Hi from FT Campbell

[armybikerider]

Hi everyone!

I found this forum TODAY!...and so glad I did.

I'm a 52 yr old Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army, Occupational Therapist by training, planning to retire at the 20 year mark in November 2014 at 53.

I'm married, without kids and have lived far below my means for my entire career....well probably my entire life.

We've a conservative investment package including Vanguard index funds, other mutual funds, an annuity, CDs and other cash accounts plus some land in North Texas that we plan to build a home on - likely with cash. All told, just North of $1M.

We've got zero debt and without a mortgage will likely stay that way for the duration.

I'm not planning on working after the Army, but with my profession I could easily find work at my retirement location, if only part time or doing short term, 13 week contracts.

Anyway, that's my situation in a nut shell. I hope to learn all I can here and make it a smooth transition into retirement!

David

 

[Brett_Cameron]

Welcome!

 

[DFA]

Welcome and Thank You for your service

 

[Tailgate]

Welcome David.. I found the forum a number of months ago and people here have been great. If you haven't tried FireCalc yet, you might want to spend some time getting used to it. As a retirement calculator, it's not the prettiest thing out there, but once you understand the strategy and premise for the data runs, you will appreciate what it provides.

FIRECalc: A different kind of retirement calculator ... take your time with each tab so that you understand what's it is asking from you for input.

Bogleheads • Index page The Bogleheads are pretty cool too!

Many smart people on here.. I'm thrilled to be soaking up the information. My retirement date is 12/31/13.

Thanks for your service!

Bob

 

[friar1610]

Hi, welcome, happy Veterans' Day and thank you for your service.

I'm retired Navy with a few more years of service and one more paygrade than you mentioned. My portfolio when I retired for good was in the same vicinity as yours. Let me just assure you that with a military pension such as you will get and the portfolio you have accumulated, you will be in good shape in (early) retirement. If you can pick up a little extra income from part-time work you will be even better off. (You may find that at your age you will still want to do something to keep you busy and if you enjoy the work, why not? I'm guessing that, at your rank, you may have been pulled away from doing actual OT work into more administrative/management/leadership roles. It might be a nice change to get back to doing the nitty-gritty work and not having to worry about how an organization performs.)

In any event, welcome aboard to the retired community in a year or so.

 

[armybikerider]

Hi, welcome, happy Veterans' Day and thank you for your service.

I'm retired Navy with a few more years of service and one more paygrade than you mentioned.
In any event, welcome aboard to the retired community in a year or so.

Thank you sir!

I was a disbursing officer on the USS Dale CG-19 out of Mayport FL from 1985-89.