Good job! Just be safe out there!

Thank you all for your support. I will try to keep in touch as much as possible. -Paul

Good luck Paul! Stay safe!

I figured I'd update this thread because today is a great day for me...


As of midnight tonight, my contract that I signed back on May 9th 2007 finally expires. Tomorrow, I will once again officially be free and no longer obligated to the US government in any way.

For those who may not have been following... 4.5 years active duty, 1 tour in Afghanistan with some injuries sustained. Then 20 months in the NJ National Guard.
My initial 8 year contract was reduced by 20 months changing my final date from May 8th 2015 to Sept 8th 2013.

Now for all those that came to my parties prior to me leaving for basic training and all throughout my visits back to NJ, can you believe it was that long ago? haha.

Saw FB, great to hear Paul, whats next for you?

good news! we sure are gettin old, time flies.

Thank you for your service Paul.

Thanks paul.

Congrats. Good luck and most importantly stay safe

I miss the old days :(

congrats. did you say party?

This calls for a celebration--wedding doesn't count!! Pool's still open right?!

Nah, no party. lol.

Mike, yes its open but its green. I haven't done anything to it in weeks. I just have to get it clean one last time just to cover it up. Besides. I moved on the 1st so I no longer stay there.

any regrets? i have a friend active duty and one reservist, active duty hates it reservist loves it.

I don't regret it really, but I do feel I caused me to put my whole life on hold during those 6 or so years. Having a relationship while in active duty is very difficult. So after that I finally met someone and we will actually be getting married in less than 4 weeks. If I knew know everything I went through, I would not have enlisted. Now if I had less career options as a civilian and did not desire going for higher education, the Army may have been a lifetime choice. But in my case, I have too much pride in my work and the Army does not care about that.

As for your active duty friend, I'm not surprised he hates it. Its a joke. It's really all about people seeing how little work they can do or how they can pass off responsibilities. Plus how they can take credit for the good and pass blame for the bad.
And the reserves, which is quite similar to the national guard, is a cake walk and I can't really consider it "real" military. I had officers and higher up SGTs always asking me for my opinion or suggestions because I was prior active. They even made me teach all types of classes. But most of the time we just sat around and did absolutely nothing useful.

Reservists love it because its all the good parts without the active duty ridiculousness.

I got sick of all the B/S that seemed to become more important then our actual Job.. All the stupid online training, Collateral duties, all the extra **** on top of doing your job. When I 1st joined in 1999, the 1st 4 years were about how good you are at your job, if you could not get in trouble, and that you did good on your PT tests you were considered a good sailor.. After 2004 it changed to who is going to college in there off time, who volunteers the most, and who has the most qualifications..That was to just be a good sailor on top of the other crap.. People would come to work to do there college homework, or get quals signed off. People would be more focused on that crap then fixing aircraft!