He tells Trautman that he "can't even keep a job parking cars" so I imagine he was trying to fit in to civilian life during that time, bouncing around from job to job. He finally gets fed up and decides to hit the road. Seeing Delmare would be a nice change of pace, being around someone he actually has a bond with. A lot of soldiers returning go their separate ways, not seeing each other for several years (if at all) after deployment.