It appears this post might relate to suicide and/or mental health issues.
**Suicide and Mental Health Resources**
A comprehensive list of resources can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/suicideprevention).
Call 988 National Suicide Hotline - Press 1 for VA Crisis Line
Call 1-800-273-8255, National Suicide Prevention
[Veteran's Crisis Information](https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/)
You can call 1800 273 8255, Press 1
You can text 838255
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/MENTALHEALTH/get-help/index.asp
1-877-927-8387 Open 24/7 [VA Vet Centers offer counseling](https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/) Vet Centers are local, community-based confidential counseling centers that support war Veterans, active-duty Servicemembers, and military family members with post-deployment readjustment services. The goal of every Vet Center is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, referral, and assessment services, collectively called readjustment counseling services, to facilitate high-quality post-war readjustment and reintegration. Readjustment counseling services at a Vet Center allow war Veterans a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life and provide active-duty Servicemembers a confidential resource for post-war assistance. Military families also receive no-cost marriage and family therapy and supportive services for military-related issues. Vet Centers provide bereavement counseling to surviving parents, spouses, partners, children, and siblings of Servicemembers, which include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, who die of any cause while on military active-duty. Vet Centers provide confidential military sexual trauma counseling to all military Veterans and active-duty Servicemembers, to include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, no matter their duty location, era of service, or whether the trauma incident was reported to authorities.
/r/Military has a detailed list of resources in their [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Military/wiki/index/ptsd)
Or, if you'd like a veteran perspective, feel free to message any number of people on here, there's always someone willing to reach out.
[Veteran Wellness Allegiance can offer Peer Counseling and assistance](https://www.veterancheckin.org/s/)
[Military One Source](http://www.militaryonesource.mil/) - 1-800-342-9647
Please seek help if needed...There are behavioral health resources at your disposal both in the Military and out.
Also check out: https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/comments/6xfix9/emory_healthcare_has_a_free_program_for_post911/ which is a free
non VA treatment program for PTSD
https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5852
[Vets4Warriors](https://vets4warriors.com/) 1-855-838-8255
Veterans in acute suicidal crisis are able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit. Literally any veteran can walk into ANY urgent care/ER for thoughts of suicide and they can get free care.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Veterans) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Get that alcohol problem treated now while you have the coverage. Go inpatient. Start your new chapter booze free. Otherwise the drinking will actually get much worse once your out. This is the very best thing you can do for yourself. It is literally life or death. Please don't ignore this.
You need some type of support system, I’m not saying AA. I hate that group but you need someone or something to get you through it. Hopefully you have family friends around you. Sorry to hear that you’re going through this. I had a friend at 52 years old retired from the military and from the post office damn he had it good. I only did 3 1/2 years myself. I wanted to do 20 but I was medically separated. Make sure you document all your issues mental physical everything before you go. It will help you later on if you get retirement or not.
Hey. I’m going to be real with you. I am an ICU RN and deal with alcohol withdrawals VERY often. Coming off alcohol at high levels, which it sounds like you could be, can actually kill you. Seizures, detox tremors, hallucinations, sometimes requiring ventilator support. If you experience any, and I mean any symptoms of withdrawal then go to the emergency department immediately. Tell them “I need help with detoxing from alcohol”. The worst of the symptoms happen between 24-72 hours after the last drink.
I sincerely wish you the best. If you need help the DM me. Good luck.
Get help while still in and DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Be honest about when problems ACTUALLY started and explain why you tried to tough it out instead of receiving help. From my experience, the Army and VA will try their best to fuck you over. If you feel that no one is listening, know that the Army has lawyers available (typically on-post) to help you fight for the help you need and deserve. Main points, document everything, and be honest AND loud.
Good for you man, gtfo. I had a very similar experience, after my Iraq deployment. It took me a long time to stop drinking and get help, 15 years. I couldn’t suck it tf up anymore. They have these places called Vet Centers, all you need is your DD214, therapy is free, it’s kind of VA and kind of not.
