Nearing the End of a Military Career

[Gumby]

Whenever I play golf, I recall the basic psychology class I took in college. In particular, I'm reminded of the Skinner box with the pigeon.

As I recall the experiment, if food comes out every time the pigeon pecks the lever, the pigeon leaves the lever alone until it gets hungry, then pecks only enough to get the food it wants. If the food never comes out, the pigeon stops pecking the lever entirely. But, importantly, if the food comes out randomly, the pigeon will peck the lever incessantly until it dies.

Similarly, if you hit a great shot every time, you'll play golf when only necessary to fill your larder. And if every shot is a duff, you'll give up golf entirely. But the sad fact is that you can shank the ball five times in a row, and then, out of nowhere, suddenly hit that long straight drive that looks like it could be on TV. And that is what keeps us coming back to the links time after time after time.

 

[Nords]

Similarly, if you hit a great shot every time, you'll play golf when only necessary to fill your larder. And if every shot is a duff, you'll give up golf entirely. But the sad fact is that you can shank the ball five times in a row, and then, out of nowhere, suddenly hit that long straight drive that looks like it could be on TV. And that is what keeps us coming back to the links time after time after time.

That pretty much describes surfing, too, only without the greens fees...

 

[Parr0thead98]

Ha! With the wife & kids still at Grannie's for a few more weeks, I've been getting out after 6pm most evening. That's when greens fees & carts are 1/2 price...working on that LBYM mindset! My "food pellets" have been coming more frequently now. Last night, I worked on some changes in my right hand grip and arm rotation to get rid of my slice...only hit 2 slices off the tee!! Downside, could not sink a putt even after doing a "Happy Gilmore" and yelling at the ball to "just go home!!"

On a work-related note, had a phone call with a staffer at our Major Command HQ on some efforts we've been working to change things in training for the better. He said I had ruffled some feathers with some other folks because I just went ahead and did some things without asking/coordinating (I've done that my whole career...easier to ask forgiveness). He retorted, "look, he's not like other O-6s who would just put their feet up and sit back until they retire next year. Appreciate the fact that he's wanting to still get things done and make these changes work!" I thanked him for his great support...and, yes, we're still pressing ahead with our efforts. I can accomplish a lot in 10 more months!!

Beginning to research shadow boxes now. Have seen some neat ideas out there. Finding the TAPs seminar schedule to get that locked in when the wife is able to attend with me. Getting in to see the docs for all my "delayed discrepancies" that I've put off. Turns out my lower back really is messed up! Doc tried to put me on a profile for no running, but I told her I'd refuse until after my PT test in Oct...my pride won't let me go out of the AF with less than a 90 as a Commander of troops. I know, not logical, but....

 

[Nords]

He said I had ruffled some feathers with some other folks because I just went ahead and did some things without asking/coordinating (I've done that my whole career...easier to ask forgiveness). He retorted, "look, he's not like other O-6s who would just put their feet up and sit back until they retire next year. Appreciate the fact that he's wanting to still get things done and make these changes work!" I thanked him for his great support...and, yes, we're still pressing ahead with our efforts. I can accomplish a lot in 10 more months!!

One of the best things about being short (and unpromoteable) is that the FIGMO effect means you can apply your "loose cannon" fire for maximum impact.

During my final couple years my boss had to step in several times during VIP tours and meetings with "Sir, what Nords meant to say was..."

 

[Parr0thead98]

Had another "I know it's time to retire when..." moment at work last week. Briefing some GOs on Monday on several initiatives we working in my organization. Had to run the briefing through the #2 guy on base who's the same rank as me, but he's still in the "I hope to make general 1 day" category and a control fanatic. I really like the guy 1-v-1, but do not like working for him (he's not technically in my chain of command, but he's my Boss' right hand/#2).

As we were going thru the brief and he was covering the happy-to-glad changes he wanted, I finally got frustrated of trying to argue with him, knowing he was going to get his way come hell or high water and I just finally blurted, "OK, Bob (not real name), just tell me exactly what you want in here."

"No, I'm not trying to be difficult, I just think..."

Me, "hey, I'm easy, you just tell me how you want this to look. You want X data in here, no problem, I'll make it up, got it. It doesn't have a correlation to the main point, but that's OK. What else would you like?" So went the rest of the meeting...

