Military Retirement - Is It Worth It? (home, title, to live)
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There are other ways to get a Military Retirement rather than just get out before 20 years - the Reserves and National Guard allow to earn reduced retirement benefits while still working civilian career.
BTW - There are more than a few Navy specialties that are shore focused and have only 1 real sea tour.
There are also sea going ratings that a person can pretty much stay at the same base their entire career. SSBN's for example, a person can stay in WA or GA their entire career, just rotating from sea, to the group command or training for example, and back to sea, back and forth, their entire career, many do it.
Those bases ar elike small towns, everyone knows each other, many been there forever.
... BTW - There are more than a few Navy specialties that are shore focused and have only 1 real sea tour.
I was a sub ET.
At my 6-year point, I had been on a boat making deployments for 5 years, and I was not eligible for shore-duty. The best that my detailer could offer me was to rotate me onto another boat, in the hopes that after another 4 years at sea I might then be eligible for shore-duty. I decided to get out.
I went to college for four years, after which I decided to reenlist. I asked that detailer to send me to a sub-tender, it was a difficult billet to fill so he was happy to get a volunteer for it.
At my 9-year point, I had completed 3 years on that sub-tender at my next PRD my detailer said that sub-tenders were 'neutral duty' and did not count as sea-duty. I was still not eligible for shore-duty.
But I saw an ad in Navy Times begging for volunteers to work out-of-rate to do Law Enforcement duties. I contacted that detailer and he said that he had the authority to yank me away from my rating detailer, and I was able to serve 3 years as an MP [shore duty at last].
At my 12 year point, I rotated to my second boat, on a 3-year PRD.
At my 15-year point, I was denied shore-duty and I was rotated to my third boat.
At my 17-year point, my detailer said that I was still not eligible for shore-duty.
So once again I contacted the law enforcement detailer and he was happy to send me orders to work as an MP. When those orders arrived my chief shredded them in front of me, and that command put a page-4 entry that I had volunteered to serve the rest of my career on that boat waiving any further PRDs. I punched my chief and I went to Captians mast over it, I was then ordered to go through counseling to convince myself that I wanted to stay at sea on that boat.
A month later my chief took a months leave [I had 90-days of leave on the books, as did all the men in my division, as none of the crewmen were allowed to take any annual leave]. While he was gone, I again contacted the law enforcement detailer, who sent me another set of orders, and I checked out of that command as fast as I could.
My last three years I worked as an MP in Italy and Kosovo.
As a sub ET, I was never eligible for shore-duty.
The only times that I was allowed to take leave was when I was on-route while transferring from one boat to another boat.
"As a sub ET, I was never eligible for shore-duty."
Sorry, but got to call BS on that.
You may 'call' anything you wish to call.
That was simply how I experienced my career. I was able to find a method to cheat the system, by gaining another NEC and working out-of-rate to get shore-duty.
Quote:
... "The only times that I was allowed to take leave was when I was on-route while transferring from one boat to another boat."
Sorry, but got to call BS on that also.
When I left the Navy after 6 years, I had 120 days of leave on the books. I took 30 days of leave transferring to NOB to process out and then I was given 90 days of 'terminal leave'.
The second time that I left the fleet [at my 17 year mark] I again had too much leave accumulated.
I assume what you meant to say was that within your experience, you saw leave handled differently.
I'm not sure if this has been addressed, but the military pension has a cost of living adjusted at the same rate as social security's cost of living. My DH retired 22 years ago and looking at the same rank and years in service today's soldier would receive roughly $600 more a month because the cost of living for active duty presumably actually keeps up with inflation. After retirement DH had a second career which lasted 14.5 years. The pension from that career (which has 100% survivor benefits rather than 55%) originally was slightly lower than his military pension, but after 5 years, it is now higher than the military pension. Still some inflation adjustment is better than no inflation adjustment which is what a lot of civilian pensions give you
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I'll let ya know in 7 years when I become eligible for the check of the month club. Kidding, I absolutely think it's worth it. I did it differently though: I went AFRC from day one, never having a stated expectation of attaining an Active Duty retirement via that avenue of course. But here we are, on track for one. To be clear, I inherited other inflections along the way in my personal life that makes single payer healthcare between retirement and Medicare age now a moral and family priority of mine. So that galvanized my decision to stick it out to Active retirement; I certainly have other inflections in my calculus than just total lifetime compensation vis a vis a civilian job. IOW, everybody's situation is different.
