Wow - I never thought I'd start souch a heated debate. I'm glad though, that I'm not the only one having these discussions. I'm glad I'm not the only one toiling with this process and tossing and turning not being able to sleep at night trying to decide what to do for me and my family.
Speaking of family, I don't remember reading much about that in the previous posts. Most of us that are in this boat prbably have families to consider. How many of them are tired of being home alone for 200-320 days of the year? How many of us have come home from our third deployment that year and had our kids afraid to talk to this stranger? How many wives or husbands have put their career plans on indefinite hold because we didn't know when or where we would move next? Granted a lot of these issues are not new since we signed our names on that line, but they certainly weren't presented to us that way.
ShackOne, I thought long and hard about my future in the AF, and am not ashamed to say I applied for that chance to get out with the VSP. If you say good riddens to me, I'm sorry. But when my peers and I dreamed of flying in the AF, we did so because of those who had done it before us; those who we read about and saw movies about. People like you, I'm sure. I truly wish the "good 'ol days" were still here - they'd have to pull me out kicking and screaming. Unfurtunately those days are long gone. Bottom line, it isn't the same AF you probably remember, and it isn't the same as when we all started as young cadets. I'm not ashamed of your service - don't be ashamed of mine.
Oh - and those of us who are considering separating early instead of retirement aren't the bottom of the barrel. On the contrary. From what I see, it's the cream of the crop. What's that tell you...?