Posted on Nov 30, 2013
Retirees - When did you know it was time to hang up the uniform?
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Whether the choice was yours, your spouse's/family's, medical condition or you ran into one of the military's service length requirements, when did you know it was time to hang the uniform up for the last time?
Thousands of service members retire each year...your responses may impact their decisions.
Note: Keeping your responses short will allow for more views/responses.
Thousands of service members retire each year...your responses may impact their decisions.
Note: Keeping your responses short will allow for more views/responses.
Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 90
I am retiring next year - after 24 1/2 years in service. It is time to give my boys stability (I'm a single mom) - stop the moving, the deployments, etc. I have also become very disappointed in our leadership.
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SGM Matthew Quick
Thanks for sharing, Maj Burt. Family is always important...they will be your family far after we leave service.
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I'm not retired yet but if I can answer a little early. For me it was when I quit enjoying the work. I had a really bad assignment and I accepted one more, my current job, just so I would not retire with that bad taste in my mouth. But even being in a great job now, I'm not enjoying it. I'm burnt and ready to go home.
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LTC Joseph Gross
MSG Garcia, Glad to hear you found the joy of service again! I wish I could do the same. I'm thinking I might be the elder. This assignment will take to to 30 years in service! I'll be 48 when I retire.
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LTC Joseph Gross
MSG Garcia, here I thought you were still in service! You were retiring as I was enlisting! You make me feel young!
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MSgt Joe Corwn
After 22 years of active duty, 16 as a law enforcement specialist and the last 6 years in recruiting, I felt it was time for my next challenge. Knew I was going to be transferred soon and was ready to establish some roots. Loved my Air Force career all over the world and met my wife in Korea. There were some crazy times and do miss the quality of the Air Force members to get the mission accomplished. Love being in the San Antonio area where I am around a lot of veterans and active duty helping them with their real estate needs.
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MAJ (Join to see)
Good words and perspective. I tried to make my NATO tour (a great job after my best one) my last job, but they pulled the early retirement rug out from under me and told me what a "great opportunity" it would be to return to Ft Bragg for a fourth time. Still left with my head up and proud.
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I loved my job and career choice for most of my years in, but it stopped being fun and enjoyable from all the PC changes and power shift from NCO to Soldier. NCOs lost the ability to be NCOs and the Soldiers became to ones that controlled how things were done from their power to make false accusations and ruin NCO/Officers careers. Had to constantly look over my shoulder and wonder if that junior enlisted I counseled or made the on the spot correction was going to accuse me of doing something I didn't and have that stigma go with me. And the PC changes made it next to impossible for the immediate leadership to get rid of a subpar soldier, instead of the NCOs word and a few counseling's, you need ten witnesses and 5 volumes of packet filler to put the dirt bag soldier out. No longer fun or productive to me and the good soldiers.
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