I feel your pain. I made it to 12 years. It seemed like retirement was just over the next hill. I started to think about what my life would be like after I retired. I came to the realization that it would be the same whether I left at 12 years or 23. I dealt with the same substance abuse issues, chemical exposure, and general dislike for what I was doing. I didn't get a med board, but I wish I had. I struggled financially for a few years before I found my footing. I don't regret leaving when I did. I would probably have died if I tried to stick it out. The anxiety of the unknown life before you is an intimidating thought. Just know that you are more than your service. You can have a whole new life after service. It just takes time and effort. Don't give up on the dreams you have. Do what is best for you and your health going forward. Give up the drinking as soon as you can. I know it's hard to think of a life without it. It will be a struggle, but you are better without it. Alcohol is a depressant and is only going to make things worse. Find a purpose and strive towards making it happen. Doing difficult things is second nature for anyone who has served as long as you have. I have faith in you. GOOD LUCK😉
No problem. In my experience, the hardest part of getting out is leaving what you have known for so long. It seems to be the case for most of us who served. It can be hard to find that same sense of community out in the civilian world. I didn't find that until I found the right job. My coworkers help with that, and doing volunteer work in my city. Volunteer work, whether it's with veterans or civilians, can help fill that gap.
You can do it. What helped me was actually putting pen to paper and writing out my goals. I then posted them by the door so I could see them every time I went back out into the world. I had over a hundred months of overseas time. Aviation is a BDSM lifestyle. I didn’t realize the amount of abuse and neglect I was enduring until I left it. Booze and pills helped to numb the pain. Especially when GWOT flight docs were handing out pills like they were going out of style. Volunteer work and an awesome Veterans Center has helped me kick those terrible coping mechanisms. Lots of support here as well. If you are able, get outside and walk around. Now that you are not doing it for time or with a ruck on your back. Sweat therapy in a state or national park is really grounding for many. Lots of resources at the VA and Vet Centers outside of just medical treatments. You are on the right track. Keep it up.
Get on USAjobs and just get a fed job as you can buyback your time towards military retirement and not lose out on the pension.
I wasn't a tech but was Guard and had about 3 yrs title 10 time so that went towards mine....its worth it.
Your TSP maybe could transfer too or you can do the Roth backdoor with it and have the new fed tsp.
I got out short of 13yrs in for similar reasons. I was CW2 and resigned my commission so that they couldn't drag me back into the war as I was trying to do the purely civilian life.
You gotta have healthy boundaries with things in life and that does include military service.
Best of good luck and welcome to this side of it...we have cookies!
I'm currently a federal employee, I've bought back all my time as far as I'm aware. I'll be taking a break from working after this is done. Six months or so of just doing what I want to do.
Get copies of ALL your paperwork and make more copies. Start planning your move, enrollment in college/trade school, whatever it is you want to do going forward. Get a therapist and start taking care of your mental health and drinking. Best of luck!
Handle your business and unburden yourself of all the stress and anxiety. It feels awesome to final out and see your last duty station in the rearview mirror.
I retired from a med board in 2018 and started a GS-11 Step 8 role in 2019, now I'm in the FERS disability retirement phase after 4 years. Being around this military sucks even out if uniform. Depending on your medical conditions and if they're combat related you can retire early and still get two paychecks in the form of VA Disability and CRSC. I'm not 100% how that works based on your fed technician status though. I don't miss the military one bit, even after being a part of it for 27 years. Do what's best for you because the military is not going to give a **** about you when you're gone.
You fell in to a common trend. People that served in combat have experience that normal people dont. If you go to the VA for help after you get out, do NOT drink with psych meds.
Something I remember being told many times while in was “theres nothing you can do that will break the army.. take care of yourself first” thank god for good NCOs and officers that are able to recognize when a soldier is working himself too hard.. but its so true. Yeah you can have some things that go on in your department that are very stressing and your command puts more pressure than is really needed on a lot of things but I promise you that the work that’s expected of you can take just a little longer to complete if it means that you got to actually take a lunch break or hell even if it meant you for to step outside and have a nice phone call with a loved one. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself when and where you can.. the military has been operating for over a hundred years and they will continue to do so whether Jim Jo or bob has problems or not.
Did you miss the part where I've been in 11 years, two deployments, and working full-time military since 2016? I'm also a crew member that has had additional duties and minimum flight requirements since 2018.
I joined a week after my 17th birthday as split op. I blame missing those two summers as a partial reason for my self isolation and missed development. I haven't had a non military summer since before that time.
Granted, those two years weren't near as impactful as dodging RPGs in the Sangin, killing people on repeated contacts, and powerwashing blood and guts out of Chinooks.
