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20 years in the USN, including some major head rushes and over a year of hospitalization and physical therapy, total. I visited 72 countries long enough to stay overnight. My high school classmates stayed in Indiana, mostly. I've always felt sorry for them.
Whilst I was only in the Army for one enlistment (medically retired) we were an Army family for almost 23 years. We loved our time in Service and it was a lot of fun for our boys (getting to travel, meeting back up with friends at different duty stations (DH's MOS only had a few places both CONUS and OCONUS).
We've still got friends all the way from OSUT through Retirement and can literally visit friends all around the US and around 4 other Nations.
It was amazing living through many historical instances. We were around terror strikes In FRG (our PX was bombed) and we dealt with massive anti-American riots. We were in Europe for Chernobyl and my Unit protected V Corps when Colin Powell became our General and my DH's Unit protected the Powel family in their home).
We've been in Alabama, Frankfurt, Ft. Knox, Ft. Polk, Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Leonard Wood, Ft Shafter HI, back to Ft. Knox and finally retiring back in HI at Schofield Barracks.
DH retired at 41 and we are able to live part time in Hawaii (my home) and in Alabama (DH's home). We have the ability to travel about; driving is easier due to my disabilities, but we fly when we have too.
We have led a great life and consider ourselves lucky to have had so many years of fun while Serving our Country.
Reposted from "Navy: should I request ship or shore" (something like that)
Quote:
Originally Posted by TamaraSavannah
I wouldn't quite say my sea duty was enjoyable; at times, it was probably downright pretty miserable......I suppose. But two things on that. First of all, the times it was pretty lousy probably could have occurred at sea or on land, that they were more people related than a direct result of a ship out in the big blue. Secondly, at one of those times when things were pretty down on me, I recall a conversation I had with myself.
"You will do the assignment enthusiastically?"--the conscience
"Enthusiastically? No."--me
"Then willingly?"
"Of course.........," for it was the job I signed up for.
On the up side, however, I'm glad I did it, I'm glad I can look back and said I did. I marvel at the things I did and saw back then. Of climbing a rope ladder from a motor whale boat to the peak on the bow of a very tall ship. Picking up a commodore from a destroyer for transfer to my ship, being in the trough in that small boat while the DDG was on the crest and it looking like some castle on a high mountain. Coming off watch on the bridge to pickup my breakfast on a paper plate from the wardroom kitchen and then eating it while going aft to prepare for morning flight quarters. Climbing all over the skin of a ship, laying boobytraps and false paths everywhere as I played the enemy agent in security drills. Shooting on a rolling deck and another officer looking at me in awe at my marksmanship. Stunning a Captain when he walked in and found me there with his GM's, learning about the Stinger missile, hoisting that simulator up on my shoulders. Seeing the Mediterranean Sea in the morning when it was like glass or when it was so calm, you could still see the wake of ships long passed. Looking through the Big Eyes and clearly seeing a Bear bomber at altitude or a submarine's conning tower, the crew on watch, as they passed through our area at night. Passing through the Straits of Messina in the early morning when the fog was still out, following a carrier and its escorts....or Unrepping at night where you know you are at sea, but in that blackness with only the ships' lights, I felt like it was something very surreal. Busting a drug boat.
Even some of the down times had their fun moments. I was constantly assigned to shore patrol and at one point, a chief from another ship said, "LIEUTENANT! What did you do? I see you on shore patrol all the time!". I rather like that, that I could generate such a response out of a chief.
All which is not to say that I didn't love my shore work, too, for indeed I did. Admittedly, I did enjoy it more, probably because I was doing work (intel/counterintel) which was directly in my niche.
Whether or not, if I could go back, I would do it differently, I do not know. I would say it is fortunate that I don't have that choice.
Finally, I often say that the only kind of vacation cruise I want to go is being part of the science crew on an oceanographic ship (I FEAR that my well meaning relatives might try to send me off on a cruise ship). Sure, it would be working vacation, but that's the kind of thing I love and I think having spent 3+ years on sea duty makes doing things like that a breeze.
Army tanker on active duty between Grenada and Panama. Going to the field and ramping up for the biannual gunnery rotations was like being back on a sports team. The rest of the year doing the endless maintenance checks, as that was what was put into the training schedules when the commanders asked what would we do next week and other units had reserved training areas and resources was boring. And trying to figure out how a tank can break just sitting in the motor pool was madding.
Army tanker on active duty between Grenada and Panama. Going to the field and ramping up for the biannual gunnery rotations was like being back on a sports team. The rest of the year doing the endless maintenance checks, as that was what was put into the training schedules when the commanders asked what would we do next week and other units had reserved training areas and resources was boring. And trying to figure out how a tank can break just sitting in the motor pool was madding.
I put those days down as "day's they weren't shooting at me" days. I was getting paid, and angry people weren't trying to activate my life insurance.
Twenty-six years in the Air Force. The only things I'd do differently would be to have tried harder to get a commission and failing that, to have crossed into the Army warrant officer program...doing the same job.
I had an Army warrant early in my career advise me to go warrant, but I didn't. Later in my career, I ran into the same guy who pointed out, "You didn't take my advice, did you?" In fact, I would have been nearly a shoe-in, and the only difference in my duty stations would have been a tour at Osan South Korea instead of Clark AB, Philippines. Otherwise, Army or Air Force, I'd have gone to the same duty stations.
I don't think anyone can accurately answer this in a paragraph. You're only going to get very vague answers.
USAF- so far 16 years, currently still serving.
Best decision of my life. Sometimes I hate my boss, but don't we all? Sometime the job in stressful, but aren't all jobs? The pay and benefits are great, the sense of family is unparalleled, the advancement opportunities are immense. I feel fulfilled and like I'm making a difference. I'm a woman, and that has never been a disadvantage. I feel strong, capable, and proud. I don't have to worry about lay offs or pay cuts. I have a family and the military provides a really great security blanket. I'll retire at 38 and draw about $2,000,000 in pension payments starting at 38 years old... it's the best deal every. College was free and I now have a masters degree. I'm enlisted but still make $70K a year. I get a ton of time off to enjoy life. It is an amazing job/career/lifestyle.
Was fun at times, sucked a lot. Was glad to get out but glad to have done it. Nothing for me on a long term. 1984-3 year enlistment, went infantry had top 5% scores in the ASVAB could have chosen anything but was looking for an experiance not a job. 3 years reserves after that. Lot's of drugs and alcohol not enough sex.
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