Thinking about hanging it up

[kermit315]

Well, I hit 13 years in May, and I am thinking I am just tired of it all and am considering getting out.

The Navy has changed so much in the last few years, and not for the better. Now they are talking about cutting BAH, basically freezing pay (1%/year, way lower than inflation), screwing with tricare fees, lengthening deployments and sea duty time. Not one unit I know of is properly manned. They already messed with the retirement, even though that got reversed. Hagel and 0bama are gutting us from the inside. We are becoming a hollow force.

They forced too many people out with ERB, so we have massive promotions to E4 and E5, some to E6, and they have no idea what they are doing because they were fast tracked to fill billets that were artificially created. The role of the Navy has increased dramatically over the last decade, however our congressional mandate of personnel has not grown to match it. Parts are hard to get, but they still want 100% FMC aircraft. Evaluation system is broken.

I think it might just be time for me to get out and be full time LE. Lots of similar headaches, but no 9 and 10 month deployments and tons of workups. I would actually get to see my family. I would take a pay cut at first, but could make a bunch of that up after the first year.

Thoughts?

[BoJackUSMC]

Whatever you do, file you service related injury claim within 100 days before getting out because it will be free and they will put you in priority list group. I am paying everything out of my pocket right now until I win the case with VA. Also, while you are active you can find and look up your records lot easier. In addition, do not forget buddy letter if your buddies saw you getting hurt while in line of duty.

[BoJackUSMC]

Pm me for more help if you got question.
Thank you for your service.

[RickD427]

The military works in cycles. I saw a whole bunch of them during my active and reserve service. Part of the cycle thing is a circulation of a lot of hype. Like anything you've got to take things in stride.

With your years of service, you'll take quite a hit in retirement benefits. Nothing if you go straight out, and your retirement benefits get deferred to age 60 if you complete your service in the reserves. If you do the actuarial calculations, you'll probably find that it will take a lot longer to actually recover your losses.

The service rarely gets the personnel equation completely right. It always seems that just a few years after reduction efforts are in place, we need implement "stop loss" programs. If you're at the 13 year point right now, you'll probably see another flush cycle before you hit 20. That's important because advancement opportunities are always limited in the dry cycles and they're good in the flush cycles. I saw a lot of folks make First Class in their first enlistment. I had a Chief who made it in seven years during good times.

Of course all of that goes out the window if there's an unscheduled war (if there was anything like a well scheduled war). It was just a few years ago the Army was raiding the Navy just to get qualified personnel.

[kermit315]

I will definitely be copying all my records. Only service related injuries I will probably have would be my knees (PFS) and maybe a hearing threshold shift. I work on aircraft and on the flight deck of aircraft carriers, so it is a pretty loud environment. I do not think I have any hearing loss, but am not completely sure.

Thanks for the thanks, but I am content just serving......I will PM you if I think of anything pressing.

[BoJackUSMC]

My buddy worked as a air craft mech as well. Most common injuries are hearing loss and knee pain due to working on a weird position for long time. I am not telling you to file a claim if you are not sick or hurt. However, if you are make sure they have it in your file. They lost tons of my medical record because I was deployed in Iraq and we did not really had anyone who kept track while we were fighting in Iraq.

Good luck

[kermit315]

The military works in cycles. I saw a whole bunch of them during my active and reserve service. Part of the cycle thing is a circulation of a lot of hype. Like anything you've got to take things in stride.

With your years of service, you'll take quite a hit in retirement benefits. Nothing if you go straight out, and your retirement benefits get deferred to age 60 if you complete your service in the reserves. If you do the actuarial calculations, you'll probably find that it will take a lot longer to actually recover your losses.

The service rarely gets the personnel equation completely right. It always seems that just a few years after reduction efforts are in place, we need implement "stop loss" programs. If you're at the 13 year point right now, you'll probably see another flush cycle before you hit 20. That's important because advancement opportunities are always limited in the dry cycles and they're good in the flush cycles. I saw a lot of folks make First Class in their first enlistment. I had a Chief who made it in seven years during good times.

Of course all of that goes out the window if there's an unscheduled war (if there was anything like a well scheduled war). It was just a few years ago the Army was raiding the Navy just to get qualified personnel.

Yeah, I remember 'Blue to Green'. Interesting program.

There are other issues at work as well, including some with my current command that I would rather not get into on here. That being said, I understand the money loss involved as well. I dont like it, but it is what it is. I truly think that if a couple of different holes hadnt lined up a few years ago, I would not have reenlisted then and would have gone full time LE right then. I decided to give the Navy a chance to right the course, and so far it has not, and has gotten worse. I guess part of me is afraid that when I get to retirement, there wont be much of a retirement left, and I will have wasted the time away for nothing in the end. Of course, nobody can tell the future, either.

[kermit315]

My buddy worked as a air craft mech as well. Most common injuries are hearing loss and knee pain due to working on a weird position for long time. I am not telling you to file a claim if you are not sick or hurt. However, if you are make sure they have it in your file. They lost tons of my medical record because I was deployed in Iraq and we did not really had anyone who kept track while we were fighting in Iraq.

Good luck

I understand what you are saying......my knees are screwed up. Hearing I am just not sure about (though if you asked my wife, I am sure she would say it is screwed up too...haha).

[press press]

I would say stick it out couple more terms n you're done. It's worth the pension.
I know what you mean with mass promotion definitely suck when you want that next rank and only way to get it is B billet.

I know people who got out had 15 plus year now sit at home cuz of the job market. Some people get out thinking about getting a contract civil job but they only last months, may be year then their lay offs. Most the jobs I have seen they want you to go oversea


That was one of the reason I EAS. Same for my pops but he had the years to retire.

[Subotai]

Don't leave unless you really have to. You're almost there. You could always switch services or change jobs.

[RP1911]

I understand what you are saying......my knees are screwed up. Hearing I am just not sure about (though if you asked my wife, I am sure she would say it is screwed up too...haha).

If you are stateside and a member of Costco, get a hearing evaluation. It is free.

[epilepticninja]

I jumped ship at the 12 year mark. I had already started a career in LE as a LE reserve, so I kind of had my future ready to go. However my current employer got a hold of me just prior to my last day of active duty and offered me a chance to get involved at the ground floor of some crazy stuff, so I went with him instead of going fulltime in LE.

I did join the military reserves though and did 12 years in that for a total of 24 years. I just couldn't see pissing away 12 years of AD. And the reserves to me were way better than AD. Bounce if you need to, but think about joining the Navy or Air Force reserves, even if you go fulltime in LE.

[Jason Adam Llamas]

i think kermit should be full time law enforcement.

[BigStiCK]

I think it might just be time for me to get out and be full time LE.... I would take a pay cut at first, but could make a bunch of that up after the first year.

Thoughts?

The CHP is hiring. We need good folks, and I dont think you'll be taking a pay cut

[chris]

if I could retire I would but my civilian job wont allow that. I need 3 years to keep SFC (E7) for retirement pay at 60.