10 years in the military, stay or go?

[congressmanreality 1]

Seriously, I'm sick of sh!t, I know I'm half way to retirement, blah blah blah....but 10 more years of mandatory PT tests (I want to be lazy and fat), random drug test (I hate having some dude stair at my rod while i'm trying to pee) and just the overall incompetancy of military leadership is really driving me crazy...not to mention the deployments, stress, going to PT every damn morning at 0500...TOTAL BS!!!!!!

 

 

Sooo, hows the outside world...just as bad?

[BiPolarBear 476]

I am guessing that you will still be relatively young when you get out in 10 years. The retirement money will open up a lot of options to you. You'll be fatter on the outside and won't have the bucks. You could buy some sandals and a guitar and pretend you were a civie.

 

alsothankyouforyourservicetoourcountry

[Guest tiki_gods]

Seriously, I'm sick of sh!t, I know I'm half way to retirement, blah blah blah....but 10 more years of mandatory PT tests (I want to be lazy and fat), random drug test (I hate having some dude stair at my rod while i'm trying to pee) and just the overall incompetancy of military leadership is really driving me crazy...not to mention the deployments, stress, going to PT every damn morning at 0500...TOTAL BS!!!!!!

Sooo, hows the outside world...just as bad?

 

The outside world sucks. I miss being on active duty. hth

[SUXBNME 1,322]

Ialsothankyouforyourservicetoourcountry

 

[Thin Spirit 0]

You will miss it when it's gone.

[Guest tiki_gods]

You will miss it when it's gone.

 

I don't miss Iraq. Heat and sand suck. Not to mention Iraqis who can't shoot straight.

[bloodninja 0]

I served 10 years active duty in the Air Force. They threw me out under the reduction in forces idea under the Clinton administration. I was a SSGT at the time and they paid me about 22K as a severance. If I could do it over again, I would go to school and get a degree. I have been out 10 years and believe me, I wish I was still serving. Civilian life sucks. I suggest you stay and use the military to complete your higher education, then retire.

[gratefulted 14]

I don't miss Iraq. Heat and sand suck. Not to mention Iraqis who can't shoot straight.

Camel Spiders

 

As they say, joining was the 2nd best thing I ever did, getting out was the best!

Wouldn't do a day over 4 years myself, its no fun living in a dictatorship.

[Ravens 03 0]

I served 10 years active duty in the Air Force. They threw me out under the reduction in forces idea under the Clinton administration. I was a SSGT at the time and they paid me about 22K as a severance. If I could do it over again, I would go to school and get a degree. I have been out 10 years and believe me, I wish I was still serving. Civilian life sucks. I suggest you stay and use the military to complete your higher education, then retire.

 

Not being military I have no references for you.

 

I would seriously consider the 10 years to 'retirement'.

It will be big when you are 60 - for medical benefits. And the retirement pay would be good.

 

Good luck w whatever you decide. And stay safe.

[ROBOKOP 0]

Reasons to stay:

 

1. Health benefits are superior to anything you will find on the outside. You will be surprised how awful this is in the private sector.

 

2. The extra retitrement is awesome. Its worth the investment.

 

3. You dont want to be fat and lazy; at least now you are being forced to be healthy and have the motivation.

 

4. Travel

 

5. You only have a drug test, what, once a year?

 

6. Unless you have an education or something lined up on the outside, you dont have a lot of options.

[bno70_1 0]

Working sucks. Never been in the service, but unless you're a rock star or an athlete, work is work, and it belows. I would hate to give up retirement in 10 years to go be something crappy like an engineer for the next 20-30.

[Giants Fan 85]

My grandfather was a Lt. Colnel in the Army. He did 19 years and then resigned. You know why? Cause during The War they never sent him into combat. He was too valuable behind the scenes ordering ordinances, or whatever he did, and he resigned with 1 year left, because he felt like he didn't deserve it.

 

So ... think about that for a little while. Ask not what .... you know the rest.

[Voltaire 4,554]

The Army is the worst job on the planet. I don't blame you for getting out. I still have regular nightmares of being back in.

 

You made me do the math... I would be able to retire in three years if I had stayed in. Not that I ever considered re-enlisting- I was fervish to get out while I was still in basic training and that stayed with me the entire time. That is if I still had my life, limbs, etc. Since I opposed this (Iraq II) war from the outset, I'm glad I got out when I did. At least the war I fought in (Iraq I) I believed in the mission.

 

Damn I'm getting old. Three years.

 

F*ck it... even if a landmine didn't get me, my head would have probably exploded anyways dealing with those incompetent clowns that always made up my chain of command. You need a lobotomy to perform well in the Army.

 

Ten years is still an eternity. Get out. You have better things to do with your life.

 

I think taking that first re-enlistment is where you went wrong. Never re-elinst after you quailfy for your first term education benefits. Now the cowardly Bush'tards have you running around Iraq with sand up your crotch and a bullseye on your back for them.

