th (and 3rd wife). Please tell us you are home for awhile.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2014 6:16 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 06:16:19 -0400

About 40%, not including deployments. I know some will agree but not sure how many, but my REAL answer is "not enough"! Soldiers who enjoy overseas assignments seem to be drawn to a Region which they perfer as well. Some perfer Europe, some perfer the Pacific, be it Korea or Hawaii. I was of the "Back to Europe" group. 2 tours in Fulda, Germany (1/11th ACR), 74-77 & 79-82, almost 7 yrs; 2 tours to Korea, 2nd Infantry Div, 2/61 ADA, Camp Stanley and Camp Stanton, 1985; 2nd tour was was with 8th Army, E Btry (1SG) 1/43 ADA, Kunsan Air Base 95-96. Now that was a dream assignment, 2 Army units on a Air Force Base, 250 miles from the Battalion Headquarters. You always knew when the Commander/CSM was coming to visit. Always tried like hell to get back to Germany, however, when you are jumping out of planes at Fort Bragg, NC, We tended to spend a good deal of time there! Besides, there was always one deployment or another that kept you somewhere other than Ft. Bragg.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Aug 26 at 2014 10:50 AM

Maj Chris Nelson — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 10:50:23 -0400

For me, this is a difficult question. Do I calculate this based on my Active Duty years or do I base this on total calendar years (I have a number of guard/reserve years). SO, if based on a compression of my years into active duty, I would be at about 38-40%. (Germany x2, Saudi, Iraq, Afghanistan)
If based on total calendar years I would be at approximately: 27%

Response by SSgt Tim Meuret made Aug 26 at 2014 1:09 PM

SSgt Tim Meuret — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:09:39 -0400

I spent nearly all of my time in Germany 5 years 9 months of my 7 years and 1 month in the service.

When I originally was stationed in Wiesbaden I had a DEROS of 2 years and then I requested an extension. I enjoyed my station and enjoyed the mission. Then in the interest of cost cutting they offered an INDEF DEROS. This meant that you were indefinitely stationed there at the convenience of the US Air Force.

I got out during a force reduction in 1988. They called us into the base theater and gave us 48 hours to make up our mind reenlist or get out. I had 13 more months to go and I might have stayed if that ultimatum has not been served. 90 days later I was discharged at McGuire AFB, NJ.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 26 at 2014 1:36 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 13:36:05 -0400

45%

20 years (and 2 months)
- 2 Germany
- 1 Korea
- 1 Iraq
- 5 Hawaii

Interesting to look at CONUS/OCONUS in terms of a percentage. I never thought about it that way before.

Response by 1SG Ernest Gunter made Aug 26 at 2014 2:42 PM

1SG Ernest Gunter — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 14:42:49 -0400

54% of the time I was deployed somewhere 14 out of 26 years.

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Aug 26 at 2014 4:15 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 16:15:32 -0400

1 Year Korea
3 Years Germany - 2.5 months in Macedonia
2 Years Iraq
2.5 Years Afghanistan
42%

Response by CSM Chris McKeown made Aug 26 at 2014 7:24 PM

CSM Chris McKeown — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 19:24:57 -0400

60% when I was on active duty service. 2 years Korea, 3 1/2 years Germany (6 months in Middle East for Desert Shield/Storm), 2 years Ft Fort McClellan Ala, 2 years Ft Devens Ma.

As far as overseas duty goes I liked Korea best of all.

Response by SGT Gary Davies made Aug 27 at 2014 1:12 PM

SGT Gary Davies — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:12:41 -0400

Out of my 13 years of active duty I spent all of it stateside. One duty station was considered overseas ( Alaska ). I spent 4 years in Alaska, 14 months at Ft. Richardson and the rest at Ft. Wainwright. 33%

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Sep 4 at 2014 10:28 AM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 10:28:58 -0400

This requires higher math skill......may take a minute as I have 27 AFS years in November total to date

Japan - 3.2 years
Honduras - 1 year
Korea - 1 Year
Iraq - 2 Years
Afghanistan - 1.5 Years

32%

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2014 8:14 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 08:14:48 -0400

50%
9 Y Germany 5Y Friedberg , 4Y Grafenwoehr
2 Y Korea 1Y C Stanyel , 1Y C Casey
Never liked stateside duty, 5 Y Ft Stewart, 6 Y Ft Sill. it was all spitshine and pollish, got stuck fielding TACFIRE and MLRS in Stewart then the Paladin at Sill.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 24 at 2015 3:43 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 24 May 2015 03:43:29 -0400

Counting Hawaii, I have spent 63% of my slightly less than 16 years overseas, to include...

Hawaii 5 years
Afghanistan 3 years
Iraq 1 year
S. Korea 1 Year

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 19 at 2016 11:14 AM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 19 Mar 2016 11:14:48 -0400

I'm currently serving my first overseas tour. Upon completion, I will have done 3 years overseas out of 8.5 years of service. So, 35%. I'm a homebody though, so I plan on spending the rest of my career in the States.