Anyone got out then wanted to go back in?

[FX4 SAPPER]

Im in that boat right now. Ive been out since January and im having a difficult time adjusting to civilian life. The military life did me well and i made the best of it. I enlisted at 18 and i guess i got out because i thought i knew better and thought i was missing out back at home, which i was and i wasnt in a way. I really dont think being out is for me like i thought it would when i was in but i have talked to others and they said they all went through the readjustment period. I guess getting a taste soured me on being out and made me realize how good things were while i was in as far as having insurance paid for, the roof over my head paid for as well as all the bills. That and it seems that the Army has been more of a family to me in the last 3 years especially than my own now that i see it from the outside. Any recruiters currently? Im looking to see what the options are for prior service Army coming in as far as getting an Airborne or Pathfinder slot if thats even possible.

 

[03DOHC]

Nope. 6 years and a few times around the world was enough for me.

 

[E]

i have that current struggle man! i am working on an ia billet to get to afghanistan and then i'm gonna do the reserves. i don't wanna give up my career but still wanna do my part in deploying so this way i get the best of both worlds.

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

i have that current struggle man! i am working on an ia billet to get to afghanistan and then i'm gonna do the reserves. i don't wanna give up my career but still wanna do my part in deploying so this way i get the best of both worlds.

Thats cool, i really dont think the Reserve lifestyle would be good for me, I think i would get to caught up in a career to deploy for 18 months. If i did go back in it would have to be on Active Duty. I only have 2 years and some change left for IRR though but still. I wanted to go to Afghan so bad but it never worked out. Our sister BN went there 3 times while i was in the BDE. I dropped two requests and never got to go with them because of stabilization requirements. IDK haha kinda glad that someone else is going through as well.

 

[Sapperstang]

Yep. I got out in 04. For a few years I struggled with it but finally adjusted and am fine now. However I still had a sense of duty and wanted to be doing something that would benefit the country. So............I am enlisting into the air force reserve.

 

[99navert]

I've thought about it but would rather go back to the sandbox as a contractor. Make alot more money doing the same or similar job with out as much BS that is AF SF.

 

[RDJ]

I have worked with several Military members that have gotten out and then come back in, both Army and Marines. None of them regretted coming back in. Most of them regretted leaving in the first place. One guy left as a Marine Staff Sgt. and came back in as a Sgt. and was working for a guy who used to be under him.

My personal opinion is that those who join, serve 4 and get out in TODAY's economy are let's just say less than foresighted. With the new GI bill, being able to retire at 40 or 45, free medical, BAH and what not I think folks are crazy for getting out. You can put up with just about anything if you keep your eye on the prize at the end of the road.

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

I have worked with several Military members that have gotten out and then come back in, both Army and Marines. None of them regretted coming back in. Most of them regretted leaving in the first place. One guy left as a Marine Staff Sgt. and came back in as a Sgt. and was working for a guy who used to be under him.

My personal opinion is that those who join, serve 4 and get out in TODAY's economy are let's just say less than foresighted. With the new GI bill, being able to retire at 40 or 45, free medical, BAH and what not I think folks are crazy for getting out. You can put up with just about anything if you keep your eye on the prize at the end of the road.

Yeah, i can agree with the latter. I think for me it was more of my wife not being happy. shes prior service so she has been on my side and understanding. She put up with deployments and a couple trips to NTC away from each other as well as never once giving me grief because she understood the job i had. Towards the end, especially with me getting stop lossed is Thats how i knew that things werent good for my situation and i decided to not re-up because she was genuinely not happy. Plus with family stuff back home, i thought coming home would make it better for them as well but it didnt lol.

 

[RDJ]

If I were making the decision I would ask myself what I missed - The one thing the guys have talked to have in common is the "I really really missed Military life" If you are thinking of going back in because you truly enjoyed Military life and miss the discipline, camaraderie, and what not then work it out with your wife and go back in. If you are contemplating going back in because getting out didn't solve the problems you thought they would then take a look at coming back out here as a contractor for a year or two make bank and then go home and give it another go. Money won't buy you happiness but it will give you a great start on it, assuming she is good with money matters

Yeah, i can agree with the latter. I think for me it was more of my wife not being happy. shes prior service so she has been on my side and understanding. She put up with deployments and a couple trips to NTC away from each other as well as never once giving me grief because she understood the job i had. Towards the end, especially with me getting stop lossed is Thats how i knew that things werent good for my situation and i decided to not re-up because she was genuinely not happy. Plus with family stuff back home, i thought coming home would make it better for them as well but it didnt lol.

