Why would it make it any harder? First off, it's just money and to me I would rather have my OWN life back and not have some prick ridicule me about my sideburn being 1/4'' too long or get yelled at for having my hands in my pocket, or how 'bout going home every night to sleep in your own bed? Besides, if money is so important as to make a huge decision like this, why do you think they pay so much for star re-enlistment? Because no one will take it cause they would rather get out and make real money. Besides, I just got out about a month ago and I am doing the whole job search thing. The going rate for a navy nuke getting out if they stay in nuke power is about $75-80k in the area I am looking at. A friend of mine just got hired at Point Beach for $82K a year, 12% bonus per year and signing. He was an MM2. So, if you do the math, as an MM2 realistically you make let's say $42-44k a year, and that is being very generous. So a difference of about $40-42k a year, in a two year star, which I believe an MM2 will get maybe 40k before taxes (if that), you could make that in about a year in the civilian world. Bottom line there is no reason why you should even think about money as a reason for re-enlisting. I hate it when Junior NUBS re-enlist even before being senior-in-rate and then complain about it later, 'cause they are the ones that do it the most. Always 807 or FTN or just complaining about work and taking it out on everyone else by not working 'cause they "hate the navy so much". If you re-enlist it should go something like this:
"Man, I really like what I am doing for my country and believe in what I am doing. I like my job and can't see myself doing anything else. I think I will re-enlist, oh... what's this... a bonus!"
or
"Man, I really suck at life and am too much of a piece of crap and too lazy to be of any use to any legitimate company. I think I will re-enlist 'cause I can't perform at anything else in life unless it involves sitting down on a couch."