Do you veterans miss the military?

[Gorilla]

I do... I freely admit it. In 1991, I was instructing in the AT-38B at Holloman AFB, fighter lead-in training when they still had that program there. Gulf War #1 was over, and we (the IP's) had all missed it. Didn't matter how good a stick you were, or how many hours you had, none of us had that Mother-bleeping gold star on our sleeves.

How stupid was that... sleeve stars? Talk about isolating people.

Anyway, the basic question was "When it comes time to command a squadron, who is going to get the job? Those of us who were IP's here, or those who were blowing up tanks and MiGs in Iraq?" We felt isolated and uncompetitive. We had no war stories for the bar. The airlines were hiring like crazy, the pay was awesome, and the rest is history.

Fast forward 16 years - most airlines are dying a slow death of a thousand cuts. The pay is gone. The fun has been engineered out of the job by bad schedules and overworked crew. I was holding 78 hour 12-day months in 1993. Now, I am struggling to hold 15 day lines and avoid reserve as a 16 year FO at AA.

Hindsight - Leaving the Air Force was stupid. I miss the challenge, the awesome hardware, and above all I miss my buds. It always comes down to the people you worked with, and my old squadron pals were the best. Yes there was a lot of Mickey-Mouse stuff, but if I could go back in time, I'd not resign.

Does anyone else have any regrets about leaving the military? I'm curious... I don't believe I'm alone in this.

 

[Bluto13]

Times change. You can hardly compare what it was like in 91 to how it is now. Except for your bro's and the camraderie, things are not that great.

 

[ExAF]

Rarely

Rarely do I miss it. I do miss the lifelong friends, comradery and job security. I would love to take a Rhino or Viper out for a spin again. After 20 years, I knew it was time to go. The AF I started in was a thing of the past. Too much political correctness and the BS level just got too high. I felt there were too many managers/@ss-kissers and not enough leaders. The old heads that broke me in always said I'd know when it was time to go and they were right. No regrets about joining or leaving. Had a great time, made great friends and flew great airplanes. Miss the friends, not the AF; and still love to reminisce.

 

[Bill Mostellar]

Yes! I do miss it.

 

[Deuce130]

I'm still a reservist, so I'm not really out. I can say, however, that I probably won't do it much longer. I realized the last 10 years of my career would in no way compare to the first 10 years. Schools, leadership positions, staff jobs, etc would've taken all the fun out of it. So, for all of you guys who punched at the halfway mark, just remember that the second half you missed likely wouldn't have been as rewarding or fun as the first half.

 

[tomgoodman]

Nostalgia

Our memories tend to be selective, biased in favor of what we loved about the past. But things probably weren't as great at the time as they look now, and they would have changed anyway.

"You always said
The cards would never do you wrong...
The trick, you said,
Was never play the game too long..."

---Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band

 

[Some guy]

I left in 2001. I miss the people, I don't miss all the b.s. I'm glad I went in and served my time, but I'm glad I got out when I did.

SG

 

[HarryShadow]

My last 6 weeks in the AF were spent flying in our wing’s ORI…chem flights, ground chem, 100 degree heat, long flights, diving in bunkers, brief after brief after brief, and almost 50 straight days with no days off. All of this after a 90 day deployment with min time in between. My last 5 years I was TDY 7 months/year, some good some not so good, and office work that never ended. But my answer is yes, I miss it every day. I echo what Deuce said and that was my sentiment exactly…the next 10 wouldn’t compare to the first 10. I didn’t do the Reserve gig which contributes to my missing it even more. But I decided that now was the time to pursue a grad degree that I’ve wanted to do for the past 15 years, so the timing was right for me. No fault to the AF, but their interests just didn’t allow me to pursue this goal so my decision was fairly cut and dry! No regrets, I just miss the hell out of it!!

When I fly with that fat, POS captain who congratulates my job at the majors and finally getting a real flying job, I miss it even more!!! Those who have never served just don’t get it. There are few things nobler than serving your country…to each their own I guess!!!

Fly safe!

 

[737ski]

Don't miss the AF, but I miss the pro's (99% of them) I flew with everyday. My new employer talks the talk & walks the walk in every way. I got alot of promises, but not much delivery in the AF. However, I would do it over again in a heartbeat--maybe I'm a glutton for punishment!

