Do you miss being in the military?

Answer 1

sometimes;) i miss the ease of making friends, it's much more difficult to find people you have things in common with in civilian life.

Answer 2

After serving for 7 and a half years, and now bieng out for a very long time. I only felt like I should have stayed in when I would have retired at age 38. I am now 42 and still working for a company not so very different than the military with the exception of the benifits the military gives and I will not be able to retire until I'm 65.

Answer 3

Yes. I spent 22 years in the U.S. Army within the Military Intelligence Corps. It's a relatively small branch of the Army and everyone gets to know everyone else, or of everyone else by their third tour. We worked hard and played hard; the tasks we faced were challenging. The educational opportunities in the service which are available for professional development were incredible, studying the languages and cultures of the countries that oppose us; courses in political science and foreign affairs. The opportunities to get peaceful assignments to countries around the world are excellent even though there area number of areas in the world where there are armed conflicts. Those are few in number, so its not all Iraq, Afghanistan, N. Korea , and Iran. However those situations exist and are part of what each of us trains hard for, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best, when we enlist or accept a commission from the President. I fought in 7 armed conflicts and 1 war. I survived, I kept my soldiers safe, I got them home, with only a few minor wounds to a few of them. Until my last mission, which turned ugly when the USAF crew flying the plane put us out of the plane on a night-blind (new moon with total cloud cover) jump 2 kms too soon and we slammed into the side of a mountain instead of the designated altiplano LZ (landing zone). I fractured 3 vertabrae in my lower back, herniated 2 discs, suffered nerve root damage there at the point of the fractures, which cause partial paralysis when things get inflamed fro overuse; I also tore out all the cartilege in my knees, shattered both ankles, and fractured all the metatarsals in both feet. Of the other 15 men on that mission, all were similarly injured and 9 of us never retured to active duty, we received medical retirements or medical discharges. I am now on full disability from the VA and the SSA. I am considered unemployable by each of my physicians, based on the severity of my injuries. I need forearm crutches to remain ambulatory at these days, but I refuse to use a wheelchair. I swim, ride an exercise bike and lift weights, as well as a do a lot of stretching on a daily basis. This keeps me busy for about 4 hrs. Then I'm playing single parent to my 9 yr old daughter, my youngest and last (although that equipment works just fine thank you, even at my age !!!). I do get tire more easily as a result of the damage done to me, but I would still go back into the military in a heartbeat. I loved the life, treasured the friendships, the bonds formed in combat, and believed what I was doing made a difference. I was serving my country, honorably, giving back for all I had received from this country in my life. Until you spend a couple or three years abroad and then return, you have no real appreciation of how good things are here, the freedoms we enjoy that others don't.

Answer 4

I miss some parts of being in the Coast Guard..we did so many different things, one day I would be on a rescue and teh next stopping illegals....the pay is the only down fall, I actually enjoyed the moving every few years part, kind of thought it was cool to see different parts of the country for a few years at a time... I am now a Border Patrol agent, and the pay is a lot better, but the job a lot worse..so I would say I would arther be back in, but they wouldnt let me back after I got out.

Answer 5

No, but I don't have any regrets either. I joined in January 1971 and served over 28 years. In that time frame, I learned a lot about myself and others, and I learned to respect myself and others, too. Everyone who goes into the military brings with them life experiences (however brief) that can be added to the whole.

When I went in, I was very shy. When I retired, I was a different person...I am confident, without ego, assertive without being aggressive, and very very grateful to all the people I met in the military who helped me become the me I am today; both those who helped and those who didn't. If not for all of them I wouldn't be who I am today.

Answer 6

I was drafted (yes, I'm that old) years ago. Served in Viet Nam.

What I found to be an incredible and rewarding experience was the common bond of all the soldiers I encountered.

Whites, blacks, Latinos, Jews, Christians, non-believers. Liberal or Democrat, we were all pulling together. If you had any prejudices you damn well kept them to yourselves.

No one ever tried to force their beliefs on anyone else. Everyone depended on everyone else for survival (at least in the war zone). If you had differences you displayed them in a respectful, low-keyed way, them went about your business.

The only fights I ever saw were between Jarheads and Grunts or Swabs, usually by drunks letting off steam.

I don't miss being in the military but I damn sure miss the respectful way we were tolerant of each others beliefs.

Answer 7

I do miss it, and almost thought about rejoining a few years back. It would be hard now and I don't think I could handle the pay cut. But I had a good time in the service and sometimes feel guilty about not being around now with all that is going on.

Answer 8

When I was in the military, I was a single mother of two young children. It was a hard life. Now that my kids are in their late teens, I would definitely consider going back in. I loved being in the army.

Answer 9

Not really, but that's because I still work for the Army as a civilian. *L* I knew that when I retired, I would go nuts if I got away from the military, so I stuck close.

If you're asking if I would do it again, the the answer is a resounding YES!!!

Answer 10

I can relate to various responses, comraderie etc. I too served in Vietnam ,196th LIB ,I Corps. Met some of the best people I have ever known.However that was then, this is now. We were taken to our humanity which was basically good. I feel priveledged to have at least seen that in my life. I feel sorry for those that have never seen that in their fellow man .Do I miss the Army? No.

Answer 11

Welcome Home Doctor Watson.

I had to do that first. I like him served in Vietnam and was an Enlistee. What Doctor Watson said about the Military, I agree with completely. I haven't experienced that since leaving and miss it. I think I'd give my left "Pecan" to have it, what we had in the Military, in civilian life.