Retired Military Guy Here.

[BLS53]

I've been lurking here for a few weeks, and there's so much good info, I decided to sign-up.

Anyway, retired from the Navy in 1995 at age 42. Worked in operations for a lower tier cargo airline (read FedEx subcontractor) for a few years. Downsized out of that. Tried teaching for awhile, bad experience there. So I'm now 55, don't work, and live in an inherited house, in the small southern Illinois town I grew up in.

I never planned to quit working after retiring from the Navy, but the years and events have rolled by, and here I am. I guess you could say I ERed by default.

 

[Rambler]

Welcome BLS53.

So are you completely ERd now or still considering going back to w*rk?

R

 

[BLS53]

For most purposes, I'm retired. I don't see many opportunities out there. I resigned myself to living on my military pension a couple of years ago.

 

[OAG]

I've been lurking here for a few weeks, and there's so much good info, I decided to sign-up.

Anyway, retired from the Navy in 1995 at age 42. Worked in operations for a lower tier cargo airline (read FedEx subcontractor) for a few years. Downsized out of that. Tried teaching for awhile, bad experience there. So I'm now 55, don't work, and live in an inherited house, in the small southern Illinois town I grew up in.

I never planned to quit working after retiring from the Navy, but the years and events have rolled by, and here I am. I guess you could say I ERed by default.

Welcome to the board. Lots of "retired" military here. Many of us have given up work for good and just try to enjoy not working any longer. Personally, I am now just to your east (Dublin, OH). I left the Army in 1979, tried a few things, but sort of got in the ER by default too. Anyway, Welcome, and hope you spend some time here - this is the best board I have been able to find for lots of information and ideas.

 

[samclem]

Welcome. As you've already seen, there aren't too many shrinking violets here, you'll see opinions on everything. Lots of good folks.

We were stationed at Scott AFB for several years and liked the area a lot.
Now we're near Dayton, OH. I'm retired from the USAF and still working a bit.

 

[stargazer08]

We just retired to southern Illinois near the Garden of the Gods. What area of southern IL are you in?

 

[BLS53]

We just retired to southern Illinois near the Garden of the Gods. What area of southern IL are you in?

Guess it's a small internet world after all. Metropolis, about 40 miles south of you.

 

[Rustic23]

Welcome BLS
There is indeed a fair size comunity of retired military here, all ranks, all services. I retired from the AF in 87. Tried several things before I decided to retire for good. It has been great for DW and I.

On a side note, I would ignore Hello's question. There is a section on the board for that type of subject, and this is not it. If you want to cuss/discuss the war, go to other topics, you will find plenty of threads.

Again, Welcome.

 

[JDARNELL]

Hi BLS,

Welcome to the board. Still AD and can retire in 2 yrs. I think I just got a set of golden handcuffs for being picked up for 0-5 for another 15 months or so. Still debating this option. Closer I get to retiring the further I seem to want and push it out.

Welcome again!

Tomcat98

 

[virginia]

BLS53 - Welcome to the board!
Tomcat98 - Congrats whether or not you decide to take it!

 

[samclem]

Hi BLS,

Welcome to the board. Still AD and can retire in 2 yrs. I think I just got a set of golden handcuffs for being picked up for 0-5 for another 15 months or so. Still debating this option. Closer I get to retiring the further I seem to want and push it out.

Welcome again!

Tomcat98

Tomcat,
Congratulations. You might want to check on the details, last I'd heard there was no active duty service commitment for accepting a promotion. Yes, you've got to serve a set period of time to "retire in that rank", but that's largely a formality (Does it make a difference to you whether you can sign in at the VOQ at "Maj, Ret" or "LtCol, Ret"?). The retired pay is based on a pro-rated computation for the last 36 months, so you'd still get a significant increase in your retirement check if you stayed for, say, 20 months vs 36 months as an O-5 (which might allow you to say "no, thanks!" to an unaccompanied remote tour that will likely be offered by AFPC. They know when they've got-ya).

 

[oma]

What a timely post. I'm facing that exact dilemma right now. I can retire about 5 months earlier than I planned but would have to settle to retire as in 0-4 instead of 0-5. Jokingly emailed family to see if the folks at the VFW cared if I were retired as an LTC or MAJ.

Also, calculated the retirement pay difference and it would be $80 after taxes/month from my calculations. Would be significant amount over decades. So is it worth it to stay on another 5 or so months - for the right to formally retire as an LTC and collect $80/mo?

Today I think so, but after a painful day of work with the constant irritations, sometimes I'm tempted to leave it all behind, accept the retirement rank of major, leave the $80/mo, and take my ball and go home.

BTW, for an Army LTC, you have to serve 36 months at that rank.

One other thing, we retired Army Nurses (as well as other branch officers) are subject to recall if the Sec of Def thinks our Army needs the help. I'm not sure what rank you're recalled to - major or lieutenant colonel.

 

[Rustic23]

When I hit 20, the decision was based on how much I could make outside the service vs inside. I was going to make quite a bit more outside and the retirement I would gain from the outside employment would offset the increase in military.

 

[JDARNELL]

Tomcat,
Congratulations. You might want to check on the details, last I'd heard there was no active duty service commitment for accepting a promotion. Yes, you've got to serve a set period of time to "retire in that rank", but that's largely a formality (Does it make a difference to you whether you can sign in at the VOQ at "Maj, Ret" or "LtCol, Ret"?). The retired pay is based on a pro-rated computation for the last 36 months, so you'd still get a significant increase in your retirement check if you stayed for, say, 20 months vs 36 months as an O-5 (which might allow you to say "no, thanks!" to an unaccompanied remote tour that will likely be offered by AFPC. They know when they've got-ya).

Thanks. I think you are correct but when I got my statement of intent it led me to believe that I have until the day before my pin on to decide and at that point I incur the committment. It must be a blanket statement that everyone gets but the details are no committment.

I have prior enlisted time so I maxed out the 0-4 pay about 4 yrs ago. So when you average out the capped 0-4 months and average in the 0-5 months it is a huge difference, plus the extra 2.5 to 3.75% for the extra 1 yr to 18 mo TIS.

So what does it all mean to me? Well it means that I now will have the extra time in current employment to get the house paid off and a significant increase in retirement income. Which translates to not having to take a contractor job and potentially not having to work at all. Of course I was told this past week that is will make a big difference in starting salary when I get out. I hope this is not applicable to me as I won't have to take one of these jobs.

Tomcat98