Ha! You think you’ll pick up your DD214! In actuality, you’ll screen it and mark everything the IPAC Seps clerk got wrong or forgot (i.e. missing awards, etc) and then they will tell you you have to come back after your actual EAS date. You’ll hit the roof but can’t do anything about it. Hopefully I’m wrong and it’s different for actual retirement.
Kidding aside, congrats brother! I stayed in the reserves instead of retiring but my 20 year letter is secure in the safe!
ETA: Fuck RFMSS. Also, to add to @TGS wonderful insights to training barriers (1000% correct btw) I can only speak to the pre-GWOT years from 97-the kickoff, but We (usually) only used one or two of the three parallel rifle ranges when we were qualifying units and only one pistol range at a time. I was a block official at the Pulgas range on Pendleton. I don’t know if it was slower back then or less requirements; things DID seem simpler and slower back then. Big problem PGWOT was no money. We alternated months buying printer paper and toilet paper.
Last edited by TOTS; 09-23-2021 at 08:48 PM.
That’s similar to the pistol experience the entire USMC Aviation gets. A newly promoted SNCO gets about 15 minutes of one-on-one fam training with the M9, then 10 rnds of pre-qual, then 40 for score. That’s their annual qualification! Training and range coaching is provided by E4-E6 (often an admin or maintenance Marine) from that unit with the only qualification that they had scored Expert on the rifle range prior to going to the Marksmanship Training Unit for a PowerPoint class on how to be a pistol range coach.
Congratulations on your retirement, @rcbusmc24! Well deserved and I'm glad you are in a position to retire. Not all who make it to their 20 are so lucky. Enjoy it!
The pro tip for getting your DD-214 perfect the first time; Bring your 'I love me' book with printed copies of all of your awards and deployment orders etc you want reflected on your DD-214. The clerks there are able to make on the spot corrections 90%+ of the time* so long as you've got absolute proof you 'did the thing'. They obviously just can't make any edits on your word alone, and they don't always have time or the ability to pull up your records, iPerms, whatever.
Also, ask for as many original copies of the Member-4 and Service-2 as they're willing to give you.
*(Gov systems being what they are, accesses being a constant problem, middle field grade officers cursed with good idea fairies, etc)
Great gouge right there
Looks like these have finally landed, I'm very tempted but can't help but wonder what a good price would be for this given the MSRP of $1100 and seems everybody is asking around $1000. I remember when you could find M9A3's around $800 or better. Think I may just wait a bit but knowing Beretta I'd hate to miss out if they don't run these very long. Thoughts?