Quitting the Service

scoutpilot

10-Year Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
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Greetings, forum members young and old. Hello from the other side, as Adele would say. I'm sitting on nearly a year out of the Army now. It's important to remember that no matter what you do in the military, you tell them when you're done. They don't tell you when you're done. You're not stuck until 20 years, and you will all have the BRS which affords much broader flexibility. I walked away at 13 years with nothing. You won't have to do that.

Hope you're all well.
 
Scout!
How is Scoutbaby?
There is indeed life on The Other Side. Glad you are well and took the time to stop by.

I used to wonder when and how people knew it was time to separate or retire. When there is no professional goal in uniform left to pursue with a fire in the belly, when it’s time to tilt the balance of life more toward home and family and personal health, when it’s time to explore new paths - you know. I was sitting in my office at the Pentagon, exhausted, after a 10 pm meeting (the enervating kind) in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and I just logged into the Navy personnel site and downloaded the “request to transfer to the officer retired list.” My DH swore he knew two years earlier, when I painted actual color on our home walls, rather than a neutral or white, a habit of years of rental houses, military housing or owned homes we knew we were selling.

I hope you add to the “Pith” and Vinegar factor here once again.
[emoji23][emoji23]
 
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Scout!
How is Scoutbaby?
There is indeed life on The Other Side. Glad you are well and took the time to stop by.

I used to wonder when and how people knew it was time to separate or retire. When there is no professional goal in uniform left to pursue with a fire in the belly, when it’s time to tilt the balance of life more toward home and family and personal health, when it’s time to explore new paths - you know. I was sitting in my office at the Pentagon, exhausted, after a 10 pm meeting (the enervating kind) in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and I just logged into the Navy personnel site and downloaded the “request to transfer to the officer retired list.” My DH swore he knew two years earlier, when I painted actual color on our home walls, rather than a neutral or white, a habit of years of rental houses, military housing or owned homes we knew we were selling.

I hope you add to the “Pith” and Vinegar factor here once again.
[emoji23][emoji23]

Ahoy! Scoutbaby is not only great, but six weeks ago was joined by another Scoutbaby. So I guess she's graduated to ScoutGirl now that there's a newer model. I now have two dear little daughters and couldn't be happier.

Hope all is well on your end!
 
Congratulations! Maybe Scoutgirl1 and Scoutgirl2. I will know I’ve been posting here too long if I see that screen name pop up saying she is applying to a SA....I’d have to change my screen name to AncientMariner.
 
Scout!
How is Scoutbaby?
There is indeed life on The Other Side. Glad you are well and took the time to stop by.

I used to wonder when and how people knew it was time to separate or retire. When there is no professional goal in uniform left to pursue with a fire in the belly, when it’s time to tilt the balance of life more toward home and family and personal health, when it’s time to explore new paths - you know. I was sitting in my office at the Pentagon, exhausted, after a 10 pm meeting (the enervating kind) in the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and I just logged into the Navy personnel site and downloaded the “request to transfer to the officer retired list.” My DH swore he knew two years earlier, when I painted actual color on our home walls, rather than a neutral or white, a habit of years of rental houses, military housing or owned homes we knew we were selling.

I hope you add to the “Pith” and Vinegar factor here once again.
[emoji23][emoji23]

Ahh, yes. Always painting houses neutral colors, neutral carpets. Always looking at a house with the idea of selling it in a few years when you PCS.
I knew I'd reached my peak level of incompetence as a staff officer and my days of flying were probably over. Didn't help when I called home from an "undisclosed location" and friends answered the phone. No, they weren't in town for a visit. My DW's unit had been sent to the Middle East on short notice and they were there to take care of our 6-month-old daughter until one of us got home.

No idea what my DW will do when she has to grow up and leave the service.
 
When things settled down, should think about joining the NG or Reserves. If you want to just fly, might be able to join as a warrant officer. Although you will collect your retirement at 60, 13 years of active service will might give you a nice retirement.

I left after 7 years, joined NG and now in the Reserves. No regrets, even after an all expand paid trip to Iraq when my life was pregnant with our second child.

P.s. you didn’t quit. You decided to do something different.
 
When things settled down, should think about joining the NG or Reserves. If you want to just fly, might be able to join as a warrant officer. Although you will collect your retirement at 60, 13 years of active service will might give you a nice retirement.

I left after 7 years, joined NG and now in the Reserves. No regrets, even after an all expand paid trip to Iraq when my life was pregnant with our second child.

P.s. you didn’t quit. You decided to do something different.
That’s what I did. Went from major to CW2. Much fewer hassles. As an IP I pretty much flew when I wanted. Retired from the Guard as a CW3.
 
Great to see you around Scout! Things in New England going well for ya?
 
When things settled down, should think about joining the NG or Reserves. If you want to just fly, might be able to join as a warrant officer. Although you will collect your retirement at 60, 13 years of active service will might give you a nice retirement.

I left after 7 years, joined NG and now in the Reserves. No regrets, even after an all expand paid trip to Iraq when my life was pregnant with our second child.

P.s. you didn’t quit. You decided to do something different.

Heh, I dunno. I’ve done the most you can do with a helicopter. I don’t think I want to step back to what would, by comparison, be the JV of Army flying. I had a very fulfilling career and I think I’ve reached the point where the time I don’t spend at work belongs to my babies, not to what would amount to a second job.

Can’t look back. Too much to work on moving forward.
 
Scout pilot -- great to hear from you. Thank you for your service. Don't be a stranger. I miss your rants about those wanting to go to an SA and become a doctor ...:)
 
LITSbaby? LITSpawn (maybe not)? LITSkidoo? Congratulations!
 
LITS! B or a G? How old? Congratulations!

Girl, four weeks yesterday.

I was wrong, it was four weeks on the day I posted (Saturday). You lose track of the days when you operate in 3 hour chunks... based on feeding and diaper changing.

We're very excited and love our daughter to pieces.
 
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