If you're really retired, what are you saving your uniforms for?

[Gumby]

I have been out of the Navy for 21 years now, but I still occasionally have a dream where I am back on active duty and cannot find all of my uniform items.

[youbet]

Originally Posted by SteveR

FYI,
I have several boxes of my old books, notes, records, and special documents that I collected over the past 30+ years. A part of me says "What the heck are you keeping this stuff for?" The other part says "You might need it someday if you ever decide to consult." (Gag!).

Retained w*rk crap that could somehow enable a return to w*rk (consulting or otherwise) should be burned asap. Like blankets carrying smallpox, they can only bring harm to you and cause the greatest remorse and regret.

Since retiring 17 months ago, I got rid of the clothes, the painfully difficult to get professional certifications, project summaries, lists of accomplishments, contact lists, etc., etc. The flames from the bridges burning reached to the sky!

Burn them Steve, burn everything as soon as you get home!

[Joss]

"I have been out of the Navy for 21 years now, but I still occasionally have a dream where I am back on active duty and cannot find all of my uniform items."

Same here, going on thirty years. I'm "there" again... somehow... but can't get to the clothing store or PX to get dressed out.

[deserat]

Ahem - the Navy has so many different uniform combinations - amazing what they have to do to figure out which uniform to wear!

As for space in the closet - I'm guessing she could use more room for *her* uniforms (as she's still a drilling Navy Reservist).

Best uniform I probably won't get to wear again? Flight suit - step in, zip up, ahhh - pjs except when it's hot as the material holds in heat! I'm in the BDUs now, but am eyeing the new AF utility uniform - supposedly wash and wear.....

When I retire, I will probably dump most of it and just keep the insignia for the shadow box.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by deserat

Ahem - the Navy has so many different uniform combinations - amazing what they have to do to figure out which uniform to wear!

When we mids were graduating, one of my roomates went (back to the) Marine Corps and another one went Air Force. We all started with the same mid attire and we all had to get ready for O-1 uniforms.

I spent about $500 buying the officer's sword and the insignia. I also spent another few hundred bucks buying extra copies of uniforms that I'd had a couple of as a mid but would need more of as an ensign. It easily filled two big suitcases and was totally unmanageable aboard submarine storage.

My Marine roomie spent $3000 on the full monty. He looked really really good and of course no one was going to poke fun at his haircut (or lack thereof). But he also spent most of his money to look that way, and most of the uniforms spent most of the year in a closet while he spent most of his time crawling through mud and/or sand.

My Zoomie roomie (sorry, Deserat, couldn't resist the rhyme) spent $250. Every uniform worked as a component of another uniform, and just about everything fit into a duffle bag. I really wish the submarine force had integrated its Navy uniforms as well. Except for the Air Force's golf courses, it's probably the only time I've really been jealous of them.

My spouse, on the other hand, went through $3000 and three major Navy women's uniform changes as a midshipman and then had to spend another $1000 to get the officer versions of those uniforms. Even today, nearly 25 years later, she can spike her blood pressure telling the story.

And then she got pregnant... but that's a whole 'nother women's uniform rant.

[Gearhead Jim]

My airline uniforms are saved for pilot funerals (mostly natural causes, thankfully) and the Chicago Museum of Science & Industry has one of our old 727's on display and gets pilots to volunteer as guides.
My police uniforms got dumped the day i walked out the door, last week. Kept my artillery, of course.

[Dog]

Only 9 months left in megacorp. I cleaned out my closet and dresser drawers over the long weekend. Donated all my suits and dresses to the Women's shelter (dress for success program). I haven't worn a suit for over a year and don't want to be tempted to wear one ever again!

[volga]

I took at least six nice suits to a chairity and dropped them off within my first few weeks of permanant freedom. I also went through my closets and grabed numerous breif cases and business related stuff and got rid of it all. It was a big part of my closure and transitional process. Its really a cleansing gesture to part ways with the badges of the other life and then be where you are in real time in your life. It also made a bunch of space in my closet for jeans, cargo shorts and a fine assortment of vintage hawiian and golf shirts. These are my new uniform, and I wear them proudly.

[retiringby50]

Originally Posted by SteveR

I have several boxes of my old books, notes, records, and special documents that I collected over the past 30+ years. A part of me says "What the heck are you keeping this stuff for?" The other part says "You might need it someday if you ever decide to consult." (Gag!).

I haven't retired yet, but this reminds me of one of my decluttering projects. I have 7 boxes in the garage of work-related examples, such as policy manuals in case I ever have to write my own policies (HR-related) at which time my plan would be to copy them; sample offer letters; business books, etc. Of course, I've had three different jobs, and only once did I ever refer to anything in the boxes! Gotta get rid of clothes too since apparently every company is no longer "business."