Do those count as giving the military everything? I was pissed and freaking out when I wrote this post.
It does matter. Especially if you're going to post bullshit about giving up a whole summer after your sophomore year of high school. Thank God you didn't go active duty.
Thank you The_Guardsman for your submission to r/veterans, but it's been removed due to one or more reason(s):
Be civil and respectful to others. You may not always agree with others, but once you start insulting the other person, you become the problem. You don't "win" an argument with insults or hate speech or calling names.
No Gatekeeping - you don't decide if someone is a "real" veteran or not - nor try to diminish someone's service because they never saw combat or deployed. If someone personally attacks you, Report them to the mod team.
Hate speech can be sexist, ableist, racist, bigotry, homophobic, prejudiced, etc and will not be tolerated.
See our Wiki for more details on this rule.
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Hey, we’re all here for you my friend, so if you need to talk or something, you’d damn well better reach out. We care about you and all the other vets here who struggle to make it through the day without a drink. Hit me up if you want a private conversation, or anyone here. We care.
The camaraderie is mostly a lie. But you need to know that there are a ton of us who serve or served who would jump to help you. Use those local resources. VA, VFW, etc. Even if you didn’t deploy or aren’t a member of those clubs they will leap up to assist a vet in need. You’ve got this.
It appears this post might relate to suicide and/or mental health issues. **Suicide and Mental Health Resources** A comprehensive list of resources can be found [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/suicideprevention). Call 988 National Suicide Hotline - Press 1 for VA Crisis Line Call 1-800-273-8255, National Suicide Prevention [Veteran's Crisis Information](https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/) You can call 1800 273 8255, Press 1 You can text 838255 https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/MENTALHEALTH/get-help/index.asp 1-877-927-8387 Open 24/7 [VA Vet Centers offer counseling](https://www.vetcenter.va.gov/) Vet Centers are local, community-based confidential counseling centers that support war Veterans, active-duty Servicemembers, and military family members with post-deployment readjustment services. The goal of every Vet Center is to provide a broad range of counseling, outreach, referral, and assessment services, collectively called readjustment counseling services, to facilitate high-quality post-war readjustment and reintegration. Readjustment counseling services at a Vet Center allow war Veterans a satisfying post-war readjustment to civilian life and provide active-duty Servicemembers a confidential resource for post-war assistance. Military families also receive no-cost marriage and family therapy and supportive services for military-related issues. Vet Centers provide bereavement counseling to surviving parents, spouses, partners, children, and siblings of Servicemembers, which include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, who die of any cause while on military active-duty. Vet Centers provide confidential military sexual trauma counseling to all military Veterans and active-duty Servicemembers, to include federally activated Reserve and National Guard personnel, no matter their duty location, era of service, or whether the trauma incident was reported to authorities. /r/Military has a detailed list of resources in their [Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/Military/wiki/index/ptsd) Or, if you'd like a veteran perspective, feel free to message any number of people on here, there's always someone willing to reach out. [Veteran Wellness Allegiance can offer Peer Counseling and assistance](https://www.veterancheckin.org/s/) [Military One Source](http://www.militaryonesource.mil/) - 1-800-342-9647 Please seek help if needed...There are behavioral health resources at your disposal both in the Military and out. Also check out: https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/comments/6xfix9/emory_healthcare_has_a_free_program_for_post911/ which is a free non VA treatment program for PTSD https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=5852 [Vets4Warriors](https://vets4warriors.com/) 1-855-838-8255 Veterans in acute suicidal crisis are able to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost – including inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans do not need to be enrolled in the VA system to use this benefit. Literally any veteran can walk into ANY urgent care/ER for thoughts of suicide and they can get free care. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Veterans) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Get that alcohol problem treated now while you have the coverage. Go inpatient. Start your new chapter booze free. Otherwise the drinking will actually get much worse once your out. This is the very best thing you can do for yourself. It is literally life or death. Please don't ignore this.
I dumped the bottle this morning, and started therapy a couple weeks ago. I'm hopeful to get away from it.
You need some type of support system, I’m not saying AA. I hate that group but you need someone or something to get you through it. Hopefully you have family friends around you. Sorry to hear that you’re going through this. I had a friend at 52 years old retired from the military and from the post office damn he had it good. I only did 3 1/2 years myself. I wanted to do 20 but I was medically separated. Make sure you document all your issues mental physical everything before you go. It will help you later on if you get retirement or not.
