Does anyone feel like they retired too soon? Would you go back to basic to get back in if you had to, if that was an option?

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:22:03 -0500

Response by 1SG Steven Imerman made Jan 22 at 2021 1:31 PM

1SG Steven Imerman — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:31:13 -0500

No, I'm too old. But I still dream I'm in. Wish I was. But 68 is too old.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 22 at 2021 1:31 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:31:20 -0500

Hell no. I don’t like discomfort.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2021 2:12 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:12:47 -0500

I feel like I stayed in too long

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2021 2:17 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:17:03 -0500

I retired one month after the last Space Shuttle, Atlantis, landed. I would have stayed longer if the program had been extended. At my age, Boot Camp is not an option.

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made Jan 22 at 2021 2:35 PM

TSgt George Rodriguez — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:35:21 -0500

Not even at 76 I'm not only too old but can't keep up with the physical aspects. The job I had at the time of retirement back in 86 the politics of the nursing staff at the hospital I worked at was set against me. I was NCOIC of nursing education. As such any time any of our organizations on the base deployed I:E Security, 3rd Combat Communications Group, Civil Engineers, I was sent with them as their only medic on site. As a certified American Heart Association Instructor it was my job to recertify our staff in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Who says there is no politics in the military has never worked with nurses.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jan 22 at 2021 2:36 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:36:57 -0500

Nope! The Air Force indicated they didn't need my services any more, so I retired. 22 years was enough. If an emergency occurred such that I was truly needed in whatever capacity, I would gladly serve again. It looks like my grandkids' generation has things well in hand.

Response by SFC Marc W. made Jan 22 at 2021 2:45 PM

SFC Marc W. — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:45:07 -0500

I got out in 2006, exactly 3 years later I reenlisted and had to do a 5 week refresher at sill, ended up staying in 11 years after that until medical retirement. 10/10 would do again.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Jan 22 at 2021 3:36 PM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:36:24 -0500

I do but I was medically retired at 11 1/2 years. I wasn't quire ready to hang it up when it was forced upon me.

Response by Col Tri Trinh made Jan 22 at 2021 4:20 PM

Col Tri Trinh — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:20:49 -0500

Wish I could of retire sooner. I did most everything I wanted to do and left everything on the field.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Jan 22 at 2021 4:58 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:58:18 -0500

I am not retired yet but I can't wait - 3 1/2 years. Yeah there's things I know I'll miss. I'm a little nervous about it but it's time for the Army and I to shake hands (or elbow bump) and go our separate ways when I hit 20 years. Once I'm out, rearview mirror is where the Army will be.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jan 22 at 2021 5:43 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 17:43:31 -0500

My thoughts on COVID:

Some people bring up so 70,000 died of the flu last year (I did not research that number), the mortality rate is very low, more people died from the 1918 influenza, the old people will die, people with preconditions would die anyway.

We are currently at 24.7 million infections. If we hit 33 million that is 1 in 10 Americans who contracted COVID and our deaths will be near 548,000. It is not going to destroy our country, but I do think this represents a lot of suffering. We lost 400,000 in WWII and 675,000 in the 2018 influenza. I worked in national disaster relief in the army, but I will keep my thoughts to myself. I don't want this thread to devolve into political bitching.

For those or family members who have it I pray for speedy recoveries.

Response by Cpl Vic Burk made Jan 22 at 2021 7:27 PM

Cpl Vic Burk — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:27:09 -0500

I don't know about retiring too soon because I had plans and looked forward to my release from active duty but I often thought that I should have stayed in. I could have been loooonnnnggg retired with thirty years. And I would have gone through boot camp again when I was less than say thirty years old but Marines don't repeat training so I didn't have to worry about that.

Response by SSG Dennis R. made Jan 22 at 2021 10:27 PM

SSG Dennis R. — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 22:27:33 -0500

Twenty was plenty.

32+ years of drawing those pension checks.

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Jan 22 at 2021 11:49 PM

MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:49:56 -0500

Twenty was plenty. The spirit was willing but the body wasn't able.

There are days I wish I could go back. I still miss the camaraderie, the sense of purpose, the sense of belonging to something bigger than myself. I do NOT miss the politics or bovine feces that comes with the environment. My time has come and gone and I'm glad to be retired.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2021 12:33 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 00:33:03 -0500

You have to realize you have to hang it up at some time. It's just job. I see some guys that live like they never retired and still wear military regalia everyday. I think it is a bit sad. You have to realize that you have to move on. We did our time and then we go onto the next part of our lives. You don't want to live in your past.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 23 at 2021 1:13 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 23 Jan 2021 01:13:20 -0500

With the new retirement program (reduced pension part) and the mobility of the 401K portion of it I foresee much less incentive to stick out 20+ years.

On paper in makes sense to offer retirement plans on par with the Civilian Sector. However, on paper it also makes much more sense for service members to bail on an employer that puts them through a lot more BS relative to the same economic incentives that can be found in the civilian sector for a lot less nonsense.

2018 will probably be a wake up call to personnel numbers when those who entered 10 years ago realize much of their retirement is mobile and what they leave behind can realistically be recouped in the civilian sector.

Response by SSG Rob Miller made Mar 9 at 2021 1:54 PM

SSG Rob Miller — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:54:46 -0500

Yes. But my body is telling me no.

Response by GySgt Kenneth Pepper made Mar 9 at 2021 2:12 PM

GySgt Kenneth Pepper — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:12:27 -0500

Not for a billion dollars would I start over. Now, if I could go back in as an instructor or advisor I would jump at the opportunity.
Running PT is not an option. If you ever see me run, you better run too.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 9 at 2021 6:33 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:33:23 -0500

Not just no, but HELL NO.

I literally have not done a single day of PT since I retired. I went with my wife to Planet Fitness, twice, and walked the treadmill for 20 minutes. Never even jogged.

I don't miss hypocritical leaders, being blamed for when Joe screws up, or being blamed for when my boss screws up and throws me under the bus for it.

I don't miss going to school to become qualified in something just to never use it while sitting in a staff position because I am "too valuable" to allow go do my ACTUAL job.

I don't miss having to become Air Assault qualified because "leadership" despite retiring a year later and conducting EXACTLY zero air assault missions, plans, or training events.

I don't miss leaders who refuse to counsel me, then blame me for not being counseled. And giving me an NCOER full of words which don't actually mean anything.

I don't miss being told that if I prefer to focus on expertise rather than leadership, I am a worthless piece of shit.

I don't miss being told that anyone who doesn't WANT to lead - doesn't CRAVE being in front of troops is both mentally deficient and incompatible with military service.

I don't miss being promised things in exchange for volunteering only to be denied them once the mission was complete and denigrated as greedy for even bringing up what I was promised.

I don't miss leaders telling me to support their decisions, but then refusing to admit they made the plans when things fail.

I do miss serving my country and helping Soldiers out. I try to continue my service to Soldiers by being active on RP's answers sections and doing little things for Soldiers in the local community (I retired near an Army post). And I am working towards a degree to continue my service in a completely different way.

All that being said, when HRC was looking for folks to un-retire and help with COVID, I volunteered (and was evidently not needed). But I made it very clear that I was fat and out of shape and would NOT be complying with AR 600-9 or passing any kind of PT Test.

Response by SFC Allen Murphy made Jan 22 at 2022 9:16 AM

SFC Allen Murphy — Sat, 22 Jan 2022 09:16:27 -0500

No.