Time for me to retire as this is what my future jobs in the AF would be like every day if I stayed in a few more years.

On a much happier note, I'm still getting out on the golf course during 1/2 price hours even though it's over 100 degrees. I am splurging for a cart (at 1/2 price) due to the heat levels and find I'm playing 18 holes in under 2 hrs when I get to go out by myself. Note: not many people lining up to play when it's 105 degrees, even at 1/2 price. Does that make me the village idiot??

On Friday, was chatting w/ some of my enlisted troops about going out to the course when it's 1/2 price. One troop commented, "you're an O-6 and you wait until it's 1/2 price? Come on, sir."

Me, "Yes, and I drive an 11-yr old paid-for car and I shop for my clothes at the Goodwil store right off base. Just bought 2 shirts for $4 because it was buy 1 get 1 for 99 cents."

Him, "I didn't know there was a Goodwill store nearby, maybe I should look there. Thx sir!"

Winning hearts and minds 1 Airman at a time.

 

[Nords]

On Friday, was chatting w/ some of my enlisted troops about going out to the course when it's 1/2 price. One troop commented, "you're an O-6 and you wait until it's 1/2 price? Come on, sir."
Me, "Yes, and I drive an 11-yr old paid-for car and I shop for my clothes at the Goodwil store right off base. Just bought 2 shirts for $4 because it was buy 1 get 1 for 99 cents."
Him, "I didn't know there was a Goodwill store nearby, maybe I should look there. Thx sir!"
Winning hearts and minds 1 Airman at a time.

"My possessions reflect my values, not my net worth"...

 

[friar1610]

Me, "Yes, and I drive an 11-yr old paid-for car I shop for my clothes at the Goodwil store right off base. Just bought 2 shirts for $4 because it was buy 1 get 1 for 99 cents."

I always thought it was a kick to to look at the cars the mid-senior grade (O-4 - O-6) officers drove vs. those the junior-mid grade enlisted folks did. Mid-senior grade officers: older, more practical sedans and wagons. (Lots of Volvo 240's years ago. Second car would be a Civic, Corolla or similar.) Junior enlisted: "hot" cars, generally pretty new. Maybe a motorcycle as a second vehicle.

Much of this was attributable to:
- larger families for the mid-senior officers. Probably kids in college or approaching that time.
- Younger, fewer family responsibilities. Reenlistment bonuses burning holes in the pockets of E-4's/E-5's.

Single junior officers were more like the enlisted folks in their car choices. When I first went on active duty in 1967 it was unthinkable that any Naval aviator (or flight school student) would have other than a sports car or a GTO.

 

[REWahoo]

When I first went on active duty in 1967 it was unthinkable that any Naval aviator (or flight school student) would have other than a sports car or a GTO.

+1

This is what I drove while in flight school in 1970:

 

[jclarksnakes]

I decided to go to flight school after driving through Fort Rucker AL in 1972 and seeing a whole bunch of Corvettes. When I got back there in flight school in 1973 I was still too poor to buy a Corvette and had to settle for an SS Camaro.

 

[Gumby]

As a newly minted Ensign in 1981, it was a Triumph TR6. Thirty-one years later, it's a BMW Z3. Some of us clearly never got the memo about ditching the hot roadster when we grew up.

 

[friar1610]

As a newly minted Ensign in 1981, it was a Triumph TR6. Thirty-one years later, it's a BMW Z3. Some of us clearly never got the memo about ditching the hot roadster when we grew up.

Good for you!

 

[Nords]

My last tour was at a Navy training command which was typically filled with lieutenants serving out the last few months of their obligation before resigning their commission. I think the retention rate of these guys was below 10%. Most of them were whooping it up on shore duty with the car (and women) of their dreams during the Internet economy, so the money was flowing like water.

One of them lived in base housing a few miles away from the command, and he was a diehard triathlete (Ironman caliber). He used to ride a high-end Cannon bicycle to work, and it looked like a Ferrari alongside a bunch of Volkswagon Beetles. Eventually one of the other LTs decided to razz him about it in front of the peer group:
"Hey, how much did you spend on your training wheels there?"
"About $1500."
"Holy crap, $1500?!? It's just a bicycle!"
"Yeah, but I don't own a car and I ride this about 200 miles a week. How much did you spend on your car, and how much do you spend on gas & insurance?"

