Leaving Germany after 24 years! Next Chapter, ER!!

[gomac]

My wife and I have been living in Germany (working too) for the past 24 years! DW is about 1 year younger than I am. I will be 60 in a few months so took VERA with a smile! Life here has been good but life in the States with our family should be a lot better! We have a house and a family farm. The house and the farm are not in the same place. We have contributed to our TSP since we were hired at the max allowed so we have built up a nice little nest egg! House is paid for, farm has a mortgage a little credit card debt that will be gone this time next year (max). Cars are paid for. We have about 6 months of expenses in savings. That is about it! Life is going to be GREAT!

 

[bbbamI]

Welcome back to the states and the new exciting chapter in your lives!

 

[gomac]

Thanks! I will be some what happy to leave a country of 19% sales tax! (although we may be headed towards a national sales tax too)As a Federal Employee I have some real blessings! Health Ins. is and has been one of those! I can not imagine what it would be like not to have that during our work years or, more important, going in to retirement. It will be interesting to see how long it takes OPM to start my retirement deposits. It took over 3 months for them to get DW's started!

 

[Nodak]

Thanks! I will be some what happy to leave a country of 19% sales tax! (although we may be headed towards a national sales tax too)As a Federal Employee I have some real blessings! Health Ins. is and has been one of those! I can not imagine what it would be like not to have that during our work years or, more important, going in to retirement. It will be interesting to see how long it takes OPM to start my retirement deposits. It took over 3 months for them to get DW's started!

I had to give 4 months notice when I retired from DoD on 1 Feb 07. My retirement deposits started within 6 days. Don't know why it would take 3 months.

 

[gomac]

My thoughts exactly! I submitted my paperwork in January. Nothing from my agency yet! Less than a month until we head home. Separation orders was not a problem, HHG leave this Friday. I've spoken to HR several times, they keep assuring me all is well! Problem is with our agency! Small by DoD standards only about 7K world wide.

 

[check6]

After being in the States a year I wonder how much you will miss Germany. I did a 3 1/2 yr tour there I really missed it after I left.

 

[Nodak]

My thoughts exactly! I submitted my paperwork in January. Nothing from my agency yet! Less than a month until we head home. Separation orders was not a problem, HHG leave this Friday. I've spoken to HR several times, they keep assuring me all is well! Problem is with our agency! Small by DoD standards only about 7K world wide.

I had sort of the same thing; from the time I submitted paperwork to two weeks before I retired I had no word from anyone in civilian personnel. I called to check and they said not to worry so I just hoped for the best. One week after retiring I checked with my bank and the deposit had been made.

 

[gomac]

At some point OPM is suppose to issue interim payments to my checking account. I am suppose to receive a CSA number and a a PIN to access informaiton from OPM. Of course all of that is after my agency finishes and sends my file to OPM.

 

[Nodak]

At some point OPM is suppose to issue interim payments to my checking account. I am suppose to receive a CSA number and a a PIN to access informaiton from OPM. Of course all of that is after my agency finishes and sends my file to OPM.

I didn't receive the booklet containing the CSA number and PIN until a day or two after I retired.

 

[movaly1]

Were you in DoDDS?

 

[Nodak]

Were you in DoDDS?

If this question was directed to me I am not familiar with DoDDS; I worked as a software engineer for the US Air Force at a Cavalier AFS.

 

[F4mandolin]

Uh oh, now I am confused. I thought you were working in Germany? Cavalier is in NDakota isn't it? Both movaly1 and myself work for DoDDS (dept of def. dependents schools). I spent my years in the UK, Germany and Okinawa. I guess when I hear VERA and you live overseas....I kind of think DoDDS.

 

[Nodak]

I was just chiming in to tell the OP what had happened with my pension payments when I retired.

 

[F4mandolin]

D'oh!! Not paying attention again....yep, I'm a school teacher alright .....sometimes we are as bad as the kids......

 

[Nodak]

Yeah, I frequently have that problem too.

 

[gomac]

Were you in DoDDS?

Yes, both my wife and I have been with DoDDS the 24 years in Germany.

 

[gomac]

Pack out went without a hitch today! (Almost!)

Everything went well with the pack out! Except one tiny point. The "seals" they placed on the crates are/were a paper seal that hardly adhered to the wooden crates! In fact, my wife walked over to one, she saw flapping in the wind and pushed it back on the crate and then she pealed a different one half way off, it did not tear! She pushed that one back on! Gives one a real sense of security! When we came over to Germany the seal was a steel strap that had a serial number on it. These flimsy paper seals do have a serial number on it and the numbers were written on the packing invoice. One of the packers said they come off and tear when the crate is lifted with the forklift at the warehouse! Oh Joy!!! Twenty-nine days until we fly back to the States and still nothing from my agency with (dollar) numbers concerning my FERS retirement Thank goodness for EBIS! That is the only guesstimate I have at this point.)