Are there any duty locations/units out there that would make you call it quits?

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 08:24:38 -0400

So everyone asks you THAT question: "Are you a 'lifer'?" And like so many others out there, I reply with that I'm taking it one contract at a time. For some, the decision to reenlist depends on that next duty station. Are there any duty locations/units out there that would make you call it quits and sign that DEC statement?

Response by TSgt Terry Hudson made Sep 22 at 2014 8:29 AM

TSgt Terry Hudson — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 08:29:09 -0400

Minot or Mountain Home AFB. Those 2 places might just end it for me! It sucks because there's a big possibility I could up in Mountain Home.

Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Sep 22 at 2014 9:50 AM

MSG Wade Huffman — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 09:50:07 -0400

I never considered assignments a factor in whether to stay or to go. Most of my career was spent overseas. My philosophy is that any assignment is exactly what you make of it, nothing more, nothing less...and they are all temporary.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2014 1:51 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 01:51:29 -0400

Korea, Polk, Drum, Eustis... I'm in the Guard though, so it's none of my business..

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2014 2:05 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 02:05:35 -0400

I've come this far. May as well retire. I wouldn't be exactly overjoyed at having to "come out of the closet" concerning my super-power abilities to withstand a virus that causes bleeding of the eyeballs, but meh. Whatever. *yawn*.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 23 at 2014 2:10 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 02:10:27 -0400

SGT MUNGUIA

What helped me decide was the fact that I have a wife and kids. Moving as much as I have had to, has taken it's toll on us all. This is what will ultimately help me to decide. Take care and best to you in your career, assignments, and decisions.

CSM REED.

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Sep 23 at 2014 2:21 AM

SSG Keven Lahde — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 02:21:33 -0400

With 18+ years and I am too close to just call it quits. Then again if they offered me early retirement I am taking it and running....lol

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 23 at 2014 2:28 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 02:28:15 -0400

The transition from 130* at Fort Irwin followed by -50* at Fort Drum was pretty rough. You would think that a 180* temperature change would shatter you like liquid nitrogen. All that happens is that your pregnant wife doesn't leave the house for 5 months. Good times. Army Strong. Weather is an element......not a factor.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 10:11 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 22:11:02 -0500

Fort Polk, Korea, Africa, Central/South America

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 11:13 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 23:13:57 -0500

I truly believe it's the people around you and not the duty station

Response by CW5 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 11:18 AM

CW5 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 11:18:00 -0500

I'm now retired, but I voted "Don't care. Send me anywhere." because that was my philosophy when I was on active duty. I turned out to be a "lifer," but I did not start out with that intention. It just happened as the years went by. Before I knew it, I was at 30 years and ready to retire.

Response by TSgt Kevin Buccola made Dec 23 at 2014 11:23 AM

TSgt Kevin Buccola — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 11:23:13 -0500

You can always find the best of where ever you are. Over 100 deployments in my career and 12 actual moves

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 12:04 PM

PO2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 12:04:22 -0500

Orders to Norfolk are why I did not re-enlist at the time. Going from tip-of-the-spear 7th fleet to a training squadron in Norfolk was going to be to big of a culture shock and my propensity to wear white socks with my coveralls was going to get me in a lot of trouble.

Response by SGT John Ross made Dec 24 at 2014 10:42 PM

SGT John Ross — Wed, 24 Dec 2014 22:42:09 -0500

Hohenfels training area, Germany. Terrible place. At least in 91. The local Germans called it " the dark side of the moon!" Due to its isolation. No towns near it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2015 10:40 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 10:40:04 -0500

Don't let one duty station define your career decisions. Nothing's worse than the duty station you're currently at, no duty station is better than the one you left, and you've heard nightmares or promises about the duty station you are going to. There are leaders that are gonna make life hell. Just as you are making life hell for someone under your wing right now. I take each duty station with a grain of salt now a days. There are good things about Germany and a few bad things. Gotta say that this one is better than the last in some ways and worse in others. The leaders, way better!!!

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2015 11:50 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 11:50:18 -0500

Honestly, I regret leaving active duty for the Reserve. I did so because I own a home here in the DC area, and when I came down on assignment for Korea, they wouldn't guarantee I could get back to the DC area.

If I had known that 7 years after I did that, I would get interested in taekwondo, I would have gone to Korea and dealt with the headache of moving my wife and my household to wherever else the Army decided to send me (unless it would have been Fort Devens. Waaaaay too close to my blood relatives).l

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2015 6:27 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 18:27:21 -0500

Except Ft Drum and anywhere in the Southern United States...

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Jan 5 at 2015 8:23 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:23:47 -0500

Any place not Texas is a great assignment in my books!

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jan 5 at 2015 8:27 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 20:27:15 -0500

at 29 years serving as the 1st CAV DIV G3 SGM, I was told I had to PCS, and I was being offered east coast, assignments. I offered to continue serving my Division, to include deploying with them again as needed. I was told no, that they guy that had been homesteading in the Senior NCO position of the Army demanded all NCOS must PCS if they have been on station more than 3 years (himself excluded of course, he was too important to move)
I said thanks but no thanks, no East coast for me and separated.