[LeatherneckPA]

I got married in my dress blues. The dream is to be able to wear them again shortly after I retire.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by retiringby50

I haven't retired yet, but this reminds me of one of my decluttering projects. I have 7 boxes in the garage of work-related examples, such as policy manuals in case I ever have to write my own policies (HR-related) at which time my plan would be to copy them; sample offer letters; business books, etc. Of course, I've had three different jobs, and only once did I ever refer to anything in the boxes! Gotta get rid of clothes too since apparently every company is no longer "business."

I have been getting rid of work related (and other) stuff in preparation for ER and moving north. When I moved to New Orleans, I had 85 boxes of books, journals, and reports plus whatever was in my office. What an albatross! It's amazing how heavy glossy-paged journals are, too. I have got it down to about 20 boxes (an estimate, 9 boxes and 11 large shelves full is the actual amount) and plan to move north with no more than 10-15 boxes of books etc.

In addition I have three boxes full of nothing but three ring binders that I used for various projects along the way, and I hate to throw them out. I might throw out some of them, but I'll keep the rest of the office supplies (of course binders and office supplies bought by my employer will stay there; I am just talking about those I have personally bought).

I will be quite happy to toss out the clothes for formal work meetings. The every day stuff I will probably continue to wear.

[Moemg]

I saved a few pairs of scrubs for costume parties otherwise everything is gone !

[Khan]

Originally Posted by Want2retire

I have been getting rid of work related (and other) stuff in preparation for ER and moving north. When I moved to New Orleans, I had 85 boxes of books, journals, and reports plus whatever was in my office. What an albatross! It's amazing how heavy glossy-paged journals are, too. I have got it down to about 20 boxes (an estimate, 9 boxes and 11 large shelves full is the actual amount) and plan to move north with no more than 10-15 boxes of books etc.

In addition I have three boxes full of nothing but three ring binders that I used for various projects along the way, and I hate to throw them out. I might throw out some of them, but I'll keep the rest of the office supplies (of course binders and office supplies bought by my employer will stay there; I am just talking about those I have personally bought).

I will be quite happy to toss out the clothes for formal work meetings. The every day stuff I will probably continue to wear.

Some schools or teachers might want the binders.

[Want2retire]

Originally Posted by Khan

Some schools or teachers might want the binders.

Yes, good idea! Or, maybe my co-workers' kids could use them for their school projects.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I was an EM. It is possible that I have one set of fatigues somewhere, but my arms grew 1.5" after I left the service. Other dimensions have increased even more.

I have not worn a tie for over 20 years. DW cut up my most favourite pink paisley tie and incorporated it into a quilt. Arguably a better use. (I still have a marvelous Jurassic Park tie with a fierce dinosaur on it, but the occasion for display has not presented itself for many years.)

Nords, keep the sword. DW should keep hers, too. The threads don't mean much. The steel does.

[Leslie]

Hey Nords...
I kept dress blues for me and the hubs, one set of BDUs, one set of flight suits. Everything else was thrown out or donated. I still want to do something with all of the patches we gathered in our travels...but that closet space is nice. I went through everything right after I retired. Its actually time to do it again, since stuff fills up the empty space in a hurry.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Leslie

I still want to do something with all of the patches we gathered in our travels...but that closet space is nice.

My "I Love Me" wall is a 3'x2' space (in the garage over the dryer) holding a wooden carving of submariner dolphins and an altered photo of USETAFISH doing an emergency surface.

But framing shops are doing amazing things with all those command patches I used to wear.

I noticed today that my swordcase needs UV-resistant glass... the black leather (?) scabbard has faded to pale gray. Another reason why this memorabilia can be more trouble than it's worth!

[SoonToRetire]

My own closet contains at least five sets of uniforms, three of which are no longer allowed, and five of which I could no longer fit into even if I tried. Not to mention the few sets of wheel hats, c*&^ caps (older AF guys know what that is), and shoes. Oh, and the all white ceremonial waiter suits that were in for about three months. And the medals, the ribbons, the shoulder boards. So, like you, I wonder, why don't I just throw it all away? Maybe because, you know, we could be recalled someday. Or maybe because they are a memento of a significant portion of our past. But in the end, I don't know why I hang on to them. Anyone want them? Maybe that's why.

[martyb]

Yes, I do know what "those" caps are! I've been in the AF, now the Reserves since mid 70's. I have way too many uniform items clogging up my closets and other places. I sold a few awhile back on ebay, but now I don't think the market for used BDU's is very strong anymore. I'm still gonna give it a try, though. The pilot's nomex gloves used to be a popular item, but I'm down to my last two pairs and they make good fishing gloves! Since I'm not yet retired, I guess I'll have uniform stuff around a few more years.

[Kitty]

As we used to say in the Army "three move equals one fire". I have moved so many times that I have few things left from my previous military career some medals and badges in a shadow box and of course my retirement orders and DD214. When I retired from Customs and Border Protection I kept my badge and some patches and my credentials just for mementos. I don't think anybody will want them in my family so they are just knick knacks for me to try and remember what I did all those years. No uniform items left, don't miss them wasn't impressed when I had them. Seems so long ago now or is it that memory is going on the fritz again? Who cares just glad to be here