13 years US Air Force. They got rid of me because of injuries and a massive draw-down state. I got to see Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan with Uncle Same. I also went around the world many many many times and to many many many countries. I recently was released after a year spent fighting their decision (I wasn't going without a fight!) and absolutely hate it.
I was a military Brat and always knew that I would serve. It's not that I don't have any further aspirations for myself, I just always wanted to serve my country. I feel lost on the outside, and feel very much like a small boy excluded from his secret clubhouse with all his friends inside. It does hurt knowing that I will not retire from the military, I always thought I would.
Now I have the extreme displeasure of dealing with continuing health care through a VA system that is staffed by some of the most uncaring incompetent angry and lazy individuals. I am also having to adjust to a civilian society, one that I have NEVER been part of. In some ways, I am like Bane. "Oh, you're in the US Military, but you merely joined the service. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn’t see the civilian world until I was an old man (military standards); by then, it was nothing to me but confusing and twisted!"
But seriously, the civilian world confuses me. I cannot understand why simple orders are not given and followed, why people will not work together and accomplish the mission, and why people seem so caught up in racial, religious, and even sexual definitions of a person. Those don't matter as long as you can succeed as a unit.
These feelings come from my being in college now. I am now able to fully pursue my engineering degree instead of one class here and there. I have dedicated all my time to school, as much time as I dedicated to my job while I was still in. I do not wish to seek employment for as long as possible, and treat my education as my employment. I think I've earned that much.
I do find that I get aggravated easily by the civilian population now. It was easy to interact with them while I was in, but now that I am one it is difficult and I don't fit in (which is very difficult for someone that spent his whole life moving constantly and learning to fit in wherever he was at!). For example, if there is someone in my class that is not paying attention, I cannot correct the situation. Granted, if they are not being disruptive it should have no bearing on me, but by nature it is disruptive to me as I find it very rude and distracting. I ignore it though.
If someone IS being disruptive I have to be very "tactful", "polite", "pc" in addressing the situation. I cannot simply correct the offender. I know that I am rambling now, but it feels good to get these things out. Where I am at now is the FIRST time I have been in a city where there was not at least one other person I knew. Even as a kid, when we moved so much so did other military brats. You always seemed to know someone somewhere or at least someone who knew someone. The same with different assignments. This assignment is different, and I don't like it.
I don't have that same social network that comes with military service. I didn't have a group of strangers welcome me with open arms, a beer in one hand, and a handshake for the other. I didn't have a group of strangers willing to help me move, show me around, and get me situated. It is hell.
I hate the outside.
All I wanted was 7 more years to serve my country. I can still walk and the memory issues have subsided. Why couldn't I just stay and be a productive member?