I fully admit I would have separated from Active Duty based on the dramatic difference in assignments agency and general quality of life, compared to being a career Reservist. In spite of the daily frustrations, politics, and inability to transfer the job closer to home, I don't regret having made that choice for my family and finances. Cheers!
That was simply how I experienced my career. I was able to find a method to cheat the system, by gaining another NEC and working out-of-rate to get shore-duty.
When I left the Navy after 6 years, I had 120 days of leave on the books. I took 30 days of leave transferring to NOB to process out and then I was given 90 days of 'terminal leave'.
The second time that I left the fleet [at my 17 year mark] I again had too much leave accumulated.
I assume what you meant to say was that within your experience, you saw leave handled differently.
You likely also had to pay income taxes.
No, we both have the same rating, and were stationed on SSBNs.
You do a patrol, come back, assist the other crew, they leave, the crew in port goes on a two week leave, rinse and repeat.
Depending on your rating, but our rating specifically, we do a five year sea tour, followed by a three year shore tour when first in, then followed by a three and three until the end of the career. though a MC most likely not go back to sea after a COB tour, just a series of MC shore tours. The common shore tours are at TRF, Group, or training. A few people managed to get a 9545 or a tender, that was the only way to get overseas for most.
I would recommend a young man to go into the military, it teaches discipline, respect for authority, dedication, getting along with others, punctuality etc. My gosh man you are 11 years in and have nine more to go? You will give that up for what? There are very, very few jobs out here that have any retirement other than a 401K and then they'll let you go at the drop of a hat. I retired from the USAF at 23 years plus and I just couldn't take the lack of support from those above me, I literally would be hung out to dry if I screwed up, no one able me would support me at this particular assignment and I came from an assignment where I had more support than I needed if I were to mess up. but that is beside the point, you have 9 left, give it a go and retire at your earliest opportunity and then go into the civilian world and you'll find that you will make more $$$$ overall than you did in the military and have all the benefits of retirement as well. I have been retired since 1985 and have been retired for more years than I put in the AF. I have traveled Space A to various European countries, Hawaii but that was slowed with Obama and came to a halt with Covid19 but hopefully, it will open up again soon. If it were me and I had it all to do over again, I would join the military and do it again. It was a fun ride, met a lot of good people, saw a lot of sights and had fun doing it all. Most of my friends I grew up with have never obtained an education and are still working at laborious jobs-if they are still physically able. Stay in my son, stay in.
I would recommend a young man to go into the military, it teaches discipline, respect for authority, dedication, getting along with others, punctuality etc. My gosh man you are 11 years in and have nine more to go? You will give that up for what? There are very, very few jobs out here that have any retirement other than a 401K and then they'll let you go at the drop of a hat. I retired from the USAF at 23 years plus and I just couldn't take the lack of support from those above me, I literally would be hung out to dry if I screwed up, no one able me would support me at this particular assignment and I came from an assignment where I had more support than I needed if I were to mess up. but that is beside the point, you have 9 left, give it a go and retire at your earliest opportunity and then go into the civilian world and you'll find that you will make more $$$$ overall than you did in the military and have all the benefits of retirement as well. I have been retired since 1985 and have been retired for more years than I put in the AF. I have traveled Space A to various European countries, Hawaii but that was slowed with Obama and came to a halt with Covid19 but hopefully, it will open up again soon. If it were me and I had it all to do over again, I would join the military and do it again. It was a fun ride, met a lot of good people, saw a lot of sights and had fun doing it all. Most of my friends I grew up with have never obtained an education and are still working at laborious jobs-if they are still physically able. Stay in my son, stay in.
Lol, look at the OP date, he stuck it out and retired. Awesome follow up he did.
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