can't answer your question . i was only in the army for two years. i feel i was blessed to get home & honored to have serve my country (nam 69). i think our situations are like apples & oranges , similar but different. i am very proud i served, just like you feel.

 

I'm not a military man but my cousin just Retired from the Navy now he's 43 years old with a pension and a full time job, nice home a car a truck works a job he likes. I'm a few years young than him and I've got 16 years in and 20 more years to work (A job I'm so bored with it's unbelieveable)
I don't know you situation but if I could I'd try and stick it out but life is short and you got to do what's right for you!


Good luck

 

I had 8 in, 3 active, 5 guard. My father had almost 40 years (3 active, 37 reserve) in total and LOVES the benefits. But it is entirely up to you and what is best for your family. If you have a job that is offered that offers stability and GREAT pay, that is one heck of an incentive. I wish you luck whatever path you take!

That reminds me, I need to update my CV.

 

Sorry I cant answer your question either, You have to make that decision your self. I was drafted in 66, did my tour, and out. Yes, there is + and _ "s . Good luck in your future and what ever you decide.

 

My dad went to OCS during WW2 and stayed active for the duration of that war. Then he went into the active Army reserve until he got his 20 years in.
Just before he retired he was promoted to Major.

So you have that option. Two weeks summer camp and monthly meetings.
The only problem with that is your unit might wind up on active duty in Iraq.

 

:tu Did my time at the end of the Korean affair aboard an aircraft carrier for two plus years and then fiished up in San Diego.

Your over the 'hump' as they say with only 9 years to go. If I were in your shoes I would stay as long as you can finish it here in the states. Having a pension after 20 is a real plus, then you can pickup the VA benefits then too. Moving does ****, is there any chance you could get on base housing and lease out the home you really want to end up in? Good luck.

.....the hamsman

 

I retired as a 1SG in 1995 from the Army; I spent five years in the Marine Corps before I made the move to the Army.

I would not trade my time for anything and I wish I could still be serving today.

If you don't wish to stay active I would say joint the reserves finish your 20 and collect your pay.

If you don't me think you will look back and say what a dumb *** I was for not finishing up those nine years.

Just my thoughts :tu

 

"am very dissatisfied. Quite unhappy in my current assignment."

9 more years of that is pretty bleak to me.

What do you get for a 20 year pension? I doubt you can live on it.

What is the private employer offering relative to what you have now? What is the chance you would lose that job or quit it after 1-2 years due to the economy, bad management, bad circumstances, or your own dissatisfaction with it?

This decision is permanent. You don't get to change your mind, at least without much sacrifice.

I also assume that if you walk away at this time, you have no retirement benefits at all. That's OK, but you must make up for that by starting to build a 401k or whatever you have at your disposal. I am assuming you are in your early to mid 30s. You do have time to make up for that.

Make a list with these kinds of things and others that affect your life. Rate the private sector job vs. the military one on all items.

To me, career military, as well as other jobs like policeman, fireman, etc. take a special type of person. I applaud those who do it and like it, we need them. But if you're not that type, you're not going to succeed at a personal level at it, and you need to find something where you can succeed at a personal level.

 

I am military retired, 21 years active duty.
Retired at 38 years old from the U.S. Army.

Here's what I use to tell my NOC's when they posed the same question to me.

They would usually say, I am tired of moving, I have been offered a great job back home with great benefits, close to home etc, wife really misses home etc etc.

I would say this to them.

I have been told many many times by guys just like yourself that served average 11 years in the army got mad at someone etc, and got out for that great job close to home, now they are 40 50 60 years old and tell me, Man If I had just stayed in i would have retired 20 years ago and have a nice pension plan.

Then they would go onto say I will have to work until I am 62 and hope the company’s retirement plan is still in effect etc etc .

The next thing I would tell the young Troop was. ( and ) this was based 1991 stats.

Now figure thism with todays stats plus todays salary, adn especially if you are an officer.

That an E-8 retired from the us army, based on life expectancy, add up the medical benefits for you and your family and retirement salary he will receive for the rest of his life, would be an estimated total of 1.2 million dollars in salary and benefits.

So using that estimate lets say you serve 20 years that's 70.000 a year you have in benefits coming if you retire.

So you want to quit with 10 years of service already completed, then you are throwing away 600,000 dollars.

So you decide do you want to get out and work for years at some company hoping to get a retirement provided they stay in business and don't dump the retirement fund at maybe 60 years old.

Or do you want to stick with the army for a few more years get your retirement and then go to work somewhere that you like on the outside.

Also when you retire from the army they have a survivor benefit plan that for a small fee, When you die, your wife can get a portion of your retirement for the rest of her life too.

Otis

1SG U.S. Army retired

 

Otis forgot one thing, with that retirement check you are not tied down to a job you can pick and chose where you work knowing that you always have a paycheck in the bank on the first of the month.

 

All this retirement and pension talk is OK, but what about the next 9 years? The next 20 after that?

I think for some guys that is being very long sighted, and the future is now.

But, like I said, it takes a different personality and expectations to stay in the military to (their) retirement, which is far ahead of retirement age in the private sector.

The $600k can be made up. But only if you want it that way and want to work for it. There's no guarantees in the private sector, and that's one huge difference.

Having retirement money for when you no longer work is something that can be taken care of at age 35. I don't think this decision is all about that - unless you want it to be.

Only Jemo can make that decision for himself.

 

Jemo,

I just got done serving a terrific 10 years in the military that being said I'm very happy that I got out. I am not trying to say anything negative about older members of the military but they don't understand what you are going through. Remember that we had almost no conflicts for 12 years. I was in the Air Force so I don't really understand what army personnel are going through but I can make a guess on what I've seen. This is a different military then when you joined. There are a million ways the military has changed and to list them would sound like whinning. I didn't like what I was seeing when I got out last year noone seemed to be able to tell their superiors the truth in the end everything was convaluted and common sense was not a determinating factor. I loved the money enjoyed the job security and was looking forward to the pension but I was miserable the military is not a job it is a life and if that life is not for you then you won't be happy. I had a scare or two in Iraq and wised up and relized that no amount of pension was worth being miserable for ten years. I personally did not want to start a family when I was in the military so that was another factor that led to me getting out. But the biggest factor for me was that I had no control over my life. Everything from were I lived too what I had for breakfast was in essance someone elses decision and that was not ok with me. Left on my own I have made very few changes My hair is still short I still dress very conservative I watch what I eat and I P.T. myself but these are my decisions now. I would not trade my ten years for anything the military gave me training and a healthy enviroment to growup in. In the end you have to make this decision for yourself no one can tell you what to do but incase you just wanted to hear someone say it it is O.K. to get out you have done more than your fair share don't feel guilty about making a decsion regaurding your and your familys life.

 

I am not trying to say anything negative about older members of the military but they don't understand what you are going through. Remember that we had almost no conflicts for 12 years.

Nathan.

Just so you know we had wars during my service too, and the military has always changed. Lets see , Vietnam, invaded garana, panama and others that cannot mention.

Almost forgot desert storm.

I think the troops today are brave and doing a great job, as soldiers have done for 200 years, the soldiers never change just where they are fighting.

And Nathan thanks for your serivce.

Otis