r/regretjoining Feb 09 '17

My Story

978 Upvotes

Back in 2006 at the age of 18 I joined the US Navy (in a group called the seabees). I was very patriotic and wanted to serve the country. At the time I believed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan without question and felt that being against them was unpatriotic.

Towards the end of boot camp I began to really think about what I did and started to feel that maybe I had made a mistake. When I was in A School I was appalled how psychopathic and stupid everyone was. Examples would be, I remember people talking about how fun it would be to kill Muslim children. Other times people would talk about raping Muslim women. This type of behavior was very common and whenever it happened I would tell them they were sick and shouldn't be that way. I was also constantly being bullied for being different from them and also because at the time I was a virgin. I had a few incidents where I was shoved into oncoming traffic and other instances where I was told the wrong time to show up so I would get into trouble. I tried to act like an adult and I turned them in for the bullying but I was basically told to, “stop being a faggot and wasting our time coming to us with your hurt feelings.” At one point I lost control and shoved a guy into furniture. He then ran away and told on me (he is shown in an article below). By this time I knew I didn't want to be there anymore. Also by this time I began to have animosity towards the United States itself. My conservative political beliefs went away and I began to question everything.

When I got to the seabee battalion I decided I was going to attempt to get kicked out. Logic told me that if I went to my command and politely told them how I was now opposed to the war and also began to believe that America was too violent of a nation for me to serve. They yelled at me and said "you should have thought about that before you joined". I decided after this I was just going to not do my job and be terrible. I was treated very badly by the vast majority of seabees. I had woken up several times in the middle of the night because someone was banging on my door screaming that they wanted to kill me. I often broke rules or just left work for no reason. For some reason I never seemed to get in trouble though. As time went on I became more desperate to get out. I called the Canadian Immigration Agency and asked them if they would give refugee status to a US military deserter. They told me if I came to Canada as a deserter I could risk being deported because it would be illegal immigration. I then was caught by an undercover cop trying to buy marijuana. This only resulted in a disciplinary review board where I was screamed at for and hour and a half. I told them during that "I don't want to be a baby killer anymore and the war in Iraq is wrong". Ironically I still did not get in trouble after that. One chief even decided to "mentor" me and felt I just needed encouragement (this still makes no sense to me). During this whole time most other low ranking seabees hated me. I would often receive death threats. One guy even repeatedly told me he wanted to rape me.

As time went on I was deployed to Guam. There I continued to intentionally do poor work and say offensive things. Another chief decided to "mentor" me and he actually nominated me for "Sailor of the Year". At this point I started pretending to be suicidal. They then sent me to a psychiatrist and I told him everything. He was shocked and offended by my disloyalty and desire to leave the country. He said that he would try to get me separated. This didn't work. I then threatened to kill myself again so they sent me to the same psychiatrist. He was shocked I was still in the Navy and then told the command more aggressively to separate me. This finally worked and I was discharged from the Navy on August 29, 2008. My discharge paper says "Convenience of the Government" for the reason.

I'm currently a college graduate with a decent job. Before you ask, NO I did not have the GI Bill and even if I did I would have refused it. I would like to leave the country and still have some animosity but I'm currently not qualified to immigrate anywhere I would like to go to. I was politically active when I was in college and often protested current wars and government policy. I had to deal with a lot of hate issues for years but I'm slowly getting better.

Years after I got out, I looked up the guy I hated most and found this.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/sex-offender-charged-with-molesting-girl/article_04d3456b-451b-563a-b1b0-155a4880a15b.html

That should give you an idea what I was surrounded with in the Navy.

I decided to create this subreddit so I can help people that were in my situation get out. I hope that they can be provided with good advice that can let them get out quicker than I did.

EDIT: I ended up immigrating to Canada in April of 2018 and still live there to this day. I became a Canadian citizen in 2023.

EDIT: Here’s more about that piece of shit I hated.

https://www.in.gov/apps/indcorrection/ofs/ofs?previous_page=1&detail=225315


r/regretjoining May 20 '24

The GI Rights Hotline is a good source for help.

