Posted on Feb 5, 2015
What aspects of military life did you find difficult to walk away from?
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Over the last 5 1/2 years, there have been a few things that I've found difficult to adjust to in the post military life.
First, medical care. In the fall of 2013, my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Over the last year and a half, I've been finding that I really miss the level of medical coverage I've had for my family. Especially where it concerns prescriptions.
Second, daily attire. For the short time I was in, it was easy to know what I was going to wear every day. You had several uniforms that were ready for wear every day of the week. Now, it often times feels like a struggle trying to figure out what clothes to wear over the course of the week.
Third, the work. I thoroughly enjoyed my job, but the NCO leadership aspect and the AFSC aspect. I knew the impact of the work I was doing. It was briefed on a daily basis and we were in constant contact with those that we were helping. In my particular AFSC, things were never monotonous and more often than not, were challenging. I also loved being a mentor to young airman. Now, I find myself missing the work I've had done and can find it challenging to be in a non-leadership role (I'm confident I'll find myself back in that position soon, I'm just impatient :) ).
Last, the people. In my experience, the leaders I served under and those I served with were some of the best people I had ever known. Most of the people I became friends with now live in the DC or Denver areas. It's hard when a lot of your friends live in a different time zone than you. Its even more difficult when you (unintentionally) rate any new potential friends by the ones you served with. It's also difficult when you keep moving around and can never seem to make new friends because of this deep seated anxiety that I'll have to move again and feel like it prevents me from having more friends. In my post military world, I've actually moved around more than when I was in the Air Force.
I'm curious the kinds of challenges my fellow veterans and retirees have faced in this post-military life.
First, medical care. In the fall of 2013, my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Over the last year and a half, I've been finding that I really miss the level of medical coverage I've had for my family. Especially where it concerns prescriptions.
Second, daily attire. For the short time I was in, it was easy to know what I was going to wear every day. You had several uniforms that were ready for wear every day of the week. Now, it often times feels like a struggle trying to figure out what clothes to wear over the course of the week.
Third, the work. I thoroughly enjoyed my job, but the NCO leadership aspect and the AFSC aspect. I knew the impact of the work I was doing. It was briefed on a daily basis and we were in constant contact with those that we were helping. In my particular AFSC, things were never monotonous and more often than not, were challenging. I also loved being a mentor to young airman. Now, I find myself missing the work I've had done and can find it challenging to be in a non-leadership role (I'm confident I'll find myself back in that position soon, I'm just impatient :) ).
Last, the people. In my experience, the leaders I served under and those I served with were some of the best people I had ever known. Most of the people I became friends with now live in the DC or Denver areas. It's hard when a lot of your friends live in a different time zone than you. Its even more difficult when you (unintentionally) rate any new potential friends by the ones you served with. It's also difficult when you keep moving around and can never seem to make new friends because of this deep seated anxiety that I'll have to move again and feel like it prevents me from having more friends. In my post military world, I've actually moved around more than when I was in the Air Force.
I'm curious the kinds of challenges my fellow veterans and retirees have faced in this post-military life.
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Family
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 4
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For me, as an RA Officer and Army Brat, it was a love hate relationship; bad superiors made it so the only way to ease the pain, because I loved the Army, was to leave and in the end, I resigned. I miss being a leader, testing myself through the hardships, using the equipment, the discipline, and overall challenge. I would also like to say comradeship but there was none there for me. There was also the need for the ultimate test of combat but I missed on that too. It was my calling and Ive been lost ever since. Airborne!
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MAJ Rene De La Rosa
Sorry to hear that your career was stunted by toxic leaders. But a consideration comes to mind: if there was any bad paper, then in all likelihood you were already blackballed and it would have been more painful in the end.
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SSgt Boyd Herrst
My 1st year was as a Reservist.. that was my foot in the door.. had some challenges there. But overcame them.. (resistance by some fellow reservists who were just there for the $$ and themselves but not the program..
do just enough..).. I pushed to excell And that got in their way.. my excelling made them look bad.., “You need to slow down!”... There were the good ones that pushed and supported me.. I got my CDCs done, OJT.. and moved up to next level. Earned some nice awards..
