Why Did You Stay

[Polar Bear]

There are lots of reasons to get out but those who didn’t get out, why did you stay? 

[Biff_T]

I had three different AFSCs in my career.  That made hitting 20 easier.  

I liked flying military missions.  Nothing like that in the civilian world (other than aerial fire fighting).  There were tons of good dudes that I flew with.  

[Chida]

I got out after 10 yrs commissioned in 2012, involuntary due to 2x FOS to O-4. I had absolutely no intention of joining the reserve at that time, although I had considered it as a backup.

Pretty much no one was hiring in 2012, my first job prospect didn’t pan out even though it was a “sure thing”. I found myself compelled to do reserve bc it was the only thing available and I needed money after 3 months of unemployment which was not sustainable.

I got an OK job as a DOD contractor a few months later, then low paying airline jobs a couple years later and so all along the way I actually needed the supplemental income from the reserve or guard.

By the time I got my final airline job and was being paid well I only had 4 more yrs to a reserve retirement. Not needing the supplemental income anymore, I transferred to an IRR job and retired from that as O-5 with 21 yrs total. 
So for me I stayed for the money, primarily, but also for resume enhancement and job security. Towards the end it was solely to earn retirement which will pay 37% base pay (top of the 2039 O-5 pay chart) starting at age 59-1/4. 
Only <14 yrs until I start getting paid. It was worth it. 

[Day Man]

 

[StrikeOut312]

8 hours ago, Polar Bear said:

There are lots of reasons to get out but those who didn’t get out, why did you stay? 

If you have to ask, get out.

If it’s good for you, good for your family, you’re having fun, and you like what you’re doing, stay in. Otherwise, punch when your ADSC is up.

Keep your doors open by finding a job in the ANG or AFRC.

[DirkDiggler]

Because service to my country still meant a lot to me, even after I passed 20 years.  I was still having fun, I loved the flying/mission, and I really enjoyed being around the people I served with. 

  Everyone has a limit and I hit mine at just past 21 years, but I had a phenomenal career and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Edit to add:  Even after my AD service was over I wasn't totally ready to walk away.  Currently a CI at the FTU.  I easily could've gone to airlines but enjoy instructing and I like that I'm still contributing to the community.

Edited Sunday at 04:09 PM by DirkDiggler
afterthought

[HuggyU2]

33 years of combined service so far... and I'm not done yet. 

The people, the mission, the flying. 
 

10 years ago, I tried to move into a very different and new career. Didn't care for some of the people and their level of integrity; didn't enjoy "the mission"; there wasn't much flying. 
 

Edited Sunday at 03:08 PM by HuggyU2

[ClearedHot]

Because I am a big dummy.

Honestly, WIC was a turning point for me...after that my ADSCs were overlapping after getting picked up for IDE/ASG/SDE and BPZ....almost felt like I had to stay or eat a crap sandwich for jumping off the fast train while I still had ADSC.  It created a stink when I dropped papers as an O-6 HPO.  I dropped papers at 4PM on a Friday and jumped in my car to drive home.  I barely made it out the front gate when I got a call from the Colonels Group...followed .69 seconds later by the HQ "how dare you leave now", which reinforced I'd made the right choice. 

I applied for Med School and got in the same time I applied for WIC...sometimes wish I'd gone that route, but I would have made a crappy proctologist, pun intended.

Looking back, I miss the squadron life and the flying...I do not miss anything else.

[herkbum]

I miss the people and none of the bs. I retired when the fun was gone. I no longer enjoyed going in every day. And now I have more time off than I ever did before, and make more money. That’s pretty hard for me to argue against.


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[yzl337]

my ADSC was up right when the world was exploding from covid, everything locked down, hiring paused...that plus a kid with significant medical bills and I loved my job at the time (T-6 IP), I decided to stick around. It was a mistake. 

[Polar Bear]

3 hours ago, yzl337 said:

my ADSC was up right when the world was exploding from covid, everything locked down, hiring paused...that plus a kid with significant medical bills and I loved my job at the time (T-6 IP), I decided to stick around. It was a mistake. 

Why was it a mistake?

[Polar Bear]

Thanks for the replies. I know this is a small sample size and most people on here seem to dislike AD especially. But everyone has a different thought process.

[Runr6730]

Retiring after just over 20 years this winter. I stayed in for many reasons, but primarily because:

1) I’d just finished an incredible overseas assignment followed by an interesting staff assignment that challenged me and reinvigorated my love of serving

2) I’d overcome some significant medical issues and wanted to provide my family financial security in the event I lost my medical clearance again and the check-of-the-month club provides that

3) I’d just had my second child and needed a secure career since airline hiring hadn’t picked up yet

[Vito]

 I left active duty after my initial commitment, but flew another 21 years in the Reserves. I loved the Air Force, but I had a charmed life, in that I flew all 28 years. I never got caught up in the desk jobs, climbing the promotion ladder. Also, as it turned out I showed up at McGuire in 1987, and retired with a lot of my original squadron buds from active duty. Like a big family and I loved putting on a bag to go flying. Airline life is good, but it doesn’t compare.

[StoleIt]

I stayed past my UPT commitment because COVID caused my CJO to disappear (don't burn bridges on your way out BTW). After another PCS, 3 years later, I managed to get out "again" and Palace Fronted over to the ANG. I'll probably go back to full time here in the near future to get my AD retirement because it just makes sense numbers wise.

