Posted on Apr 4, 2015
SSG Adam Reed
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Have you experienced enough of both the Military Life and the Civilian Life to make a good assumption on which one is "easier" to live?
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SSG Healthcare Specialist (Combat Medic)
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I think deployed life is a lot easier. You concentrate on doing the mission, all other stuff is taken care in an easier manner, however resting periods are short, your life is simpler. Having experienced active and reserve side, and civilian (Was 37 when I signed up) I can tell you that I find reserve a little more challenging, as you have to deal with a full time civilian/government job and take care of reserve side matters on daily basis at time, in addition to family. Not trying at all to minimize what the active component does, but the challenges in themselves what they represent. Sometimes is like having 2 full time jobs.
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Military life. Things CAN get stupid or hard, but civilian, at least for me, showed me how important having people who understand and know you really is. There is a designated support channel built in to the military structure. For people like me, that is huge. Part of the reason why I came back in from the IRR after a year.

Also, I used to think USAR and NG were slackers... boy was I wrong. Some of the most trained soldiers I have come across were in the USAR and NG. They have to pack a months worth of training into 2-3 days and then go live as civilians. Impressive to say the least.
SP6 Technical Services
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I’ve done both, the Guard does accomplish a lot considering the time constraints.
When I worked 12 hour night shifts plus the Guard, that was rough...
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PO1 John Meyer, CPC
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Both have their up sides and down sides, but I think this depends on the individual.

Some people need a more or less strict structure on their life. These people find military life easier.

Some people need more personal freedom in their life. These people find civilian life easier.

I've find difficulty in both just as I've found some things easier. Like...

Civilians don't have to wait until the end of an enlistment to fire the office idiot while the military has to deal with the moron until the end of his/her enlistment.

If you want more money in your pay check, you can ask your civilian employer for a raise or more hours. Good luck with that in the military. Oh, and if your civilian employer says no, you can simply look for another job that will.

Paying rent or a mortgage sucks!

Paying for your health care sucks!

Trying to figure out who is in charge of what can be difficult as a civilian since there isn't always a clear cut chain of command.

Politics are politics; military or civilian.

Not having to prove how physically fit you are... PRICELESS!!!
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PO3 Account Management Specialist
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"Not having to prove how physically fit you are... PRICELESS!!!"
~AMEN~

Sad story that the navy still hasn't figured out that even though this is a requirement of being a servicemember (you have to REMAIN in good physical shape - it's part of your JOB DESCRIPTION no matter what your rate is) they don't make it part of your everyday job duties. This is where the navy seriously falls short of the other branches of the service. Fat chiefs, everywhere. At least there were when I was in....maybe they've corrected that problem in the last 10-12 years....?
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PO2 Randall Mitchell
PO2 Randall Mitchell
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Yeah, unless you're morbidly obese and costing the company money, they don't care.
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