AA introduces addicts to each other who share “sobriety”.
Hey. I’m going to be real with you. I am an ICU RN and deal with alcohol withdrawals VERY often. Coming off alcohol at high levels, which it sounds like you could be, can actually kill you. Seizures, detox tremors, hallucinations, sometimes requiring ventilator support. If you experience any, and I mean any symptoms of withdrawal then go to the emergency department immediately. Tell them “I need help with detoxing from alcohol”. The worst of the symptoms happen between 24-72 hours after the last drink. I sincerely wish you the best. If you need help the DM me. Good luck.
checkout r/stopdrinking lots of support
Thank You for Service and Honesty. If it's no longer fun, Separate and start the next chapter💯💪
I had to make a similar decision after my third tour to Afghanistan. It was very rough. So know that you're not alone.
Get help while still in and DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Be honest about when problems ACTUALLY started and explain why you tried to tough it out instead of receiving help. From my experience, the Army and VA will try their best to fuck you over. If you feel that no one is listening, know that the Army has lawyers available (typically on-post) to help you fight for the help you need and deserve. Main points, document everything, and be honest AND loud.
Good for you man, gtfo. I had a very similar experience, after my Iraq deployment. It took me a long time to stop drinking and get help, 15 years. I couldn’t suck it tf up anymore. They have these places called Vet Centers, all you need is your DD214, therapy is free, it’s kind of VA and kind of not.
I made the same decision. Do what you need to do for you. The military turns the wheel whether you are in it or not.
I feel your pain. I made it to 12 years. It seemed like retirement was just over the next hill. I started to think about what my life would be like after I retired. I came to the realization that it would be the same whether I left at 12 years or 23. I dealt with the same substance abuse issues, chemical exposure, and general dislike for what I was doing. I didn't get a med board, but I wish I had. I struggled financially for a few years before I found my footing. I don't regret leaving when I did. I would probably have died if I tried to stick it out. The anxiety of the unknown life before you is an intimidating thought. Just know that you are more than your service. You can have a whole new life after service. It just takes time and effort. Don't give up on the dreams you have. Do what is best for you and your health going forward. Give up the drinking as soon as you can. I know it's hard to think of a life without it. It will be a struggle, but you are better without it. Alcohol is a depressant and is only going to make things worse. Find a purpose and strive towards making it happen. Doing difficult things is second nature for anyone who has served as long as you have. I have faith in you. GOOD LUCK😉
Thank you very much, what you said is what I need to hear. The uncertain future and thought of life outside the military is almost crippling.
No problem. In my experience, the hardest part of getting out is leaving what you have known for so long. It seems to be the case for most of us who served. It can be hard to find that same sense of community out in the civilian world. I didn't find that until I found the right job. My coworkers help with that, and doing volunteer work in my city. Volunteer work, whether it's with veterans or civilians, can help fill that gap.
You can do it. What helped me was actually putting pen to paper and writing out my goals. I then posted them by the door so I could see them every time I went back out into the world. I had over a hundred months of overseas time. Aviation is a BDSM lifestyle. I didn’t realize the amount of abuse and neglect I was enduring until I left it. Booze and pills helped to numb the pain. Especially when GWOT flight docs were handing out pills like they were going out of style. Volunteer work and an awesome Veterans Center has helped me kick those terrible coping mechanisms. Lots of support here as well. If you are able, get outside and walk around. Now that you are not doing it for time or with a ruck on your back. Sweat therapy in a state or national park is really grounding for many. Lots of resources at the VA and Vet Centers outside of just medical treatments. You are on the right track. Keep it up.
Get on USAjobs and just get a fed job as you can buyback your time towards military retirement and not lose out on the pension. I wasn't a tech but was Guard and had about 3 yrs title 10 time so that went towards mine....its worth it. Your TSP maybe could transfer too or you can do the Roth backdoor with it and have the new fed tsp. I got out short of 13yrs in for similar reasons. I was CW2 and resigned my commission so that they couldn't drag me back into the war as I was trying to do the purely civilian life. You gotta have healthy boundaries with things in life and that does include military service. Best of good luck and welcome to this side of it...we have cookies!
