12 Years
A Veterans Story
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My Expiration Term of Service (ETS) Anniversary
This weekend marked twelve years of being out of the military. If you read my post, Reflections of Service, you know this anniversary is significant to me. Though I only served a single contract, those three years were impactful and molded me. A large part of why it shaped me was due to my joining a year after high school. I was in that weird purgatory between being a kid and an adult. At the time, all my friends were in college, living the stereotypical college 101 experience. Classes, drinking, living independently in a dorm, seeing your family on weekends or holidays. My path was different, though; I joined the Army and moved to the Midwest. In a sense, it was a smooth transition due to all the rules, asking to use the bathroom, showing up to formation or training at a set time, and being told when and what you can eat. Maybe being a Private and being in school weren’t so different?
In my opinion, ages 19-22 are pivotal years for adulthood. One day, I went from being on my mom’s phone plan and the next, I was a 22-hour drive away from my hometown, living in my own house, with a job, health insurance, and car payment. The military can be great if you choose to use your benefits and experience to better yourself. On the other hand, you can stall and nosedive if you fall into pre-military behavior or become lost after getting out. I know plenty of Veterans who are doing great, they went to school, got a good job, make a good salary, married with kids, etc. I also know many Veterans who aren’t doing well, both personally and through what I see online, in social media groups, and through random posts I come across. These issues are pretty standard: financial stress, divorce/separation, struggling with going back to school, or trying to assimilate back into society. Lastly, I know Vets who have ruined their lives. Some don’t want to use their benefits because they are upset about their service, the things they experienced, or the people they lost. Others spiraled due to what I believe is the lack of structure and accountability that can come with being a civilian. Maybe these individuals weren’t ready to leave the military yet; the shock of being able to do what they wanted, when they wanted, was too much responsibility. I have friends that turned to drugs like heroin and meth, went to jail, ruined their family situations, and put a gun in their mouths.
Sometimes, I wonder how I will feel about my service in another ten years. Will I be more or less patriotic and passionate about helping Veterans? Will the endless complaints of Veteran Affairs and the complicated use of benefits become too much and fall on deaf ears? Will I be that Veteran who is 60 years old wearing a patriotic hat, or will I be sick of hearing all the rules and regulations changes by then?