Pete Hegseth left active military service partly due to being passed over for promotion to Major twice. After that, he moved to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) and then the District of Columbia National Guard (DC-NG) to seek promotion opportunities. Additionally, reports indicate Hegseth faced challenges such as alcohol abuse and difficulties adapting to civilian life after returning from combat deployments, which affected his military and post- military career path. He has publicly acknowledged struggling with alcohol during the transition after active duty. His departure from formal military roles was thus influenced by both promotion setbacks and personal challenges following combat service.
To summarize:
- Passed over twice for Major rank, prompting shift away from active duty.
- Moved to IRR and DC National Guard for further promotion attempts.
- Struggled with alcohol after active combat tours, impacting his career decisions.
- Acknowledged personal struggles during transition to civilian life.
