He is getting disparaged because he rose all the way to the highest enlisted rank where he was the top enlisted soldier in his battalion but he left his unit and retired immediately after they got orders to deploy to Iraq. Leaving a hole at the top of their leadership the had to be hastily filled by someone else. He’s being disparaged because he calls himself a retired CSM despite the fact that it was a conditional promotion and he didn’t meet the conditions. He left before the promotion became permanent and retired as a master sergeant.
I spent 4 years of my life on active duty and another 23 years in the guard. You don’t have to tell me about what is sacrificed. The problem is that also gives me insight into the culture. There is a long standing stereotype of the senior NCO or officer who likes staying in for the extra pay and benefits, who loves the good ol boy network and beers at the end of drill but when they have to put it on the line and actually go into harms way they chicken out. I’ve seen it many times. A CSM leaving his battalion on the eve of their deployment is a very bad thing.