Well, I got out at 15 because I had 2 small boys and a third on the way, and I didn't want to miss the next 5 years of their life. So I figured it was time to get out. Purely a family decision. Career wise, I would've gone back to a carrier and taken an LCPO billet, probably qualified PPWO and all.
I really wanted an instructor position at a civilian plant, but nothing ever came up. I was offered an AO position at a plant in SC, but I choose the Crane position after I got out because it paid a bit more ($20k) than the AO position I was offered and I didn't have to move.
But that position turned out to be the opposite of what I wanted.
So from there I looked at what would be a career I really enjoyed, and since I had been a flight instructor for the last 8 years on the side, I choose to try to fly full time. We would have been fine with the paycut because my wife had a good job lined up, but my wife's job turned out to be a bust and now we're trying to survive on my miniscule salary.
So we started thinking maybe I could get back in the Navy, finish up, then come back and fly. The added retirement salary would make up for the pay difference...
So that's the story...
Thanks for all the input so far!