I got out in 1998 and at the time we had 4 children (6 now). I had 12 1/2 years in, but like you I was always gone and missing so much of my family. My children didn't even know me. So you have to ask yourself which is more important, a pension or your family? We chose our family. We don't regret it one bit. I'm home for dinner every night, we have an established home and family life, and I see my children every day. I make over twice as much as I did in the military, so even though my benefits are more, my net take home pay is way more than my military net take home pay. I miss many of the challenges professionally that I once had, and I definitely miss many of the people that I had the pleasure of working with. But my profession and the people I worked with won't surround me when I'm dying. Only my family will. You can't replace failure in the home. That's my two cents, anyway.