Who ETS'd

[EX SSG on 900RR]

Who ETS'd, why and are you missing military life? I am for now. I'm working a bunch of BS jobs till I get done with school. Putting the GI Bill to use and then some.

[Rascus]

I ETS'd back in 03, the reason I did was 1.) my time was up. 2.) I had a little girl on the way and didn't want to be deployed and miss alot and 3.) The things I did for OIF I would never top that in the rest of my career. I did more things in the months leading up to and during the start of the war then I had done my entire career combined. I just felt it was the right time.

Do I miss it? Yea at times I do. I look back and realize all the fun I had while being in. However, I do love the fact now I can come home everynight and I was able to use the training the military gave me to help me get a good job on the outside.

[daytonaguy]

Well Rascus, my questions to you are:
1. What MOS did you have that helped you in the civi. world?
2. What did you do leading up to/during OIF (if you don't mind me asking)

I'm still in (well, the Guard anyway) and finished my 2 year process of training for OIF III and being overseas. I miss the structure of military life, but other than that, I don't miss anything else.

Hey, Ex SSG., were you active military? Have you considered joining the Guard or Reserves?

[EX SSG on 900RR]

I was active duty for almost 9 years and looking at E-7. I was a 63M. My wife had a change of mind after OIF. I have mentioned going into the guard or reserve as an officer after school. Her only response is "I don't want you to deploy there again." and "I don't want you at either end of a trigger." She did say that if I could find a non-deployable job that she wouldn't mind me joining and going through OCS. I don't really think that there is such a thing, I don't know. I'd have to drop a few pounds for AR 600-9 and run a little, but that would be too easy. But yeah, till I start a "real career" I believe I will continue to miss what I did. Will I find that "real career"? Hell yeah!!! Till then I'll just have to be content with what I have.

[daytonaguy]

63M? Isn't that a light-wheeled mechanic? But either way, if you attend OCS, you're going back. We're nowhere near through there.

[EX SSG on 900RR]

Originally Posted by daytonaguy

We're nowhere near through there.

I agree....

[Rascus]

Originally Posted by daytonaguy

Well Rascus, my questions to you are:
1. What MOS did you have that helped you in the civi. world?
2. What did you do leading up to/during OIF (if you don't mind me asking)

I got in the the Military Intelligence field, specifically Imagery Intelligence. That's a hot commodity in the defense world.

I was an Independent intel guy supporting the Northern Arabian Gulf Task commander with all the intel. I conducted numerous intelligence boardings on suspected merchant ships and helped alert 5th flt and the NAG commander of somethings. I also helped support a SEAL mission to take down the oil platforms.

Overall it was my best assignment ever and couldn't have asked for a better way to go out.

[perkdaddy69]

I just ETS'd about two months ago. Febuary 17 to be exact I was a 11B which doesn't help a whole lot in the civilian world but it was fun when I was doing it so who cares. The reason that I got out was that the last 3 and a half years I was in I was a recruiter. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!! So I just decided it was time to get out and find something else to do!

[Blackduc]

**Warning this might get lengthy**

I separated back in January of '04 after almost six years of being in the Marines. It was the toughest decision I ever had to make. I remember I couldn't sleep for almost a week before I finally made up my mind.

It has been hard since I got out. I miss it very much. A lot of people ask me that question, "Do you miss it?". When I tell people the things I did and where I went while I was in they look at me weird and say, "How the hell can you miss that?". I miss being a part of something that nobody will understand unless they have actually been there and done that.

I have witnessed and been a part of some horrific events that made me question humanity at times as well as myself. But, I wouldn't give those memories up for all the money in the world and if I went back I wouldn't change a damn thing.

I got out because I was offered a great job and, like some of you, didn't want to make my wife a widow or my son grow up without a father. The money is great since I got out, and I think I have done pretty damn well for myself. But, then what? I used to think it was all about money, money, money. Money would make me happy. It has to a certain extent. But, now look at me. I drive to work the same way every day in the same shitty traffic and go to the same job every fucking day. I get enjoyment from my family and riding but, other than that, its so freaking dull and boring that it drives me nuts.

Skimming treetops or sanddunes at 140knots in a helo behind a .50 cal is fucking living to me. Looking around to the guys with you knowing that they would give their life to save yours as you would theirs is indescribable. Having that "Night before Christmas" feeling in your gut before you go out on a raid or Cas-Evac is living as well.