Response by CW5 Jim Steddum made Jan 5 at 2015 10:38 PM

CW5 Jim Steddum — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 22:38:15 -0500

Its not the place its the people. People make always make it worth staying just one more tour--when the people no longer make it worthwhile; it's time to go.

Response by CW5 Jim Steddum made Jan 5 at 2015 10:42 PM

CW5 Jim Steddum — Mon, 05 Jan 2015 22:42:51 -0500

Its not the place its the people. People make always make it worth staying just one more tour--when the people no longer make it worthwhile; it's time to go.

Response by SSG Keven Lahde made Jan 6 at 2015 10:03 AM

SSG Keven Lahde — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 10:03:40 -0500

Having been in for almost 19 years, yeah lifer here. Just want too get my stripes before I retire.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 6 at 2015 11:47 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 11:47:52 -0500

I'm a reservist, but if I ever was to pursue active duty (too late now) I would only want Europe, South Korea or Japan.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 14 at 2015 9:50 PM

COL Charles Williams — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 21:50:30 -0400

No, if you are professional Soldier and Leader, you go where the Army (Navy, Air Force, Marines) send you, and you do your best.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 3:10 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:10:05 -0400

I didn't care where I went until I served most 2010 on the LHA 5 the USS Peleiu not sure if I spelled it right. But when I was told at my last unit I would go back out on it if I reenlisted I said good bye

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 8:12 AM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 08:12:07 -0400

You signed the contract to be worldwide deployable so step up and honor the contract. The term life is not a bad thing- serving your country for as long as you can is a choice - if it's right for you then a lifer it is. I did 30 and would have gone longer if I had a choice.

Response by SFC William Swartz Jr made Mar 15 at 2015 8:52 AM

SFC William Swartz Jr — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 08:52:00 -0400

The closest I came to calling it quits was when I was a detailed recruiter back in the '90s...it was the first time that I really felt that my Chain of Command did not care about me as a Soldier, it was all about the numbers. I found out at the end of my tour that the Station Commander I had for my first 2-years on production, had the opportunity to send me back to the "real" Army at the end of my TTE time ("probation"/New Recruiter period) and that he chose, greedily on his part, to keep me as he felt he "...could make me a good recruiter", even though he knew that I didn't have the personality to be a successful recruiter. It was the lowest I ever felt as a Soldier and I seriously considered getting out altogether when my current contract was done. I am glad that I didn't because I had a lot to offer the Army and I would have been untrue to myself had I "given in", but it was the longest and worst 3-years of my career. As for duty locations or units within the Operational Army, I never considered getting out because of either of those.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2015 9:43 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 09:43:18 -0400

I don't know if I would sign a dec statement, but I most defiantly never ever ever ever ever want to go back to FT Bliss!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2015 11:24 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 23:24:32 -0400

I like to hunt…. So it would be a horrible time for me to be in a very urban area.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Mar 28 at 2015 11:33 PM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 23:33:50 -0400

Where I can be sent depends on EFMP, and besides from that, I'd rather embrace the suck in the Army than in civilian life or at least for another 5 years and then I am done and retired. I also realize it is not fair to my career or the Army for me to say whether or not I stay in because of an experience at one duty station.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2015 11:49 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 23:49:10 -0400

After coming up on orders for Korea I tried to sign an dec statement and was told I could not because I had over 12 months left in service. I think I am going to have to hang up my uniform after this tour, because my heart just isn't in it anymore.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 28 at 2015 11:50 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 23:50:30 -0400

There certainly is some units out there that will make you quit... I'm in one... But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.... JBLM is only 5-6 months away

Response by SPC Donald Tribble made Mar 29 at 2015 12:36 AM

SPC Donald Tribble — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 00:36:48 -0400

It wasn't the duty location(s) that fueled my leaving, rather the duty assignments. I was a Combat Medical Specialist (then 91A10) who never performed my MOS specific duties except for one three month rotation through Medical Proficiency Training and dury my off duty time when I volunteered as an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic. If I had been assigned to a Combat Arms Unit or a Hospital I probably would have reenlisted. However, I was assigned to a Field Medical Unit with no peacetime mission. When I wasn't working in the S-1 as the publications clerk or the mail clerk it was rent-a-crowd (the joys of being on the same Post as First Army HQ) or grass shack. If the Army wasn't going to allow me to be a Medic then I was going somewhere where I could be.

Response by SFC Charles S. made Mar 29 at 2015 1:05 AM

SFC Charles S. — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 01:05:46 -0400

There are no assignments just the way that you deal with the hand that you are dealt. If the experience is not what you expected, become the change. If you can't change it then make the best of it. Lemons make lemonade with enough sugar it can actually be quite tolerable.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2015 1:58 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 13:58:27 -0400

I prefer to travel the world, but I like CONUS as long as it's not LA, MS, AL, GA or SC.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2015 2:09 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 14:09:25 -0400

To answer....No...just no