The more I realize that all those hours that I worked longer than I had to “for the good of the mission” would have better spent working on my degree. I robbed my family two ways. I wasn’t there when I “stepped up” and did all those extra hours. And all of those extra hours did absolutely nothing to help my family now that I’m retired.

“The experience” that I gained from the Air Force means almost nothing in the civilian world. “The mission” that at the time seemed so important, is pretty damn meaningless now.