22 Upvotes

https://girightshotline.org

They helped me when back when I was stuck in and can do the same for you.


r/regretjoining 34m ago

Self referral (URGENT)

Upvotes

i am in dire need of help or advice or just someone who has gone through something similar , i’m in A school it’s been about 2 months of me being here, im still under the 180 days. i saw BH for 3 weeks they didn’t help for shit, got diagnosed with adjustment disorder with anxiety and depression. i made the dumb decision to smoke. (marijuana) and i self referred because i didnt want to pop on a random test, its been 3 weeks since then they made me sign a consent form with legal for the test and provided a urinalysis, it has been radio silent since i haven’t heard anything at all. i just got notified i am being classed up tomorrow which was highly unexpected because i thought it was zero tolerance in the navy? and i’m just wondering why would they put in a classroom. can anyone give me insight.


r/regretjoining 7h ago

USCG MST or BM?

1 Upvotes

I’m 24 years old and have a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science. During college, I worked as a lake patrol officer, where I gained experience protecting natural resources and serving the public.

After graduating, I attended the police academy, but I tore my labrum during defensive tactics training. After surgery, I had to pursue a different career path.

Now I’m deciding between Marine Science Technician (MST) and Boatswain’s Mate (BM). I’m passionate about environmental protection, which makes the MST rating especially appealing, but I also enjoy the hands-on operational work and variety that comes with being a BM. The Coast Guard aligns perfectly with my education, experience, and desire to continue serving in a meaningful way. Thanks in advance


r/regretjoining 22h ago

Second thoughts.

9 Upvotes

I am about 2 weeks away from basic and the second thoughts are hitting me really hard. It was dumb of me to not think about these things sooner. I saw the service members who were killed this weekend because some of them were really young and It shook me because that could’ve or could be me. i’m young and have a wonderful wife that i want to spend my life with. I’ve never been more sad and afraid. A lot of my family is military and have been assisting or following my journey so far and i feel like i would be disappointing all of them IF i did quit. Some of them even pulled strings to help me out. my MOS i went with is 42a. i’m just venting and looking for advice from an outside perspective.


r/regretjoining 22h ago

Help

1 Upvotes

I have been reclassed to another ait army I’ve been in over 180days and I want out what do I do


r/regretjoining 1d ago

Hello again

3 Upvotes

A little update for yall I got a doctors recommendation that I’m not fit to serve and they’ve recommended for ELS (entry level separation) my command agreed with it and have started the process typically how long does the process take ? I plan on talking to legal every few days so they don’t forget about it or just burry the paperwork when they get it


r/regretjoining 2d ago

US soldiers 25 year old Tyler James Feehan and 19 year old Isabella Gonzales dead from in the Iranian strike on Jordan. If you're still in the military, GTFO before it eventually gets worse.

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85 Upvotes

r/regretjoining 1d ago

Took the first step today

12 Upvotes

Finally had a breaking point last night so i walked into BH today pretty much told them everything about how I'm spiraling out of control, my history with depression and anxiety, and the unfortunate incident that happened to me yesterday. I told them i had SI and mentioned how bad i was doing within the unit. They booked me for an intake tomorrow and put me on a 30 day no weapons profile. (My job requires me to carry a weapon). When i met the psychologist after meeting with the therapist sgt, he mentioned the FTA discharge but never said it was gonna be initiated. I just want to know if Im on the right track of getting the fuck outta here, and some advice on my intake tomorrow.


r/regretjoining 2d ago

Year 7. Hating it more each day.

19 Upvotes

The Army—or at least the unit I’m currently serving in—has become deeply frustrating. Maintenance is chronically poor, and many of our vehicles are decades old and unreliable. We routinely overtask Soldiers while leadership often ignores concerns from those closest to the problems.

The evaluation system has also lost credibility. Evaluations can’t be taken at face value because everyone is expected to read between the lines. Comments that appear positive on paper—such as “top 20%” or even “promote ahead of peers”—are often interpreted negatively depending on context, making the process confusing and disingenuous.