 

[GenericPilot]

Can't compare today's military to the 80s or 90s

I'm 1.5 years from getting my 20 letter from the Air Guard. 13 years of active service.

I've had some fun, but the first 8 years were the best, and they had some lousy times thrown in...tailhook, TQM management theory, less than ideal assignments, etc. My buds were great and the planes were a lot of fun. Marine Corps. It was a time when men still ruled the military and one could get away with some rowdiness and individualism. I worked with guys that would fight to the end.

Then I joined the Air Guard. The Guard was changing when 9/11 hit. Deployed constantly for 24 months and now it's all new mission qualifications for the Herk and constantly being asked to fly on overseas trips (i'm not an airline guy.my employer needs me). Way too many holy rollers in the USAF trying to push their ideas upon the "morally corrupt." Guys trying to shirk out of dangerous duty and not watching out for each other.

I joined the military to fly planes, drink beer, chase women, help kill our enemies (our mission), and build job skills to make a good living. It worked for the first half of my career.

I would not join another military flying unit in today's environment. I'd go work with some stand up guys in a reserve ground combat unit and fly for my day job.

If you want to go to the war, I am sure someone would let you. Everyone should do it once. the grunts need air force tactical air controllers. Apply.
great job. I used to do it.

 

[Birdstrike]

Retired Army in '02. Currently walking the halls of the Pentagon with a pink badge (contractor). The difference in perspective is much greater than I thought it would be. Thank God we're all duty-honor-country and mission accomplishment while we're neck deep in it - because when you get out, step away, and look at some of the civilian leadership decisions that have been made and are being made; what we're asked to do and how little we're given to do it with (I'm talking Army), it's amazing that we keep anybody around at all. There is a time to turn it over to the younger man and go after the jobs of those that lead and have no clue; politicians.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
Like many of you I miss some things about the military and some I don't. Most of the things that I miss all revolve around the flying, missions, deployments and real-world ops.
I think that the military became bloated with what I called the "careerist" and not enough warriors.
Anyone can act like a hero in Fallon on Air Wing det, but it's a whole different story when the real bullets are flying. I never really figured out how to compartmentalize what was good for promotions vs. training and readiness. Being a good aircrewman meant very little in the final analysis. Unfortunately, I staked most of my success on working hard at being proficent vs. managing a program in the OPS department or some other unrelated to the mission BS. In other words; because of PC, GMT, NAVOSH, etc...We had to spend way too much time on crap unrelated to war-fighting skills and knowledge. I wasn't the slightest bit interested in any of the above. And, I had the unhappy task of having to deal with it regularly.
I made some great friends, visited places that many Americans have never heard of and was priveleged to serve my country flying in a combat aircraft.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

P.S. I've yet to meet a single civilian pilot that measures up to any Navy pilot that I flew with.

 

[HarryShadow]

P.S. I've yet to meet a single civilian pilot that measures up to any Navy pilot that I flew with.

I second that (well...replace Navy with AF pilot, but you catch my drift). Not necessarily flying skills alone, but the whole package!!!

 

[JimNtexas]

I'd pay $20,000 for one more long low level around the UK in an EF-111. Being in fighter squadrons was the high point of my professional life.

On the other hand there is no way I miss the kiss up/kick down leadership style that I saw on daily basis, especially when I was at HQ ACC.

When I was at Langely I had to sit quietly in a meeting while an O-6 (later F-117 wing commander, moved into the job just in time for DS) chewed me out for leaving a vault door unlocked. I told him I had found the vault left unlocked. He immediately began screaming. He wouldn't let me talk, so I wasn't allowed to point out that it was his executive officer that left it open, not me.

When another officer pointed out that it was the exec who left the door unlocked, not me. I was then chewed out for trusting this self-same colonel's fair haired executive officer.

With 17 years in and RIFs in progress at the time I had to sit and take it. I hate myself to this day for not just punching him out.

In the civilian world there is never a need to take crap from anyone. Professional and business disagreements are fine, that's part of life. But screaming, threats, and hysterical name calling are something with which I will never again put.

