It looks like my husband may be getting out of the army next year and I'm of course in freak out mode. The army has been our life for the past 5 1/2 years. We're originally from Michigan and not sure if we want to go back, we never planned on living in Michigan after college but then my husband left school and joined the army. I was wondering if anyone has advice about transitioning and also does anyone have anything to say about Kentucky? I'm thinking that might be a nice state to settle down in. On a sidnote my husband said if after a year we are not where we should be he'd rejoin. I have a degree and he's about a year away from finishing his, and we have a 1 year old boy and a 4 year old girl. Any advice about any of your experience would be much appreciated. Sorry it's so long and thank you in advance. 

Use your degree, start now. 

I've always heard that reenlisting is better than rejoining. If he is considering rejoining he should further look into reenlisting and changing jobs or going reserves at least to preserve rank 

My husband was a soldier 10 yrs, 7 of them as a Ranger and has a degree and great references from work with the highest security clearance, and after a year, he's still unemployed even though he is able bodied although given medical discharge. My 2 kids and I have been uninsured since March, I pray we never have an emergency. It's not a sob story, we lack for nothing and still have fun, but it's stressful. I would REALLY reconsider! He'd give anything to be back in the army. 

On a good note he may get a job with the school he coaches for, but will still aim for federal job. Ten years is a lot of years! 

Sandra,
What did your husband do prior to joining military? What is his degree in? 

We are retiring in two years and I am scared. I have a degree and will go to work. I work in education. Sandra do you work. How hard is the transition we are lucky we will retire with the army. But my husband just figures he will get out and have a job. We will still have 4 children at home. We are living in military housing.What scares me the most we do not know where we will be in two years. As everyone knows 4/2 is disbanding and they have no idea. This is the only life we have known. It is scary. 

I was in the same boat last month. My husband told me while we were on leave he didnt want to reenlist, he wanted to get out and go back home (Kentucky, actually! Lol) and we only had a short time to plan. After sitting down and actually looking at the numbers and considering insurance, he did end up reenlisting. For a short contract, I think 3 years, but enough time for us to get things settled. We want the cars paid off and a good chunk in savings to help us through the transition in case either of us has trouble finding a job, and we can still pay out of pocket for any therapy services or medical issues. 

We have 2 years as wells and we only have one car note paid off in Spring. We are saving the next two tax checks and putting them into saving I would like to have enough to live off at least 6 months or longer. We would like to go back to Florida but there are no jobs. Thanks for the advice 

What did your husband do prior to joining military? What is his degree in?

He worked for an airline and was laid off, then he was manager for a car rental company and was laid off as well, both places closed. That was too much and the reason he joined, my youngest had many complications for birth and we couldn't be without healthcare. He has a degree in education. He got it while in the army so he's never used it. While he was waiting on the med board, everybody and their cousins said 'OH I can get you a job as a US marshall, or contractor, even with Boeing and as a civilian in the army, yet none every came to be for one reason or another. He has even gone on interviews in Seattle, he'd commute but just for one reason or another it never works. This is a man whose resume states was able to manage hundreds of millions of dollars of equipment without having one cent missing, yet nothing.

Sandra do you work.

I do! Part time only, my son can't stay alone and we have no one to care for him. I can't leave him alone for more than an hour, he lacks a lot of common sense due to we all know what. I also make some extra on ebay and I consign everything! It's helped!

We want the cars paid off and a good chunk in savings to help us through the transition in case either of us has trouble finding a job, and we can still pay out of pocket for any therapy services or medical issues.


Very smart, we put all of my husbands settlement in savings and that gives me a little teeny bit of peace of mind! 

I was just talking to my ex about this yesterday. He ETSd three years ago and is doing really well in the job he got right out of the Army. He was very fortunate that his last assignment put him in contact with a good company that he now works for. We were just saying yesterday...it's not enough anymore to have a degree, experience, and the willingness to work. You need good contacts. You need a job lined up before you get out, before you even go on terminal leave. My ex was lucky enough to have all of that but so many are not so fortunate.

My neighbor currently has an extra family living with them. He retired two months ago and his big plan was to live off the GI Bill and his pension. They've been living with my neighbor for two months and haven't seen a dime of any of that as of yet, although I don't think that's typical. She mentioned something about the paperwork being held up. They're stuck because they don't want to live here forever, so he's not even looking for a job, but they can't afford to move to where they want to settle until the money starts coming in. They had very little in savings and it's gone. They're basically living off the good will of my neighbors.

