How many years you got, Marine?
The pay and retirement scale really climbs at those years after 20 if you aren't topped out by rank (22, 24 year marks), but you've got to make that next promotion to keep from topping out, which usually requires some additional schoolhouse time. You've got the deployment so that's good. The hard part is that the snowcap gets pretty tight at those ranks especially in the Corps, and plenty of good people don't make the cut (also depends on your specialty and the population at the next rank).
I stayed til 25 years in the Reserve. I had a choice: Do the schooling/deployment to be competitive and have a chance to make it to the next grade, and potentially lose my wife/daughter and my family's business (a distinct possibility), or call it a day. I chose my family as I was no longer as competitive as I once was. I could have hung out in my current grade for a few more years (without promotion my MRD was 2011), but being the deputy trash officer was not my style. I left on my own terms as Deputy Brigade Commander. I still miss the living crap out of it, and the desire of every warrior to put that uniform back on is very strong, but I sure do enjoy kissing my 8 year old daughter goodnight every night and think I did the right thing.
Come to the bash so I can shake your hand Marine.
Either way, good luck and thank you for your service.
Here's health to you and to our Corps...
keep your butt safe and get home soon 
