I’ve been lurking here for a while, absorbing all the wisdom, and am finally ready to solicit your sage advice.
I retired from the Army as an E7 almost 19 years ago after 21 years on active duty. About 18 months later I started receiving VA disability payments at a 50 percent disability rating (combat related). I worked more than 6 years as a megacorp contractor then switched over for the past 13 years as a federal employee GS13 electronics engineer. I’ve been diligent with savings, investments, TSP, etc. and have zero debt – I own my own home on five acres, a couple of vehicles, camper, livestock, and hobby stuff. Medical is a very modest $500-ish per year for Tricare Prime with free full VA medical as a backup. Cost of living in southern Arizona is very low in this close knit military and retired community. My vested 401K, two years’ salary in savings, money market investments, and TSP add up to about $850k right now. Military retirement plus VA payments are just over $30k annually, which will be supplemented with FERS MRA+10 retirement of only about $9k annually (reduced for survivor annuity). Expenses are about $680 each month for utilities, insurance, property/vehicle taxes, food, fuel, cell phones, and entertainment. I grew up in a family of contractors so I do most of my own construction, plumbing, and electrical work, plus the Army taught me all about tearing apart vehicles to keep them running almost forever. Arizona taught me how to tend cattle to keep our big freezer full. My wife says she will continue working her six figure job at least until SS age.
I’m only 57 but finally ready to retire and jump on the FIRE train. Initiating retirement is quick and easy now that everything is automated online at the Army Benefits Center website. Just fill in the data fields, select a retirement date, then click the big Submit button with no groveling to local HR staff. It even allows same-day, no notice, immediate retirement with everything processed and disbursed from echelons way above the local command.
Sucking up the suck might be possible for a few more years (lol – not!) to bring me closer to SS age but my tolerance for the seemingly endless government duplicity, narcissism, nepotism, despotism, and boorishness (a.k.a. “politics”) is wearing thin. I’m frankly looking forward to finally working my land and livestock, house projects, four-wheeling my Jeeps, occasionally dragging the camper out for weekend excursions, and maybe exploring old desert ghost towns. Maybe I’ll consider applying to occasionally help drive the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) shuttle bringing veterans to their medical appointments. Or maybe I’ll first take a stay-cation to read, ponder, and play with the ham radios. FireCalc indicated no failures over 30 years, but I’d sincerely appreciate your perspectives and opinions.
Now to have some cheese with my “whine” – lol. Thanks in advance!
I retired from the Army as an E7 almost 19 years ago after 21 years on active duty. About 18 months later I started receiving VA disability payments at a 50 percent disability rating (combat related). I worked more than 6 years as a megacorp contractor then switched over for the past 13 years as a federal employee GS13 electronics engineer. I’ve been diligent with savings, investments, TSP, etc. and have zero debt – I own my own home on five acres, a couple of vehicles, camper, livestock, and hobby stuff. Medical is a very modest $500-ish per year for Tricare Prime with free full VA medical as a backup. Cost of living in southern Arizona is very low in this close knit military and retired community. My vested 401K, two years’ salary in savings, money market investments, and TSP add up to about $850k right now. Military retirement plus VA payments are just over $30k annually, which will be supplemented with FERS MRA+10 retirement of only about $9k annually (reduced for survivor annuity). Expenses are about $680 each month for utilities, insurance, property/vehicle taxes, food, fuel, cell phones, and entertainment. I grew up in a family of contractors so I do most of my own construction, plumbing, and electrical work, plus the Army taught me all about tearing apart vehicles to keep them running almost forever. Arizona taught me how to tend cattle to keep our big freezer full. My wife says she will continue working her six figure job at least until SS age.
I’m only 57 but finally ready to retire and jump on the FIRE train. Initiating retirement is quick and easy now that everything is automated online at the Army Benefits Center website. Just fill in the data fields, select a retirement date, then click the big Submit button with no groveling to local HR staff. It even allows same-day, no notice, immediate retirement with everything processed and disbursed from echelons way above the local command.
Sucking up the suck might be possible for a few more years (lol – not!) to bring me closer to SS age but my tolerance for the seemingly endless government duplicity, narcissism, nepotism, despotism, and boorishness (a.k.a. “politics”) is wearing thin. I’m frankly looking forward to finally working my land and livestock, house projects, four-wheeling my Jeeps, occasionally dragging the camper out for weekend excursions, and maybe exploring old desert ghost towns. Maybe I’ll consider applying to occasionally help drive the DAV (Disabled American Veterans) shuttle bringing veterans to their medical appointments. Or maybe I’ll first take a stay-cation to read, ponder, and play with the ham radios. FireCalc indicated no failures over 30 years, but I’d sincerely appreciate your perspectives and opinions.
Now to have some cheese with my “whine” – lol. Thanks in advance!
