I actually just did this and start my new job Monday.
My employer, ILLEGALLY, cut my hours 25% after my deployment. I accepted it for a bit because I enjoyed the time off. They the twunt came out with the April schedule and it was a 30% cut so I said fuck it.
I had money saved from being deployed, we sold the house and made some jack on that and skipped town and got a house 50 yards from a lake. We moved early May. So, officially I have not had a full time job since the end of April. In the meantime I have worked some part time with the Army, including a two week stint. I had known this job I was getting was in the making and was banking on it. I thought about getting a factory job in the meantime until I officially got hired at the job I was looking at but instead got some work at the Unit.
I am glad I did so as I got likely 3 years of projects around the new house completed and the time off has been pretty good.
I took a big leap of faith and glad I did.
SO it was basically it was 3.5 months off. I would say I worked 25 of those days for the Army.
Yes, it was definately nice. I hadnt been unemployed like this is, well, since I was in high school. I am glad I did so. I got so much done and was nice to get a break!