At the same time, we continue separating Soldiers at a high rate while simultaneously claiming to have a manning shortage. The barracks are in poor condition, and many of the inspections, demonstrations, and “dog and pony shows” feel more like performances than genuine efforts to improve readiness or take care of Soldiers.

After seven years as an officer, it’s difficult not to feel disillusioned. I’m currently an O-3, and for the first time, I’m seriously contemplating whether staying in the Army is the right decision.


r/regretjoining 3d ago

I don’t feel the comradery I was expecting joining the army

14 Upvotes

Don’t get me wrong there’s cool dudes I would call friends in the army we go out drink have fun and all. But I’m on leave rn and it just reminded me how much closer I am and how much more fun I have with my hometown friends. It’s rly making me miss civilian life and I just wish I was able to be as close to people in the army as I am with my hometown boys. Is anyone else experiencing this or have any advice?


r/regretjoining 3d ago

How is morale in the U.S. military right now?

16 Upvotes

I haven't seen any polls about military morale in 2026. I'm guessing that morale is low. I don't really see anything to be excited about, if you're in the military right now. Trump is an extreme narcissist. America seems to be moving away from being a free country. America is committing war crimes in Iran.


r/regretjoining 3d ago

Possible MEB soon?

7 Upvotes

A little over 2 years into my contract, hospitalized for SI maybe 6 months ago went through 6 different prescriptions before I gave up saying none of them are working doc just kept pushing new ones every time. I hurt my back a few months ago on a detail and have been going to PT after asking for a profile I get hit with "if you are on profile longer than 180 days we have to start MEB" I have been on profile for 110 days already is it possible this is where I get out finally? I have had no improvement in my back pain im tired of playing military and the dumb games, im living on auto pilot most days not even remembering what I did all week. I still have SI but cant bring myself to tell my wife. The first time I got hospitalized I told her it was for a sleep study and I needed to stay at the hospital for a few night. My anxiety and depression kick my butt every day motivation is in the garbage.


r/regretjoining 2d ago

Those in the the navy

1 Upvotes

tell me about battle stations.


r/regretjoining 3d ago

Heavy thoughts

9 Upvotes

I wish I can go back in time and just keep walking past the recruiting station.

Maybe I should’ve joined another branch and not the army…but sometimes I just think “what if I just completed them 3.5yrs. I would’ve went to Afghanistan, then ETS’d maybe 1yr later” I mean when I was going through the process of getting out (chaptered out under DADT) a few of the SGTs were like “no don’t go, after deployment it gets better”
I was like, “it’s not even about deploying, this life isn’t what I thought it would be and I don’t trust any of you”

I was SA’d one night and I reported it, I did all I could despite not knowing who the man was…..but I kept getting harassed by men and eventually I was outed by a “battle buddy” I confided in. That prompted an investigation and ultimately I was the joke of the company. I was truly embarrassed.

I joined because I wanted to help and defend America. I was athletic but I was homeless and it was pretty much a do or die. The recruiter made it seem so good. I was made to believe that the Army was my way out….i cry sometimes because I wish I was who I was before I went in….a part of me is still lingering in those barracks. The Army took a part of me that I wasn’t willing to give.

I didn’t mind going to war because I truly believed the US was going to get the bad guys…now, learning more and listening to other vets who did go to the sandbox, a part of me is like “did I dodge a bullet” yet, the other part of me is like “I’m a pos for not going”

I threw out the rest of my cup of kool-aid, but I still have the empty cup…

I feel like a loser, but I feel like I did what I could to ensure my safety and survival because look at the other women since that have been hurt or worse by their own. Vanessa Guillen for example…women are not protected and it’s sad because there’s a lot of bad ass women that are meant to be in uniform….

I just want this pain and feeling to go away. 🥺


r/regretjoining 4d ago

Bullies

14 Upvotes

The Army is just an organization where most of the bullies, sociopaths, psychos and evil live.

