Just as a side note, I put 15 years in, then got out and immediately tripled my salary. The military was great too me, and the only reason I got out was due to the fact that I got an assignment as a programming instructor in Mississippi and the only way out of it was to turn down the assignment which also meant the end of my military career (I had already checked the job market and decided that was acceptable). I turned down the assignment, talked my commander into letting me out early and immidiately started making twice the salary of my Commander (full bird).
The thing I really liked about my last assignment is that they fully trusted my abilities and opinions and usually agreed with anything I wanted to do. Now I know this could have been a *dream* situation but I think if you have your shit together, and take it to the right people, things can change. But only do it if you really believe in it.
Since I got out I have several retired ex-military buddies that I spend a lot of time with on the weekends. Most of them are retired high ranking officers. One is a retired Navy Captain who still works at the base nearby as a civilian making a killing. I keep giving him shit about using Winders at the base and have threatened to follow him to work one day and wipe all that garbage out.
[ February 22, 2002: Message edited by: VoidMain ]