Your last day in the uniform...How did it go?

PO1 Ricky Allen — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:32:22 -0400

Do you remember your last day as an active member of the Armed Forces? What was the day like? Did it rain? What did you do? How many times do you reflect on it?

Response by LCpl Iain Dow made Mar 13 at 2014 5:52 PM

LCpl Iain Dow — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 17:52:12 -0400

my final day was a nightmare i was with a pretty shitty command and was basically detained for 20 days afterwards making me almost miss christmas at home again (my EAS was dec 3rd) so for about 20 days I was not getting paid had now meal card no barracks room and an expired ID because my CO refused to sign off on some of my paperwork and told me that if i left Camp Lejuene i would be charged with UA then Desertion because i did not have my DD-214's if i knew how to get recompensed for that time i would LOVE to but sadly that was back in 12 of 2011 and im afraid my chance has passed

Response by Cpl James O'Rawe made Mar 13 at 2014 6:21 PM

Cpl James O'Rawe — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:21:04 -0400

My last day in the Marines back in August of 1991. I was with 3/6 Lima 2nd Marine Div. at Camp lenience and my father ce down to pick me up and we were stuck ther due to hurricane that came in on my last day and I was stuck there for 2 more days. I guess they were not quite ready for me to leave. Semper Fi, do or die

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2014 6:50 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:50:36 -0400

My last day, I retired out of Germany. My retirement ceremony was that day with 2 others, both I knew. It was a small ceremony by the flag pole at Grafenwoehr, uniform was BDUs, nice but surreal 22 years and it ends with a piece of cake. I thought I was ready, thought I needed to move on, thought I had everything prepared. Well you cant tackle the civilian world in a sharp military manner. I wanted to get away and be a regular Joe, but didn't know how to be him. It took time but I made it. I think that may sound defeated but its not, I'm a very happy civilian who loves his job. Tried to put on the uniform a year ago............hahaha......wont fit

Response by SGT James Elphick made Mar 13 at 2014 7:17 PM

SGT James Elphick — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 19:17:19 -0400

I don't even remember walking to my car after I got my 214, I think I floated, haha

Response by CPT Jason Torpy made Mar 14 at 2014 4:09 PM

CPT Jason Torpy — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 16:09:16 -0400

I'm surprised to say I have no idea. It was almost certainly wandering around battalion/brigade/installation having outprocessing paperwork signed. That would be the last thing I would have had to do. After that, I probably sat around at home before shipping back to the states in civvies on terminal leave.

I will say that my 1st Sergeant tried for three months to get me to take a PT test before I left. There was some stupid rule that PT Test compliance also applied to the 90 day loss roster. I declared that that was a problem to address to stupid Army bureaucracy. I declined to take a PT test to ensure I was physically fit to NOT be in the Army. (Also, PS, I had scored 300 for about 5 years, so it's not like I was on the bubble.)

Response by SrA Dave Torok made Mar 14 at 2014 7:44 PM

SrA Dave Torok — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 19:44:52 -0400

Okay. I did have some regrets but it was time to move on to the next phase of my life.

Response by CPO Eric Moore made Mar 23 at 2014 11:14 PM

CPO Eric Moore — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 23:14:42 -0400

Wonderful day! Navy Band has become a naval gazing (pardon the pun) command that is afraid to stick its neck out to provide the NAVY with the best product available. Loved the institution that I joined, but the command I left was too scared to be original and current that I was embarrassed to be a member. The fantastic personnel that are hired to serve in this band are being wasted by the undereducated officer corp. that leads them! I apologize for my honesty. However, that is all that I can now offer.

Response by LCpl Charles Ross made Jun 19 at 2014 1:08 AM

LCpl Charles Ross — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 01:08:38 -0400

It was hot and humid. I took one last look at "HOME", and caught the first bus going anywhere but California. I regret ever leaving The marine Corps. I even look like a Marine now, and I'm 54 years old. I left the "Cold War Era" way to early. I signed up to be a United States Marine, and do what Marines were trained to do, FIGHT. Not wear starched uniforms, spit shined boots, and polished brass. I doubt that I'd be where I am today, had I stayed in for the full Twenty.

Response by SSgt Ken Bingham made Mar 31 at 2015 3:04 PM

SSgt Ken Bingham — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 15:04:13 -0400

I was stationed at Luke AFB, nice warm day worked half day clearing out at the shop and base. As an EOD tech we partied all night long, really do not remember much of the day I signed my discharge papers and leaving base.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 2:45 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 14:45:54 -0400

It was spent out processing all over Hickam while trying to coordinate house hold goods pickup... it was stressful.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 15 at 2015 6:43 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 15 May 2015 18:43:02 -0400

A ton of relief because I was not doing well medically when I retired. I should have had an easy retirement, but it felt like I had to slug it out. I don't live in the past, and I am just the average Joe with one eye towards the horizon.

Response by PO2 Johnathan Kerns made May 17 at 2015 9:05 PM

PO2 Johnathan Kerns — Sun, 17 May 2015 21:05:01 -0400

It was a Friday. 22FEB08. Drove back from NC where I was on terminal leave, up to Norfolk. After I got on base, I changed out of my civies and into my utilities (in my vehicle....dont judge me) Dry shaved, walked my ass into my command admin. Got my DD-214, got back into my POV, changed back into civies, and drove my happy ass back to southern NC. Was as smooth as a babies ass.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made May 18 at 2015 10:34 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 18 May 2015 22:34:00 -0400

Absolutely no memory of my last day. Crystal clear memory of my first day though.

Response by LCpl Josh McNeill made May 22 at 2015 3:23 PM

LCpl Josh McNeill — Fri, 22 May 2015 15:23:35 -0400

It was a sunny day in camp Pendleton and I did my last day of separation classes signed some papers then hit the airport to home sweet home !!!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jul 31 at 2017 6:47 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 18:47:11 -0400

Went out the way I came in, waiting in line for three hours

Response by SSG Robert Perrotto made Jul 31 at 2017 6:58 PM

SSG Robert Perrotto — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 18:58:23 -0400

My last day was pretty awsome - did not have any ceremony, just said goodbye to my friends, shook hands with my CO and 1SG, Shook hands with my BN CSM, and left. By that time, I was pretty much not at the Company anyway, was attending university while I waited for the med board process to complete. Had a really good CoC who approved my attending university.