Have you ever regretted leaving the Military? Why or why not?

Question

Just curious as to why you would regret leaving, or if you don't regret it. Or do you just miss your buddies? I miss the travel.
Blessings

I have no idea how I'm going to choose a best answer. I totally did not expect the great answers I received.

Answer 1

I miss it every day. I'm in a different category because my retirement was statutory after having served 31 years on active duty. It was the greatest job in the world and most of the people that I served with were really good people (you know I would stretching it if I said they were all good people). I miss the "good old days" of hitting the beach with my buddies in places all over the world and our shared experiences. The closeness and mutual respect that we had for each others professionalism is not something that you will find in the outside world. My only regret is that they make you retire when your professional knowledge, experience and abilities are at their peak.

Answer 2

At first I didn't because I was newly married and starting a family, but now that I am older I wished I had stayed in and made a career out of it. The sad thing is I cannot rejoin because I suffered a head injury while on the job 3 years ago and this alone disqualifies me, even though I was able to complete my dream of going to college and into the medical field before the injury (I wanted to reenlist for the medical field). I also missed everyone that I became friends with. God bless the men and women still serving as well as all of are veterans.

Answer 3

Yes I regret leaving the military, I loved the travel and the buddies but I think most of all I miss the discipline. I was in the Marine Corps and after 9/11 I tried to re-enlist but I was not going to go down a rank to do so. I have a lot of freinds still in and my brother is in Iraq as I type. Thank all of you for your service and Semper Fi!!!

Answer 4

I retired after 20 years in the Navy, it was a bit of a transition, well it's an ongoing transition, but no regrets, it was time to move on, well sort of, a lot of the people I work with are retired military, some of them I worked with while in the Navy. There are some things that are missed, travel for one.

Answer 5

Ya know ... at times, I'm retired navy. The thing that hit me the hardest is that civilian life has a lot of grey areas.... in the service you were cut and dried... yes or no, hot or cold, on of off. I was in the Viet Nam time. Grey areas got people killed. the transition to civy life was troublesome because of the core values of the service created and that I had endured. We were always on the edge.....lived in the fast lane. especially combat vets. You just can't turn the wars off and get on with life. I retired 16 years ago and I still find the grey areas troublesome. Time heals but always leaves a scar. Do I miss it, yes, the travel, and the adenalin rush of living on the edge. But most of all the people in my unit. "All gave some....Some gave all"

Answer 6

I left because of the passing away of my father with the insistence of my family do I regret it? Yes. The Army gave me the best years of my life, promotions, respect, the fact that in the army I met the best thing in my life my wife. All medical and housing covered, education covered and by now I would be retired and not be paying back loans to finish college. I would be sooo farther ahead than I am now and the family that wanted me to get out, do not deal or talk with them. Gave up the second best thing in my life, the best opportunity I had to be someone, or something, and something I was good at. ps Would of made officer had I stayed in.

Answer 7

I do miss it. I wish I would have asked for a personnel job or something, I don't know. I couldn't have stayed as a regular cop though, too many deployments. It would be nice to still be dual military. It's hard going from dual military to single military. 50% pay cut for the family. We did what was right for our family at that time though. I don't know if staying in would be right now, but I do miss it.

Answer 8

No, I don't regret it. Six years was enough, although I do miss the travel to foreign countries as well. Nothing like bar hopping in Australia, and then trying to find your submarine at 5 am.

Answer 9

I think I retired to early, I could have stayed a few more years but did 20.

Answer 10

i don't regret leaving, but sometimes i wish i was still in the army. i was 11-bravo, and airborne ranger qualified so i am sure my mom and daughter are glad i am not still in, but i do miss it the people who i met and places i went were great.