Mox,

I know exactly how you feel. I retired last summer, following the worst year in my 20-yr career. I arrived at my last tour with 4 yrs left, but I had done a remote earlier, so was safe from another. As a passed over O-4, I spent the next 3 years flying the line and having a great time as a "Field Grader without Portfolio." But the last year was hell. I had a horrible commander and was grounded following an incident that I had no control over and wasn't even present at. I hated every day. My family suffered because of my bad attitude.

Obviously I wasn't going to get out with less than a year left, so I stuck it out. I got hired by an ACMI carrier, and started Terminal leave at the very earliest I could, which was also when the class started. Given that training pay was $50 a day, and no per diem, those last 2 AD paychecks made a huge difference. And while the retirement check isn't huge, it, too, makes a big difference especially on first-year pay.

Speaking of first-yr pay, most people make the assumption that they'll only have to endure that level of pay once. But given the spate of bankruptcies, mergers, and failures in the industry, you may get stuck on first-yr pay again, and that's when you'll be very thankful for that retirement check. Even Tricare is a blessing (I can't believe I just said that).

I know I'm just jumping on the bandwagon, and by now you've probably heard it enough. Yes, the grass can be greener on the outside. It certainly was for me. But I think of my retirement check as fertilizer, making it that much greener.