 

[AlbieF15]

I don't miss the BFM, the great folks, flying fighters over exotic locations, or serving my country one bit...:crying:

What I certainly miss is the chance to attend countless briefings on sexual assualt prevention, suicide prevention, drunk driving prevention, homosexual tolerance and understanding, computer security, mandatory wing commander calls, and of other mindless events that wasted countless heartbeats I could have spent flying, studying in the vault, or viewing the pornography that became banished from most places around 1992.:angryfire

I loved the ANG. Then again--I got very lucky in my career and almost always had super people around me. I understand not everyone has been so fortunate...

 

[K-Mart]

Heck I don't know but the military is just one chapter (although quite long) of your life. The good thing is you can reread it and enjoy the memories and learn from the bad.
Where you go from here is up to you. Lot's of chapters to write. Make it good!
I agree with Albie on all the stupid sh!t. don't miss it a bit.

 

[stonewall]

The funny thing here is that everyone misses the same stuff....whether you got out in '92 or '02. We all say the same things. "I can't stand the azz-kissing O-5's/O-6's." "I miss the flying and the bros, not the politics." "It's too PC, and there's too much BS."

See a pattern? Chicken/beef, same same. The truly ironic thing is that the O-6's we bitch about see themselves as "not like those guys" back when THEY were O-3's.

I left AD in '04. Through nothing I did, my Senator worked a deal for my guard unit to fly F-22's. I'm doing that now and absolutely love it. I left AD unwillingly (I was going to fly T-38s, which is not why I signed up), and landed at a great guard unit. I loved the Active Duty, never got screwed, flew with great dudes, had great commanders, and had 3 kick azz ops tours. Then I flew two years in the Guard before I went to Raptors, where I'll fly for the next 10+ years. ZERO COMPLAINTS.

That said, when I do hang up the ATAGS (g-suit for the non-Raptor guys....bragging), I'll miss the bros I flew with and the BFM / 2 v 8's / shots at the bar much, much, much more than I'll miss the queep.
That's natural. Hell, my dad is a 62 yr old F-4 guy and he'd gladly trade 15 yrs of life expectancy for ONE more 4 v X vs F-15's from Bitburg. It's in your blood and you'll always miss it.

Still, with all the queep and BS we all have to deal with, you will NOT find an organization with better people the US military.

 

[Mud Eagle]

As someone who has spent the last couple months trying to figure out if I want to take the pilot bonus and stay in, or pull out the applications for UPS and FedEx, this thread has been an interesting read.

I've got 12 years in...will never be a SQ/CC because I'm not a patch or a pretty boy...and was leaning toward hanging up the G Suit and HGU-55.

This thread's got me thinking that I should stick around a little while and enjoy what I can while I can.

 

[Hobit]

I am Sofa King bored at the airlines - watching a DME click down at the flight levels sux compared to tactical aviation. I really miss my Apache. I miss having a grunt shake my hand and say 'thanks' - the highest praise I'll ever get. I miss feeling like I made a difference. The great trips at my current job are when the captain is former military- any branch, any job. With the common bond, it makes for good stories and laughs to kill the eye-bleeding boredom in the 'pain cave'.

And yes, I DONT miss 75% of the O-5's and above.

EDIT: One more thing I miss- getting credit for being good at my job. At the airlines you progress no faster whether you swim like a stud or float like a turd. Insert your favorite "Office Space" quote here.

 

[JungleJett]

I am Guard so take this for what its worth. I have a lot more fun at the unit than I EVER have at my airline job. There is just as much BS on the outside as there is on the inside...but not nearly as much cool $hit on the outside as on the inside to counter the BS. I guess it is what you can put up with...if you want airline type flying..have at it. You can sit in the cockpit with some crusty turd who whines about the age 60 rule, his ********************ty work rules, his tanked pension, his crap schedule , and his pay check that has been cut if half (all legit complaints)...you will have plenty of time to hear all this crap too...when you are sitting on the taxiway in EWR for five hours and you are number 50+ in line.

The airlines do not care who you are or what you have done...and that goes for passengers as well. You are simply a fare or a number for them. Not much else.

Do the best of both worlds, keep your military life by serving in the Guard part time and find a nice corporate gig on the civilian side. If you need to make tons of money, go for the cargo ops. Stay away from the legacy airlines. Guys will tell you it is all turning around...I ask them "But for how long?"

If you really want the suck factor to ping out, commute to your job. Man does that suck sack.

Back on topic....