spent 10 years as an HH-60G pilot. 3 ops assignments in a row, though I didn't get out for that reason, it was the 7 deployments that went with those 3 ops assignments. Would have had at least one more but for a medical issue shortly before we were supposed to go out the door. I was fine with that ops tempo until the last month of the 7th deployment, and suddenly, in that last 30 days, it was like I hit a wall. I was tired of being there, getting shot at, living in a mod/b-hut with 6 of my closest friends. I just got burned out in a community with an extremely high ops tempo.
Then at the end I had a couple years of not deploying and I realized just how much the USAF sucked away from me. I was tired of the queep, the bullshit that went along with it, deploying, getting shot at, losing friends, and ready to have some control over my life. So when my ADSC expired, I decided to punch. 12 years, 5 months, and 28 days. Clean break, no IRR or anything.
7 weeks ago I walked back into the squadron as a contract FCF pilot and Qual IP, and it's been an awesome feeling. I get to come into work every day and my primary job is to FLY (though it is a little feast or famine), and I don't have to worry about all the AD crap. A part of me is still proud that I'm indirectly contributing to the mission.
It's like a great weight was lifted from my shoulders, and I highly recommend it.