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

If I were making the decision I would ask myself what I missed - The one thing the guys have talked to have in common is the "I really really missed Military life" If you are thinking of going back in because you truly enjoyed Military life and miss the discipline, camaraderie, and what not then work it out with your wife and go back in. If you are contemplating going back in because getting out didn't solve the problems you thought they would then take a look at coming back out here as a contractor for a year or two make bank and then go home and give it another go. Money won't buy you happiness but it will give you a great start on it, assuming she is good with money matters

Where do i look into contractor stuff at? i wouldnt even know where to begin. I did look at Mantech's website but they are the only ones that i really remember other than KBR. I wouldnt mind going out there as a contractor, or even back as a Soldier. But if i had to choose it would be what paid most right now.

 

[RDJ]

Where do i look into contractor stuff at? i wouldnt even know where to begin. I did look at Mantech's website but they are the only ones that i really remember other than KBR. I wouldnt mind going out there as a contractor, or even back as a Soldier. But if i had to choose it would be what paid most right now.

do a web search for Jobs in Iraq or Jobs in Afghanistan. You dont' say what your job qualifications are but KBR, ITT, Rockwell Collins, haliburton, Raytheon, are a few of them

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

do a web search for Jobs in Iraq or Jobs in Afghanistan. You dont' say what your job qualifications are but KBR, ITT, Rockwell Collins, haliburton, Raytheon, are a few of them

Allright thanks. I was a Combat Engineer, i messed with explosives and some minor construction stuff, i also went through the Arabic Linguist course and have all the usual Army shit, CLS, Drivers training, PLDC, FBCB2 and some other stuff

 

[svtfocus2cobra]

What about General Dynamics? I got a friend who works for them where they fix the Strikers and he makes over $100k in management, and my other friend applied for a management job that starts at $80k with them. I don't know much about them but I hear they are pretty big and have widespread services.

 

[99navert]

usajobs.com would be a good site to check out too

 

[Ryan]

Yeah I did. I got out of the Marines in April '01, and was looking at going back into some service. I got recalled April '03, drove onto Camp Lejeune, and 5 minutes later realized why I had gotten out. There are things I miss, but as a whole....I don't want to go back now.

 

[Ryan]

Where do i look into contractor stuff at? i wouldnt even know where to begin. I did look at Mantech's website but they are the only ones that i really remember other than KBR. I wouldnt mind going out there as a contractor, or even back as a Soldier. But if i had to choose it would be what paid most right now.

We could help you out more knowing what your MOS was. However, I think DoD Contractor jobs as a whole are going to shrink under the current Administration.

 

[NXSVTCOBRA]

The only thing I regret about getting out is I could be retired at 38 years old, however my disability compensation is more than a retirement check. On the same note the Army was good to me, I have no complaints. I was just in a dead end unit with literally no way out, so I went ahead and ETS'd.

Initially it took me about 13 months after getting out to readjust and get back going. If you're having trouble adjusting VA has some services that you could enroll yourself in.

 

[J_ho67]

Have you considered getting a degree and trying to become an officer?

 

[svtcobrar2004]

man, i can't wait to get out. so far away from that point.

 

[FX4 SAPPER]

We could help you out more knowing what your MOS was. However, I think DoD Contractor jobs as a whole are going to shrink under the current Administration.

I was a Combat Engineer Enlisted as a 12B, changed to 21B (soon to be 12B again, stupid Army)

Have you considered getting a degree and trying to become an officer?

I always had a spot in the back of my mind to go green to gold, but in all reality, i think id rather just get the college and use that towards promotion points. Im not the officer type. Not to bag any of the officers here but i think i just prefer being enlisted.

man, i can't wait to get out. so far away from that point.

I was the same exact way. It didnt really hit me that i was out until my terminal leave ended and i got my ditty money check