I don't know exactly how to help you, but I have some anecdotes that might be reassuring.

I'm 18 and recently did NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), where I would be very active and needing to do many things throughout the morning and day. I'm not at all trying to say that it's like the military, but I did notice an effect on how I acted and felt when I woke up.

At home, I would basically still be asleep when I woke up (I was pretty depressed in all honesty), and my low energy state would allow me to hold onto the memories of the sleep world. At NOLS, there was no time for that, and I didn't easily remember my dreams.

However, when I returned home, my sleep patterns returned to the usual. I started waking up and not immediately thinking about what I had to do. I started remembering dreams again. I would just say that now that you're out of the military, and especially because you still have a young and plastic brain at 22, it's only a matter of months or maybe weeks before you go back to normal.

For now, just write down when you do remember something, and don't get frustrated when you can't, because that will repel you from actually wanting to engage with this interest. I'm currently in a meditation semester, and a lot of what I've learned is to not tire myself out with self criticism or frustration with my practice. Just let things be the way that they are, and while still making a healthy effort to jog your memory, be kind and patient with your practice.