I confess, though I've been FIRE'd for over three years, I still haven't parted from a few w*rk items.
How about you?
When I retired from active duty I absconded with a WHOLE BOX of Skilcraft "U.S. Government" official black-ink ballpoint pens. A decade later we're still using one of them.
Whew. Hope the statute of limitations has expired. It feels good to get that one off my chest.
I also kept all my certificates (in clear plastic document sleeves) and a couple crucial sets of paperwork (like my retirement orders). I pried the brass plates off my plaques and gave the plaques back to the command's plaque custodians. The brass plates went onto a desk pen-set base that's slowly corroding away in the Hawaii humidity, so I'm probably going to have to come up with another display option.
Neither my spouse nor me wanted a shadowbox. My father made custom swordcases for my spouse and me back in 1982-83 (modeled on the swordcases in John Paul Jones' crypt at USNA), so those are displayed on our wall. (Our swords & cases, not JPJ.) In about 21 months our daughter is going to have to choose which one of our swords she wants to lug around for a few years.
I got rid of all my uniforms when I retired. Last month I got rid of the last of my civilian suit jackets, long-sleeved shirts, and neckties.
I just gave my daughter my ballistic missile submarine deterrent patrol pins (she'll have to add her own stars later). I'm saving my gold dolphins for her if she someday wants those too...
Flow-chart template? I not only have that, I still have my SLIDERULE.
Last winter I gave my last (favorite) sliderule to my son. He gave a chuckle.
Still have my Keuffel & Esser mahogony slide rule sitting in drawer. Not sure I can remember how to use it though
. That and a few old HP calculators may find their way onto ebay.
My dad tried to give me his slide rules - I refused. I did help him list them as a lot on ebay.
I have THREE sliderules handed down from two earlier generations of Nords engineers. Watch for me soon on "Antiques Roadshow" or "Pawn Stars"!
I also have my c.1981 TI-55 III calculator. Luckily I've memorized what's on each of the buttons, because their labels have worn off...