It won't be easy to get back in after he's out, so if that's something he's considering he might just want to reenlist, even if it's short term. My friend's husband got out, joined the Reserves, and wanted to get back in. It took him two years to get back to Active Duty, and he had to take a reduction in rank and spend a year in Korea to do it. Maybe you could try to get stationed at Ft. Campbell so you could see how you like living in Kentucky. 

The way that things are going right now with the downsize of the military on all branches, I would recommend he go and talk to his retention guy about maybe going reserves instead of getting out altogether. Right now, it's getting harder and harder to enlist, let alone re-join.

My husband decided he doesn't want to retire at 20 years either, bu just in case, he's going to talk to his retention officer person about going reserves instead. 

Thanks ladies. Thankfully my husband will have 3 months terminal leave and we won't move anywhere there isn't family if either of us doesn't have a job lined up. He's exhausted retention unfortunately. He's on assignment for hood but has to reenlist for 3 in order to go and he can't reclass because he's on assignment. He hates his job and said he won't stay in it any longer than he has to, which I understand because it's changed his attitude towards life. I'm trying to get him into looking at guard/reserves and finishing his degree. I'm most concerned about our families well being. If he reenlist in his mos if army regs don't change he'll be shoved out within 2 anyway because of rank. He's a specialist and can't advance easily because his mos has promotion points of 798 and he's tried like crazy. In our 5 years here he's seen one guy only in his mos get their stripes and that's only because he got a Purple Heart which is good promotion points. 

I didnt think you could still re-join. When my husband re-joined 3 years ago they said he was one of the last the army stopped accepting prior service. But You can re-join from being reserve. Thats what a friend of my husbands is going to do. 

@Sandra I totally understand. I have tried to explain this to my husband as I will only be able to work the boys hours that why I chose teaching. Also before after is a killer. But he's like I will get a job and I won't be like these other people . I'm like ok what ever. Husbands don't want to listen 

My husband got out less than six months ago. I'm not adjusting very well. Neither is he. 

My biggest issue we are in military housing and are not financially able to buy/rent. Even though we technically rent now the money is given to us. We lose that once we retire. My husband does not understand. I am so glad I have you ladiesto vent and talk to.. Thanks ladies 

Ladies don't make it more difficult then it is. I know that may sound harsh but I say it with love. It WILL challenge everyone in the family in a different way, start addressing these issues now. 

Ladies don't make it more difficult then it is. I know that may sound harsh but I say it with love. It WILL challenge everyone in the family in a different way, start addressing these issues now.


It is challenging, thankfully it hasn't broken us! He does get depressed and wishes he could get a good paying job since whether he gets the Madigan or the school job, it won't pay as much as he got in the army, but we're doing great financially. God has provided in one way or another and hopefully when his unemployment ends we will continue to do ok. 

Thanks Sandra 

Sandra keep everyone posted, the good and bad. It will help teach others, and its encouraging. Ten years is a long time, to be doing anything. 

Going cilvilan, a place we have all been before. That is how I CHOOSE to approach it. 

I am nervous to get back into the civilian world since we have been doing this almost 23 years. However this duty station and next, we are choosing to live off post to kind of ease the transition of putting down deposits, paying for trash and utilities ect. If all goes well, we can get jobs in the last duty stations area and won't have to uproot yet again and come up with deposits, but we all know how that crap shoot goes. My husband has already been putting feelers out so to speak to those he knows in the civilian work sector to see what options are open for him.

I wish everyone the best, it's scary for sure and MO you have a great attitude about it all :) 

Shelley you have kinda been a hero of mine

23 years...........just wow. Hats off to you my lady, and Mr. Shelley. 

Honestly I wouldn't have worried about it one bit if we didnt have my son. I lived on my own in the real world just fine without military paychecks and tricare ;-) its just a different situation now. 

@awesome sauce if I did not have kids I would not worry as much either.@ Shelly S that what we are planning as we'll. 

My mother in law's husband works to help place mainly veterans at random jobs depending on what they did in service. I know there's a lot of companies out there that do this, so it may be something you guys want to look into if you are having issues. Also, they require the vet to have a pretty good service record. 

what organization? 

I can't remember the name of the company that her husband works with, but she's working with PPH Consulting. Her email is hwhalls@gmail.com if you have any questions, just say Lisa sent you, lol.
http://www.pphconsulting.us/ 

Thank you!