Purely a long term financial decision. QOL is far superior at my airline job over AD.

[Zero]

Gonna hang it up next year and make it an even 30. 23 years AD and 7 in the Reserves. 

I've always said that when the bullshit outweighs the benefits, I'd vote with my feet. Apparently I have a higher tolerance for the bullshit than I ever imagined. 

Like some have said, it all comes down to what right looks like for you. It wasn't right for me to take a pay-cut and alot of time away from home for a couple of years to get the ultimate benefits that the airlines offer. I loved what I did-- flying the A-10 and being in a position to teach young pilots has always appealed to me. I executed my career MY way, to the detriment of promotions on AD-- did a great staff gig in Europe but refused to go to ACC or the Pentagon. Got passed over for O-6 on AD but picked up immediately once I joined the Reserves-- best thing that ever happened to me. I would have been tossed around like a barracks bunny on a Saturday night as a full-bird on AD. Had to wait to pin-on with the Reserves, but got a great opportunity out of it that worked out well for my family. Through it all, I was able to do what I loved and provided great opportunities for my family. And now my beautiful bride has decided that she doesn't want to leave our current location and so that means it's time to hang it up. Assuming I don't get myself fired in the next 8 months, I'll have had a chance in this seat for far longer than is normal for a command tour. I enjoy being in the trenches and leading from the front, and I found a way to do that. It cost me some opportunities, but kept me true to what I valued most career-wise. I deployed six times, flew on some pretty high-end real-world missions, earned a WIC patch, got to command a couple of outstanding organizations, fly the A-10 longer than the eleven-year old version of me who started this dream could have ever imagined, but most importantly, got to coach my kids' sports teams for 12 years and help my wife start a number of successful businesses. But I never felt like I had to sacrifice who I was and what I truly believed in to further my career. Maybe that's why I tolerated more BS than I thought I could. Hell, it's only a lot of work if you do it. Turns out you can still be a fighter pilot in today's Air Force. Then again, I've joked that I'm not really in the military-- I'm in the AF. And I'm not really in the AF, I'm a Hog Driver. 

Don't use these stories as a recipe or a map-- what worked for me and others won't necessarily work for you. There's nothing wrong with getting out-- if you're doing it for the right reasons. And there's nothing wrong with staying in-- if you're doing it for the right reasons. Just make sure the right reasons are still with you when you hang up that smart-looking uniform for the last time. 

Now the hard part: I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. 

[dream big]

I was dead set on getting out as a Captain. WIC was a huge goal for me and I went later in my career despite adding a year to my ADSC. Afterwords, serving as a patch and feeling like I was making an impact on the next generation was a turning point for me. I loved serving, leading, and having a sense of fulfillment. So I stayed…jury is out whether it was the right decision but I’m essentially locked in to retirement. 

I love flying, and while airlines were tempting, the job wasn’t for me. I’ll likely buy an airplane when I retire to scratch the itch. There is a lot that is wrong and frustrating with the Air Force; but focusing on what is right (the dudes in the squadron doing the mission) and honing in on that pushed me to stay and try to make it a little bit better. 

[Chicken]

I loved flying on AC130s and deploying.  I was miserable until I got into gunships.  Nothing in the world compared to a JTAC/Team calling you after the op and thanking you.

[disgruntledemployee]

My exit plan was made, confirmed with the fam, and then a few things happened.  The 95th Flying Badgers were moving to Pope and the AF gave me a school slot.  It turned out well enough as the financial crisis happened a little later and airlines took a beating.  But if Wall St hadn't fucked shit up and BRAC/Big Blue hadn't forced the 95th out of Milwaukee, I'd have been doing weekends in a Herc, M-F in a 737, and drinking great WI beer everyday.

[SocialD]

Love the perspectives here and thankful for all you guys who continue to serve.  For a different perspective, career part-time Guard guy here.  I stuck around becuase I enjoyed the flying, the people, and it was fun...up until it wasn't.  Glad I served, but I didn't have the same experience as many above.  It seemed every time we found ourselves on a deployment, we did absolutely nothing.   The worst being my last trip to Afghanistan (over a decade after my first trip lol) a few months before the pullout.  We had an EA (and his JAG), over 1,000 NM away, who had puppet/hand up your ass close control.  They also no appetite to do anything but watch the ANA/ANP get rolled.  It truly was a demoralizing trip for the entire squadron and really showed that we had no intention of ever winning this 20+ year quagmire.  Also, I'm happy to no longer have to fight self imposed road block after road block just to do the mission.  Though it may not sound like it, I'm not bitter, but there is a sour taste in my mouth.  Thankfully all that is far outweighed by the lifelong friends/experiences from my 22 years in service...the pension will be nice when the time comes as well.

 

I would say I miss the camaraderie, but we all live within a few miles of each other, which is very close to base.  As I type this I hear 2nd go coming back into the pattern and one dude just rocked our house (likely driveway check by a pilot who lives across the street from me).   There isn't a week that goes by that I'm not having coffee and/or beers with an old squadron mate.  This morning, I carpooled with a squadron mate who is a FO on my jet, and we flew a quick day turn for Delta.  In a few weeks there are 20+ of us current/former squadron mates going on a 3 day golf outing up in western Michigan.  I 100% would miss the camaraderie if we didn't have this dynamic.  The airlines just can't compare...it's a job that I love only because I work very little and make lots of money.  I need that to make up for all the years of lost time with family.