(The extra drills at other units were awards because it was extra $$$. . Sure I worked, but I got better at what I did. Met new friends.)again them guys say I needed to
Slow down. The next Spring I made my jump to Active Duty AF... with no loss of Rank of skill level. (A1C>E-3)
Everybody is unique.. I had no intent of being a copycat except to be better. Personal behaviors I left alone... unless those were the type to emulate.. those of stellar character.. Again icame zcross Guys I had no desire to hang with
Because they only wanted to do their 4 quietly with minimal waves..
and just do enough .. I had been
In Vo-tech at H.S. Along with do AFJROTC... that was an adventure..
Any in Vo-tech I also apprenticed under my great Aunt who was a certified Chef d’ Cuisine. Who went
To a school that her husband got her into. I apprenticed under her for 2 years (weekends too) although the weekends didn’t count in vo-tech, they counted for the chef apprenticeship. Through the Chef certification program. That certificate got added to my CCAF records (Comm Col. AIr Force)and I got 18 credits for it. In my transcript
Along with my CDCs, PT at BMT and some Classes at NCO school.
(That came later) I had a few days off and a couple days leave and went up to Hyde Park where Culinary Institute Of America was at. Toured the school,
Talked to other Students. (Passed our some Recruiting cards. For a recruiter friend at Base .). Some don’t stay 4 years. Because of financial restraints. They do leave with an Associate Certificate.. Anyway I found out a lot and took material back to McGuire. They got educational stuff too but not like I brought back.. I’d read about the
Big Hennessy trophy.. We were a ways from that at McGuire. I wanted to try to instill some culinary pride and help my fellow Airmen be better. It’s like leading s horse to water.. but you can’t make them drink . They gave me a Professional Chef Book that I took in and showed the Lt and Food Services
Superintendent. I and Some SSGTs we had worked toward doing a better style cook’g.. we seemed to have some that would turn the ovens up, I’m glad I just happened to be in the A.O. To turn them back
Ovens back down.. They like overcooked Vegs.. after some letters of discipline they backed off screwing up. Especially after a couple guys got thrown out. I got orders to Vietnam... and glad to get out of there. There wasn’t much opportunity for fancy cook’g but I tried.. We did turn out good food
When we could. We had to use what was sent us.. if tomatoes came.. s’times we got fortunate..
Othertimes we cut out bad spots and chopped and cooked them..
lettuce? I saved what I could and made a lettuce soup. That had other Veg’s n nooodles .. I was surprised that the soup went over with the troops. We had Army that came in with our combat controllers..<~ (that be a good career field for you if you had enough youth left to tackle them hills n rills. !... ). I earned E-4 SGT
and a little more input in to meal preparation (not much, but some)!
Because my Sergeant came sooner,
My chance for. Testing for SSGT came sooner.. so I got into that PDF
For promotion and got out them CDCs.. (why are you studying so hard, you will not get it first time,
That’s a given!). I ignored them guys.. a couple I thought I could kinda trust.. earned top spots on my s—-t list.. they lied about s’thing(work schedule). <~ said I didn’t have to be on for another 2
Hours.. I’m always checking for that.. they even tried to alter it. I knew our MSGTs initials and those weren’t his.. I showed up at 0900
For work.., I didn’t say anything to them guys about the schedule.. they only thought I did.. that was enough ! They went and admitted
What they did.. and why.. to F—k my chance for my line number.. Sarge just said we’ll wait and see..
Keeping them in suspense Well I
Got it.. top score.. there were a lot of TIG/TISs in front of me still and I was right up there and got to see them on 1st Cycle and get to wear to my new base.. I didn’t have hardly any hold baggage but I had some.. I got I. Contact with my new base in Thailand and got a mailbox..
and mailed it to myself. It got there a little after I did, about a week. It would of got there before me.. somebody thought to move my
PCS date up a month.. My CMDR
Seen that also.. He frocked me.
So I got to go brevit SSGT. He had a friend he wanted to send s’thing official by courier.. He entrusted me to deliver it. But I had to have a higher clearance and be SSGT. He bull-shitted personel and got me some brevit orders .. I was on my way.. some things like denials can be kinda s-l-o-w.. and by the time the denial got to my base and new Squadron I was legal to wear the rank.. Something I found out later.. but by that time it was way to late..
