Need advice on whether I should stay in or get out?

SSG Daniel Miller
I can't even imagine the healthcare/insurance costs with 6 kids.

Wow, wife and six kids - quite a lot of responsibility you've created. You've not accumulated enough experience, education or certification to permit the kind of wages you'd have to make to just cover down on your current benefit package. I know it sounds like adding to your load, but get your tail enrolled and complete a bachelors degree before you consider walking away from the Army. Your an HR guy? If you stay in that career field on the 'outside', you will be competing with an almost unlimited supply of degree holding experienced people. Here's a link to a certification site that can set you apart - http://www.hrci.org/our-programs/our-hr-certifications/phr. I'm an IT guy, but I talk to our recruiters and other HR folks alot and it, as they say 'ain't no walk in the park' to get and entry level position that pays anywhere near what you're talking about. Get a plan, get an education and then get the job you want.

I already wrote an essay in comment but to add to what CW3 Jim Norris stated, my wife has a Master degree in Business management with emphasis on HR and after 5 years of not finding a job she works for our local school district as an aide and is going back to school to get her teaching degree. Grant it if we lived in a larger metropolitan area she probably could have found an entry level position. The civilian world is tough and cut throat and many of the common degrees have been pushed so hard over the last 20 years there are more with degrees than there are jobs to fill. I was going back to school in 01 hoping to get a degree in wildlife management/biology until I found out how much an entry level biologist makes after years of interning, with a house and family of 4 at the time (family of 5 a few years later) the starting pay was significantly less than I was making so I stayed with the job I am good at making more money, sure I had the potential to make more but when you have bills potential does not put food on the table. I could not imagine having a family of 8 and trying to make ends meat today.

Make sure your civilian job will be secure. I was making $85,000 a year when I was informed my position was terminated. Luckily I am retired military. I am getting by, but there isn't money for vacations, eating out, etc... I would recommend wait to see what happens after the next election.

MSgt John Carroll
And the contract positions in the desert are paying less and less unless you have a very unique skill set.

Agree. Or even with a 4 year degree. Or a couple 6 year degrees. You can never be sure of getting a $90K job.