It’s kinda like prison…


r/regretjoining 4d ago

NG making it hard for an ELS

2 Upvotes

RSP recruit here, got sick of the guard already and decided I don't wanna do it no more. Recruiter is slacking regarding ELS paperwork, 1sgt mentions state law that I must attend RSP but i'm not a really in the guard yet according to his own words before, state IG directed me to TDS and awaiting for their response. Don't feel like going to RSP at all lol. Any thoughts on how to best proceed so I can just leave already?


r/regretjoining 6d ago

Els at first duty station.

5 Upvotes

Hello all, still depressed, still hate the army. just wondering if it's still possible or easier to get out via ELS even after TRADOC. Im still in the ELS period till September. If so whats the best way to go about initiating it?


r/regretjoining 7d ago

The entitlement of soldiers is appalling

12 Upvotes

Just saw this Instagram reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Da0D4xguSXX, and really? Non-soldiers can't salute? Where in the Constitution does it say that?


r/regretjoining 8d ago

I want out of the navy

12 Upvotes

Hey, to give some context I just got to my first duty station in Japan. I went through bootcamp and A school and struggled a lot mentally. I want to separate as soon as humanly possible to go back home to the states. Although I know everyone say to just finish out my first contract I don’t think I have the will or mental strength to do so and would rather just get out and go back to working as a civilian. I honestly could care less about keeping the benefits, the o my thing I care about is going home but I just don’t know where to start since my ship is still underway. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


r/regretjoining 9d ago

Getting out

10 Upvotes

Is it just me, or does it seem like getting out of the military is even harder than getting in


r/regretjoining 10d ago

Behavioral Health Advice

6 Upvotes

I’ve been seeing behavioral health for about nine months now and currently going through IOP for both anxiety and depression. I’m also on my 5th medication and getting tired of taking these different pills that don’t even work for me. I also do off post therapy with a non military provider. Does anyone have any advice on how to get my psychiatrist to agree to a MEB? What would happen if I just refuse to take more medications?


r/regretjoining 11d ago

Seperate during C school?

4 Upvotes

I am about to graduate from my first school, is it possible to start the process during C school? I am past 180 days, however I am under 365 days. I know it might take a while but I am not in a great place mentally, and can’t handle more school. The time away from family has caused a huge impact on my mental health, and every day has been a struggle.

The reason I stay in? I’m worried about what jobs will say if I separate early, and I don’t want to be seen as a quitter. I do want to talk to the chaplain but I know they might not be a great help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I also don’t have long until I ship to my next school.

Thank you in advance!


r/regretjoining 12d ago

The reality of MOS 35 G | Geospatial Analyst U.S Army

36 Upvotes

I am writing this as a warning to people going into Intel/ the army.

Most people do support jobs when they join the army and they don't see combat.

I was undersold on the truth of what this mos actually does when I asked around and did my research so now I am warning you.

I deployed as a Geospatial Analyst and I saw a lot of people die.

I even saw people die uncertain of their combatant status ie uncertain if terror group or civilian. *Not by US forces.

Bottom line. You join because you need the money but the mental scars are real and you don't know what your getting yourself into until your down range and watching body parts blow up in the sky turns from fighting for "Freedom" to wtf are we actually doing here.

What we are doing is not purposeful. You are not a special, you are not king leonides from Sparta, you are not captain america or soap from call of duty.

You are Mercenary for the state invading and occupying a foreign territory and calling the people who defend their lands terrorists. You are not a hero you are a pawn for a global elite that greatly profit from colonization and exploit of energy resources, copper, zinc, gold, and significant rare earth elements like tantalum and niobium.

That's it. Little Suzy back home is no safer from your occupation.

Your being played. You are a fool.

I keep getting downvoted on this post. some people think they have a right to go overseas and kill people because they are not white and Christian. disqusting.


r/regretjoining 13d ago

US soldiers force Vietnamese woman to become "human minesweepers", walking through minefields, Vietnam War (1966). Not a proud moment and unsure if any of these soldiers faced prosecution.

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26 Upvotes