It's tough and it didn't help being extended 3 times, with each extension promised to be the last. Mike's CO, a major, came home and retired too...Mike was very upset over it, he would have followed him to hell and back(well actually he did....LOL) but his wife threatened divorce and this was his 2nd marriage too..and now he has a new CO he can't stand....oh, well..
But, here's another story. I have a good friend I made early in my career who decided to get out after he made Captain and his commitment was up but he stayed in the reserves. He was called up during Desert Storm and spent a year in Kuwait and Iraq for that. He was called up again in 2002 and went and put in some infrastructure before Operation Iraqi Freedom. Guess where he is now? Afghanistan.
He could have retired too before his last call up. He flew in from the Midwest on business and we had dinner together one night about three weeks before he had to report for training and deployment. His wife was begging him to retire but he just couldn't do it. He just felt like he couldn't let his young reserve unit guys go alone when he had so much experience to offer. I'm sure this will be his last tour and I know he will put his papers in when he gets back but this guy is a hero. He is the best we have to offer. I just hope his wife is still there when he gets home.