 

FTA FTA FTA FTA FTA ETS ETS ETS ETS ETS

 

I hae a question for you...

 

I know the first contract is a eight year contract even if it's really 3+5 or 4+4 or whatever. I know they're using stop loss on folks to keep them in beynd their origional 3/4 year contract. Have they attempted to continue to use stop-loss on folks beyond eight years?

 

More directly, how is stop-loss implemented. What conditions are the Army using for those in stop-loss who insist on getting the f*ck out and refuse to re-up. At what point can they force the Army's hand?

[ROBOKOP 0]

Dealing with the incompetent focks in your chain of command in the military is excellent training for dealing with the incompetent focks when you get out.

[cnutz 0]

Dealing with the incompetent focks in your chain of command in the military is excellent training for dealing with the incompetent focks when you get out.

[Giants Fan 85]

There is a museum that my great aunt donated to. I shouldn't say who and where, but she also donated, with those articles a "Dispatch Box", which was carried in the Revolutinary War, by my ancestor ... as a Brit. At any rate the museum has refused to even entertain the idea of selling me the item ... which I find slightly offensive. After all, it's just a box, but it is MY oldest family heirloom.

 

Both my grandfathers were WW2 vets, and one is still alive. My Dad was a little to old for Nam, and was in the Navy, I was right on time for Iraq #1, but it was over in 16 days .... err ... years... wahtever I missed it. Couple uncles in Nam. They all remind me ... 9/11 survivor, so what. That's not war!

 

And then I usually come back with some 9/11 stories and end it with "THAT COUNTS AS WAR!"

 

But they are right. You dunno shiat ... until you've seen war.

[Guest tiki_gods]

There is a museum that my great aunt donated to. I shouldn't say who and where, but she also donated, with those articles a "Dispatch Box", which was carried in the Revolutinary War, by my ancestor ... as a Brit. At any rate the museum has refused to even entertain the idea of selling me the item ... which I find slightly offensive. After all, it's just a box, but it is MY oldest family heirloom.

 

Both my grandfathers were WW2 vets, and one is still alive. My Dad was a little to old for Nam, and was in the Navy, I was right on time for Iraq #1, but it was over in 16 days .... err ... years... wahtever I missed it. Couple uncles in Nam. They all remind me ... 9/11 survivor, so what. That's not war!

 

And then I usually come back with some 9/11 stories and end it with "THAT COUNTS AS WAR!"

 

But they are right. You dunno shiat ... until you've seen war.

 

Guys like this we call them "Friendly Fire"

[mmmmm...beer 691]

Dude... if you can do your 20 and be out at what... around 40? Stay in... You can't retire from even civilian life until what 62? 65?

 

Do exactly what Bloodninja was saying. Get your higher education in the next few years... Get into government service afterwards. You won't believe how easy it will be for you to slide into the government afterwareds. 10 point vetrans like you will kill... Plus you can use all that military time towards your gov retirement time... YOU my friend will make out like a bandito! A BANDITO!!

 

Sometimes I wish I had gone regular military... I'd have had 14 years like my cousin. We both went National Guard... 12B's... back in 1992. Then we both came out and went to college. Both got degrees in criminal justice. He went full time Guards... a recruiter. He's and E-7 making some fat cash... and not paying his own house payment. He'll retire with 30 years at age 47!!! How frickin crazy is that?!

 

Take it from us out here in civilian life... civilians suck... I mean SUCK... I'm a fed cop and I can't stand about 3/4 of the population I deal with. I want to punch someone in the mouthy manpleaser about 30x daily.

 

Your halfway there... this desert stuff won't last forever. You'll be back in the states... change your MOS.... do something less line-ish. Then it's just like a civilian job... except everyone is in shape and has a job.

[bloodninja 0]

Dude... if you can do your 20 and be out at what... around 40? Stay in... You can't retire from even civilian life until what 62? 65?

 

Do exactly what Bloodninja was saying. Get your higher education in the next few years... Get into government service afterwards. You won't believe how easy it will be for you to slide into the government afterwareds. 10 point vetrans like you will kill... Plus you can use all that military time towards your gov retirement time... YOU my friend will make out like a bandito! A BANDITO!!

 

Sometimes I wish I had gone regular military... I'd have had 14 years like my cousin. We both went National Guard... 12B's... back in 1992. Then we both came out and went to college. Both got degrees in criminal justice. He went full time Guards... a recruiter. He's and E-7 making some fat cash... and not paying his own house payment. He'll retire with 30 years at age 47!!! How frickin crazy is that?!

 

Take it from us out here in civilian life... civilians suck... I mean SUCK... I'm a fed cop and I can't stand about 3/4 of the population I deal with. I want to punch someone in the mouthy manpleaser about 30x daily.

 

Your halfway there... this desert stuff won't last forever. You'll be back in the states... change your MOS.... do something less line-ish. Then it's just like a civilian job... except everyone is in shape and has a job.

 

 

Well said. Also, GFIAFP!