Yo, every part of the Army sucks. The parts people pine for happen to be the parts that weren't that shitty. Like how our 1SG would release us at noon on Fridays for family time. We felt blessed by the green weenie to schedule pediatrician appointments and school conferences between 1300-1700 on a Friday. And we loved him for that. My buddies still have about that single act of kindness 15 years later.

Well, now I'm a network engineer in the real world, I get paid 4x what I made in the Army... And I get to take time off whenever the fuck I want to. I don't have to submit a leave request or pass request and hope and pray that my commander will let me go to my mother-in-law's funeral. Or tell me that I only need 5 days for my father's death - including travel. Hey Top, can me and my wife pretty please go on a honeymoon? Between June and August and only for 3 days? Hoah!!!

Take the best time I ever had on active duty and it doesn't compare to any part of my civilian life.

Find some interests. Trivia at the local bar. Table Tennis. Pickleball. Take guitar lessons and do covers at shitty bars. Go to the VFW and listen to the old heads steal valor. The only thing I miss about AD was the enforced fitness. I hated PT at 0500, but I liked being fit. Other than that, I tell everyone I meet to never sign up. And if you do sign, go part-time.