Sailor takes year off from Navy to avoid being “jaded,” going to travel the world

Since 2009, enlisted Sailors and officers have been able to take advantage of a program that allows them to leave the service temporarily.

The Career Intermission Program was established in 2009, with new guidelines updated last year.

It allows active duty or full-time support officers and active duty or full-time support enlisted Sailors to take a break from their active military service for up to three years. According to WTKR, when Sailors return to active duty they have a two-to-one obligation for time spent away.

After ten years in, a helicopter pilot currently assigned to HSC-26 at Naval Station Norfolk says she is taking advantage of the Navy “sabbatical.”

“I’m very excited for the opportunity to take that breather but then come right back to this awesome program without getting jaded for being in it so long,” she told WTKR.

“Ten years in, it’s the very first opportunity any pilot has to get out or stay in, so a lot of people look at it and I was certainly one of them – there’s a lot out there, I’ve devoted so much time to this, do I really want to commit for another 10 years?”

Hirsch says she is going to use her year and a half off to travel the world and work as an international community service leader.

When the Career Intermission Program began in 2009 there were only three participants but WTKR reports the number is expected to grow to 400 this year.

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