Do you veterans miss the military?

[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....

 

[bssthound]

I joined the military to fly planes, drink beer, chase women, help kill our enemies (our mission),

We used to drink whiskey and f**k women; now we drink diet coke and f**k each other . . . . .

I miss my unit's being the reason for a tower at my RF-4 base ( TAC formation Split S to initial? No problem! ); where my RTU instructors told me I was going back to the best TAC Recce unit in the world . . . It was. I miss the camaraderie of Holloman, Boise, and my home unit. Cold ones with my bros who shared the feeling that words can't explain.

Just like Hobit, whenever I fly with a mil guy there is an instant bond that automatically makes it a great trip.

I went through Holloman in '89, right before Go-Rilla (Miss'ippi pronunciation) and it was a blast.

Now in the Reserves. Whenever we have a "careerist" come through the question we ask each other is "why the f**k did he ever leave AD?"

Plenty of queep but it's been a lot more good than bad . . . . so far!

 

[HarryShadow]

We used to drink whiskey and f**k women; now we drink diet coke and f**k each other . . .

I’ll let that one slide by :laugh:

I’m glad to see others enjoy flying with mil bro’s as much as I do...I thought I was just being a bias prick!!! I’ve got nothing against civilian flyers…I respect how they worked hard to end up where they’re at. There just seems to be an instant camaraderie when I fly with a former mil dude…it’s like we both breathe a sigh of relief!!! I’ve yet to have a bad trip with a mil guy, but definately a few bad ones with the alternative. Perhaps it’ll get better when I’m off probation and I can speak my mind more freely when the captain begins his rant on why the war in Iraq is nothing more than a slaughter house of Iraqi civilians, or why our 10 hour duty day is horse sh*t (I was screaming on the inside!!! I actually got into it with this guy…but, in his defense, I think he respected me for standing my ground).

 

[JimNtexas]

I've worked almost entirely in small software startups since I retired in 1994. The people I work with are the smartest people you will find anywhere in terms of IQ.

Still, I'd have to rate the people in my flying squadrons as being the very best group of individuals I've ever worked with, bar none.

My advice to anyone in the service to stay in flying units as long as you can. Do anything you can to avoid staff and support units.

I miss life in a fighter squadron, but I never, ever, miss life on the staff.

 

[Laughing_Jakal]

I hope you're not the "Harry" guy (who flew Shadows) I am thinking about. Used to walk around and say "Hi I'm Harry XXXX.....EP". One night I guess someone had enough and said: "What's that stand for? Extra Pilot?"

If you're him, then I could think of quite a few all civilian guys I'd rather fly with. If not, then tell me if you know Useless and/or Bent and how are they doing?

I miss military flying, I do not miss the military....and I was gung ho. There are plenty of things to do with your life and airline lifestyle gives me the time and money to do it. Just like a guy who is retired, if you are bored with your life outside the military, then you, my friend, have no imagination.

 

[bssthound]

"Hi I'm Harry XXXX.....EP".

True story. Names obviously changed. At my Guard unit we had WSOs come down on occasion from the NAF to fly with us. One otherwise unmemorable Major went around shaking hands, "hi, I'm Lt Col selectee 'John Doe.'" A 2Lt pilot replied, quick as a wink, with "1st Lt selectee 'Joe Smith.'"

As we used to say there: "F**kin' A, Bubba!!"

 

[HarryShadow]

I hope you're not the "Harry" guy (who flew Shadows) I am thinking about. Used to walk around and say "Hi I'm Harry XXXX.....EP". One night I guess someone had enough and said: "What's that stand for? Extra Pilot?"

If you're him, then I could think of quite a few all civilian guys I'd rather fly with. If not, then tell me if you know Useless and/or Bent and how are they doing?

I miss military flying, I do not miss the military....and I was gung ho. There are plenty of things to do with your life and airline lifestyle gives me the time and money to do it. Just like a guy who is retired, if you are bored with your life outside the military, then you, my friend, have no imagination.

Definitely not the Harry guy you’re referring to...if I was, I'd have to kick my own a$s. Harry was a nickname I had for like two seconds when I flew C-21s and I just wasn’t creative enough to think of another name for my login. Not too many people use the term “filthy savage” with the exception of a very select few (a term I’m particularly fond of). I knew Useless briefly before he left the 9th back in ‘02…I know Bucaca, Wheels, Big Sexy, Itchy, Slop, angry nav, 5th flyers, and probably a bunch of other dudes you know as well…any of these names ring a bell??? When did you leave Shadows???

PM me if you like man and I’ll fill you in on the bros and what they’re up to!!!

 

[stonewall]

All Shadow guys walk around like they're badazzes. You fly a few missions in Afghanistan and think your sh*t doesn't stink. Most arrogant and egotistical bunch of pilots I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. 5th, 9th, 17th...all the same. Tools.

 

[JimNtexas]

All Shadow guys walk around like they're badazzes. You fly a few missions in Afghanistan and think your sh*t doesn't stink. Most arrogant and egotistical bunch of pilots I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. 5th, 9th, 17th...all the same. Tools.

Don't sugar coat it Magnum, tell us what you really think!

 

[stonewall]

Don't sugar coat it Magnum, tell us what you really think!

My twin bro flies Shadows....and I tell ya, he's the freakin' worst of the bunch. Can't tell him anything.

 

[HarryShadow]

All Shadow guys walk around like they're badazzes. You fly a few missions in Afghanistan and think your sh*t doesn't stink. Most arrogant and egotistical bunch of pilots I've ever had the displeasure of meeting. 5th, 9th, 17th...all the same. Tools.

That's sh!t's funny!!!