I am seeking your honest opinion. (Those who have been through the program)
I have found my self in a predicament.
I am 27 years old, and am currently in the U.S. military. I will not say what branch or my job to maintain some of my privacy. Before I joined I was a LEO with a pretty well known department. The department is known for a solid reputation and training. I loved my job as a LEO, stayed in great shape and got really good at it. The only reason that I left was because I had my daughter and realized that the Healthcare on civilian side wasn't cutting it. I decided that when I joined the military I would do something hard and more "combat" related in a special warfare capacity. I joined a prestigious program, made it through bootcamp, basic, etc. Whatever your initial training is for your branch. Went to selection, a very physically and mentally challenging course, and was selected as the top overall performer, to be clear my pt wasn't the best, my skills weren't the best but everything was really good and good enough to earn the top spot.
After selection I was moved to a new location to complete my pipeline but after going through a few courses I could clearly see that the job I was selected for was not the job I wanted and did not have as many opportunities to work in the enviroment I was looking for. Somewhere in the recruiting process my expectations for this job were a bit higher than the jobs actual capabilities. I felt as though continuing with my pipeline was pointless because I would be learning and doing some challenging things but I wouldn't want the everyday job that came with this career field, not to mention it would take alot of time away from my family. I left the career field voluntarily and was able to secure a more normal career field that is far from anything related to combat and also just not challenging.
Well since then I have deployed, and been at home station and enjoyed the job thus far, but I keep finding myself feeling like its not enough. While I do get alot of time with my family, and a relatively stress free work enviroment, I feel like i need to join 18x or another similar program or I will look back and regret that I never went after it. The other side of this is while deployed I deeply missed my family and found myself feeling like I was missing my daughter grow up. I know I have the capability to make it through a career field like these, but I also don't want to end up regretting not being there for my kid and wife being that these types of jobs seem to require 6+ months a year of being gone.
Im sure someone out there has been in my dilemma before and want to know which path you chose, and what your regrets are if any? The time with your family, or the career that you dreamed of or even advice on how you were able to get the best of both. Thank you.