(Stuff gets lost.. most fortunate in that sitrep).. the guy who got my date for Sgt moved earlier by 3 months screwed up.. confusing his calculations with those of my Reserve dates that had been accidentally included in my permanent AF file(I didn’t think they were a mistake to be included, but that’s just in my honest opinion.. So his miscalculation got my Sergeant moved up 3 months. And by time they discovered(over a year and a half) it was too late to take back the promotion, test date and second promotion .. One lucky SSGT. I was then.. I busted my carcass to show I was worthy even if it was a mistake (of theirs). I did my assignment in Thailand for a year and a half, picking up college courses to go in my CCAF transcript.. along with my 7
Level.. I busted butt to get that done fast too.. s’body there got in the way.. (fortunately I had people at base level training). Instead of directly send’g my volume test results to Maxwell(A.U.) they did it the s-l-o-w way through AF messenger.. fortunately s’body there seen that screw-up and got them sent directly top priority..
So Maxwell got them in a week instead of 2 to 3 weeks and they came back as fast. The person on
Our end included special instructions to send back priority.
Normally that would come back routine.. After that they got sent
Priority.. after the last test result sent my EOC back to Base Ed priority.. I got it and took it and they sent it back the same way., it was only after I got my Certificate back There was a big to-do over sending s’thing routine like volume tests results and EoCs as priority mail. Somebody there at Maxwell,
Air University saw good in that.. True other Mission related should be first.. but getting test materials, EoCs, their certificates back is a great morale booster showing that
Education is a top priority to the Air Force . It showed me the Air Force
stood behind my improving myself..
Making our education top priority !
We don’t need “Toxic people” leaders or personnel. It stunts our growth as a military service.
do just enough..).. I pushed to excell And that got in their way.. my excelling made them look bad.., “You need to slow down!”... There were the good ones that pushed and supported me.. I got my CDCs done, OJT.. and moved up to next level. Earned some nice awards..
(The extra drills at other units were awards because it was extra $$$. . Sure I worked, but I got better at what I did. Met new friends.)again them guys say I needed to
Slow down. The next Spring I made my jump to Active Duty AF... with no loss of Rank of skill level. (A1C>E-3)
Everybody is unique.. I had no intent of being a copycat except to be better. Personal behaviors I left alone... unless those were the type to emulate.. those of stellar character.. Again icame zcross Guys I had no desire to hang with
Because they only wanted to do their 4 quietly with minimal waves..
and just do enough .. I had been
In Vo-tech at H.S. Along with do AFJROTC... that was an adventure..
Any in Vo-tech I also apprenticed under my great Aunt who was a certified Chef d’ Cuisine. Who went
To a school that her husband got her into. I apprenticed under her for 2 years (weekends too) although the weekends didn’t count in vo-tech, they counted for the chef apprenticeship. Through the Chef certification program. That certificate got added to my CCAF records (Comm Col. AIr Force)and I got 18 credits for it. In my transcript
Along with my CDCs, PT at BMT and some Classes at NCO school.
(That came later) I had a few days off and a couple days leave and went up to Hyde Park where Culinary Institute Of America was at. Toured the school,
Talked to other Students. (Passed our some Recruiting cards. For a recruiter friend at Base .). Some don’t stay 4 years. Because of financial restraints. They do leave with an Associate Certificate.. Anyway I found out a lot and took material back to McGuire. They got educational stuff too but not like I brought back.. I’d read about the
Big Hennessy trophy.. We were a ways from that at McGuire. I wanted to try to instill some culinary pride and help my fellow Airmen be better. It’s like leading s horse to water.. but you can’t make them drink . They gave me a Professional Chef Book that I took in and showed the Lt and Food Services
Superintendent. I and Some SSGTs we had worked toward doing a better style cook’g.. we seemed to have some that would turn the ovens up, I’m glad I just happened to be in the A.O. To turn them back
Ovens back down.. They like overcooked Vegs.. after some letters of discipline they backed off screwing up. Especially after a couple guys got thrown out. I got orders to Vietnam... and glad to get out of there. There wasn’t much opportunity for fancy cook’g but I tried.. We did turn out good food
When we could. We had to use what was sent us.. if tomatoes came.. s’times we got fortunate..