These people I see wearing their three piece suits going to an office every day with me have no clue what life is, in my opinion. Speaking of work, I am appalled at the lack of decision making skills in the civilian world. People are so afraid to make a decision. And the reward for mediocrity runs rampant in the civilian world enough to make me sick to my stomach.

In short, sorry to get off on tangents, I could write a helluva lot more but, tried to keep it brief. I guess I get my moments of clarity when I look into my wife and son's eyes, they remind me why I decided to get out.

[Jiggly]

Good story, I would feel that way if I could but I do the same job as I did when I was on Active Duty, and its on a base, and it is boring, it was boring then it is boring now, I should have went marines or army, would have at least been some better stories than mountain home Idaho

[RAM79]

I got out in Aug 05. I was in the Army, 11B, 6yrs 9mo in. Im so glad Im out. Do I miss it? Well I miss the dudes and few moments my job was cool. But most of my friend are out anyway and most of the time my job sucked. I grew to hate going to work everymorning. I have a good job but its not a career. When I finish school I will start a career. Glad to be out.

[EX SSG on 900RR]

Blacduc makes a great point. It is amazing about how some people hate decision. I make decisions all the time at my job. Even if I can't stand the job I apply myself, make decisions and take responsibility for my actions. It is because of this that I have been rewarded many times. The other day I made a bad decision and the owners were quite pissed about it. They wanted to know who f'n did this? I said it was me, flat out. They were shocked that I gave a straight answer and didn't mumble it. They instantly calmed down pulled me aside and explained what they had wanted to happen. Easy enough, they didn't chastise me and all they did was say, hey don't do it again.

But on the flip side, I can't honestly say that I am living now. My boring job today was taking over a new position (they fired the old manager) and trying to wade through the stacks of paperwork. Agghhhh life within the confines of four walls as an assembly department manager. Dealing with ISO is so much fun!!!!!!!

[WesR6]

I got out of the military in Feb of 2003. SSgt USAF. I was a 2A655 Aircraft Hyrdraulic Spec. on the KC-10A (Flying gasstation).

There are quite a few things about the military that I do miss. As said before, it's the guys/gals that you worked with. The many TDY's to places all around the world. It usually wasn't dull and I liked the job I was doing.

There were a few reasons as to why I got out. I was tired of being stationed in New Jersey, I was tired of being deployed to the Desert every 6 months and I didn't feel that I could maintain a relationship/start a family in that situation.

I like my civilian job and I do make more now than I did when I was in the military but as someone else has said. Money is not everything. I turned down $30,000 Tax Free reinlistment bonus.

There are plus/minus's for staying in/getting out. I'm sure if I was still in the military I'd be wondering what it would be like if I had gotten out.

Either way I think I made the right decision.

-Wes

[TheSollyLama]

Blackduc nailed it perfectly.

I got out due to injury. My entire life was altered medically as well so it's maybe a little different for me.

Nonetheless, I was almost always in a Male-Only environment and I frankly miss being accepted as a foul mouthed thug.
I still am to be sure, so my conversations are more an excersize in self-censorship than anything else. I didn't know just how abrasive I was until I got out and put on a tie everyday.......holy hell- was the entire world gay or something????

Worse, I got out of the Army, and Special Operations at that, to work for contractors that did most of their work for the Air Force..............

A SCIF was no longer a place I could use deadly force to protect- I got in trouble for providing my own armed response to alarms......that was a basic duty in the military.

We could call bullshit on superiors in the military- respectfully yes, but we had that kind of leadership. Corporate world? hell it doesn't matter if you fail miserably just so long as you have a kick ass PowerPoint slideshow explaining why it wasn't your fault........

Of course I miss jumping and all the fun field stuff you only find in special operations. Big budgets, lots of toys.
Hell, I will never be able to run again, much less jump, fast rope, or even 'take a knee'.

Mostly I just miss feeling like I did something at the end of the day. I mean we pissed enough time away sure, but at the end of most days I felt like I had accomplished something, even if only for myself.
In the corporate world, it really felt like the 'rat race'. Nothing really got done from day to day. It's an empty living.

[Rascus]

Solly and BlackDuc hit the nail on the head.

I've been out for 3yrs this month. During that time I've been in the "corporate world" and I hate it. I'm actually looking to get out of it, take roughly 40k pay cut to become a cop. This job (even though 90% are prior service) doesn't live up the comadrie I had while in the military. Maybe it's the structure I miss that was instilled in me while in the military. I've seen somethings done in the corporate world go on and on and on, in the military someone would have been quick to jump their shit for it. It's just getting worse as the days go on...