Basic military service 9 months - was that really so short?

The most important thing is probably that 9 months are perceived totally differently from person to person, depending on how intense your time in the Austrian military was and how much you came to terms with it.

Objectively speaking, 9 months is actually pretty short for military service. If you look at how long other countries have mandatory military service or how long professional soldiers train for - that's manageable. You learn the basics, get assigned, do your deployments or exercises, and then it's over. In my gym I know guys who did their service, and some say time flew by, others say those were the longest 9 months of their lives. It really depends on where you get posted, who your superiors are, and how much the whole thing gets to you. For some it's a formative experience that goes by quickly, for others it's a grueling time.

If you're constantly under pressure, have little free time, and feel uncomfortable, of course it can feel longer than it actually is. On the other hand: if you end up in a good unit, have good colleagues, and even get fit (which often happens in the military), then sometimes you don't even notice how time passes. In the end it's all relative - objectively short, but subjectively pretty varied in how you experience it.