Othertimes we cut out bad spots and chopped and cooked them..
lettuce? I saved what I could and made a lettuce soup. That had other Veg’s n nooodles .. I was surprised that the soup went over with the troops. We had Army that came in with our combat controllers..<~ (that be a good career field for you if you had enough youth left to tackle them hills n rills. !... ). I earned E-4 SGT
and a little more input in to meal preparation (not much, but some)!
Because my Sergeant came sooner,
My chance for. Testing for SSGT came sooner.. so I got into that PDF
For promotion and got out them CDCs.. (why are you studying so hard, you will not get it first time,
That’s a given!). I ignored them guys.. a couple I thought I could kinda trust.. earned top spots on my s—-t list.. they lied about s’thing(work schedule). <~ said I didn’t have to be on for another 2
Hours.. I’m always checking for that.. they even tried to alter it. I knew our MSGTs initials and those weren’t his.. I showed up at 0900
For work.., I didn’t say anything to them guys about the schedule.. they only thought I did.. that was enough ! They went and admitted
What they did.. and why.. to F—k my chance for my line number.. Sarge just said we’ll wait and see..
Keeping them in suspense Well I
Got it.. top score.. there were a lot of TIG/TISs in front of me still and I was right up there and got to see them on 1st Cycle and get to wear to my new base.. I didn’t have hardly any hold baggage but I had some.. I got I. Contact with my new base in Thailand and got a mailbox..
and mailed it to myself. It got there a little after I did, about a week. It would of got there before me.. somebody thought to move my
PCS date up a month.. My CMDR
Seen that also.. He frocked me.
So I got to go brevit SSGT. He had a friend he wanted to send s’thing official by courier.. He entrusted me to deliver it. But I had to have a higher clearance and be SSGT. He bull-shitted personel and got me some brevit orders .. I was on my way.. some things like denials can be kinda s-l-o-w.. and by the time the denial got to my base and new Squadron I was legal to wear the rank.. Something I found out later.. but by that time it was way to late..
(Stuff gets lost.. most fortunate in that sitrep).. the guy who got my date for Sgt moved earlier by 3 months screwed up.. confusing his calculations with those of my Reserve dates that had been accidentally included in my permanent AF file(I didn’t think they were a mistake to be included, but that’s just in my honest opinion.. So his miscalculation got my Sergeant moved up 3 months. And by time they discovered(over a year and a half) it was too late to take back the promotion, test date and second promotion .. One lucky SSGT. I was then.. I busted my carcass to show I was worthy even if it was a mistake (of theirs). I did my assignment in Thailand for a year and a half, picking up college courses to go in my CCAF transcript.. along with my 7
Level.. I busted butt to get that done fast too.. s’body there got in the way.. (fortunately I had people at base level training). Instead of directly send’g my volume test results to Maxwell(A.U.) they did it the s-l-o-w way through AF messenger.. fortunately s’body there seen that screw-up and got them sent directly top priority..
So Maxwell got them in a week instead of 2 to 3 weeks and they came back as fast. The person on
Our end included special instructions to send back priority.
Normally that would come back routine.. After that they got sent
Priority.. after the last test result sent my EOC back to Base Ed priority.. I got it and took it and they sent it back the same way., it was only after I got my Certificate back There was a big to-do over sending s’thing routine like volume tests results and EoCs as priority mail. Somebody there at Maxwell,
Air University saw good in that.. True other Mission related should be first.. but getting test materials, EoCs, their certificates back is a great morale booster showing that
Education is a top priority to the Air Force . It showed me the Air Force
stood behind my improving myself..
Making our education top priority !
We don’t need “Toxic people” leaders or personnel. It stunts our growth as a military service.
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I was delusional about the business world, so it wasn't that hard for me to make the decision. However, I regret it. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone to OCS and stayed for a full 20, then gone and done something in the civilian business world. I miss the importance of Soldiering - feeling part of something that matters (perhaps there's some narcissism there on my part), and I miss the people. The civilian world, for one thing, is NOWHERE NEAR as humorous as the Army. What I DON'T miss is the pay.
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