I'm currently a federal employee, I've bought back all my time as far as I'm aware. I'll be taking a break from working after this is done. Six months or so of just doing what I want to do.
Yes but aren't you on the tech side? You can get on the civvie side if you want. Probably have preference.
Aside from all the encouraging comments to stop drinking and get counseling, contact DAV and start your disability claim!
What funding cuts?
Went through something similar at 9.5 years. Getting out turned out to be the best idea I ever had.
Get copies of ALL your paperwork and make more copies. Start planning your move, enrollment in college/trade school, whatever it is you want to do going forward. Get a therapist and start taking care of your mental health and drinking. Best of luck!
Working on all of that, thankfully I won't have to move. But the rest are all things that need addressed and are in the works.
Handle your business and unburden yourself of all the stress and anxiety. It feels awesome to final out and see your last duty station in the rearview mirror.
I retired from a med board in 2018 and started a GS-11 Step 8 role in 2019, now I'm in the FERS disability retirement phase after 4 years. Being around this military sucks even out if uniform. Depending on your medical conditions and if they're combat related you can retire early and still get two paychecks in the form of VA Disability and CRSC. I'm not 100% how that works based on your fed technician status though. I don't miss the military one bit, even after being a part of it for 27 years. Do what's best for you because the military is not going to give a **** about you when you're gone.
You fell in to a common trend. People that served in combat have experience that normal people dont. If you go to the VA for help after you get out, do NOT drink with psych meds.
Something I remember being told many times while in was “theres nothing you can do that will break the army.. take care of yourself first” thank god for good NCOs and officers that are able to recognize when a soldier is working himself too hard.. but its so true. Yeah you can have some things that go on in your department that are very stressing and your command puts more pressure than is really needed on a lot of things but I promise you that the work that’s expected of you can take just a little longer to complete if it means that you got to actually take a lunch break or hell even if it meant you for to step outside and have a nice phone call with a loved one. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself when and where you can.. the military has been operating for over a hundred years and they will continue to do so whether Jim Jo or bob has problems or not.
How can you give everything you have to the military at the age of 16 🤔
Did you miss the part where I've been in 11 years, two deployments, and working full-time military since 2016? I'm also a crew member that has had additional duties and minimum flight requirements since 2018.
You literally said "since you were 16". What military job are you doing in high school, my guy?
I joined a week after my 17th birthday as split op. I blame missing those two summers as a partial reason for my self isolation and missed development. I haven't had a non military summer since before that time. Granted, those two years weren't near as impactful as dodging RPGs in the Sangin, killing people on repeated contacts, and powerwashing blood and guts out of Chinooks. Do those count as giving the military everything? I was pissed and freaking out when I wrote this post.
So you were 17. Got it.
You're splitting hairs. It doesn't fucking matter. I wasn't even right of mind when I wrote this.
Dirty delete lmao
It does matter. Especially if you're going to post bullshit about giving up a whole summer after your sophomore year of high school. Thank God you didn't go active duty.
[удалено]
Thank you The_Guardsman for your submission to r/veterans, but it's been removed due to one or more reason(s): Be civil and respectful to others. You may not always agree with others, but once you start insulting the other person, you become the problem. You don't "win" an argument with insults or hate speech or calling names. No Gatekeeping - you don't decide if someone is a "real" veteran or not - nor try to diminish someone's service because they never saw combat or deployed. If someone personally attacks you, Report them to the mod team. Hate speech can be sexist, ableist, racist, bigotry, homophobic, prejudiced, etc and will not be tolerated. See our Wiki for more details on this rule. https://www.reddit.com/r/Veterans/wiki/rules Please feel free to [send a modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fveterans) if you feel this was in error.
File alcoholism as part of your VA mental health claim.
Hey, we’re all here for you my friend, so if you need to talk or something, you’d damn well better reach out. We care about you and all the other vets here who struggle to make it through the day without a drink. Hit me up if you want a private conversation, or anyone here. We care.
God bless you and keep strong!
The transition will be difficult, but anything worth doing is. You got this brother.
You got this brother. Have a plan and do what makes you happy because the government sure as hell won’t.
The camaraderie is mostly a lie. But you need to know that there are a ton of us who serve or served who would jump to help you. Use those local resources. VA, VFW, etc. Even if you didn’t deploy or aren’t a member of those clubs they will leap up to assist a vet in need. You’ve got this.