The razzing ended there.

This is what I drove while in flight school in 1970:

So... what altitude did it reach?

 

[REWahoo]

So... what altitude did it reach?

Never high enough for me to suffer from hypoxia...

 

[martyb]

I decided to go to flight school after driving through Fort Rucker AL in 1972 and seeing a whole bunch of Corvettes. When I got back there in flight school in 1973 I was still too poor to buy a Corvette and had to settle for an SS Camaro.

Personally, I'd rather have the Camaro.... And I did have one...

 

[Parr0thead98]

OK, been a loooong time since I've posted. Been flying my butt off visiting my folks around the globe...I have approx 100 located at the same base I'm at and about 1,200 folks stationed around the world. I'm a firm believer you can only lead from the front, so I usu spend 1 week at home a 1-2 weeks on the road. At the arpt right now, in fact.

Funny thing happened on the way to work after going home for lunch 2 weeks ago...General's secretary sent me an e-mail saying the Gen wanted to meet w/ me for 30 min at 1530 that day, no subject given.

Odd, he usu just calls me on my Blackberry or shoots me a quick e-mail...things that make you go, hhmmm. So, I call in my sr staff to brief me up on any possible recent issues...we;re grasping at straws here when a cold chill goes down my back........

No, couldn't be.........

Not me.........

I'm retiring next summer.........

I've let everyone know that........

No, couldn't be...let me go check the web...f***! The Command Candidate List is due out this week, but I dropped it off my radar because I'm retiring and I requested my General submit a "DO NOT RECOMMEND" for command on me, which he did.

I think you can guess where this is going.

1530, walk into the General's office, he's goes to close the door (he usu leaves it open), I see a piece of paper upside down on his conference table, I turn and look at him, "General, this can't be good. You're closing the door and there's an upside down piece of paper on your table. I've done nothing illegal and I don't think you're firing me...what gives?"

Gen says, "I don't know how to tell you this, but normally I'd say congratulations...you've been selected as a candidate for a wing command (next higer level of command)"...I'm sorry."

Silence................

"Uummmm, sir, did you forget to put "NOT" in the DO NOT RECOMMEND statement? I'm not supposed to be on this list, I'm not promotable and I'm retiring next June, you know that."

Short ending...the AF selects more candidates than actual openings, so hopefully I won't actually get selected. If I do, I fully intend to decline the assignment which means I will have to get out...check this out...no later than New Year's Day, as in 1 Jan 13, folks. Congrats, Col, now get the h*** out if you don't want to do what we say!!

Ever heard the song "I'll be home for Christmas?" I'm kinda growing fond of it, personally We'll see what happens. Some folks around the base understand, others are shocked I would be willing to turn down a chance to be THE boss of my own base...how could you??!

Family...that's how. And I'm debt free except for the house I'm building, so my retirement check already covers everything...if I'm not promotable, why would I want a job w/ middle of the night phone calls Riddle me that, Batman!

So, other than that, how was the play Mrs Lincoln?

 

[Nords]

If I do, I fully intend to decline the assignment which means I will have to get out...check this out...no later than New Year's Day, as in 1 Jan 13, folks. Congrats, Col, now get the h*** out if you don't want to do what we say!!
So, other than that, how was the play Mrs Lincoln?

I've lost track-- you have O-6 time in grade already, right? Or is the Air Force's 1 Jan 13 deadline going to mean that you're looking at an O-5 retirement?

 

[Retch The Grate]

sounds like a grats on being good at your job and enjoy your early retirement.

 

[braumeister]

So that would just be about six months earlier than you planned, right?
Shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[JDARNELL]

Wow up until the end the AF is still doing what it does. You will be much happier on the other side. I was thinking about wing commanders the other day. From what I see it is usually their swan song and it is totally a power ego thing making BS rules that has so many unnecessary ripple effects. Then they try to come out and make a career change. I can tell you that as I interview people Wing Kings are really not as competitive as their previous counterparts who did not take command but rather actually did some grunt work.

JDARNELL

 

[friar1610]

Gen says, "I don't know how to tell you this, but normally I'd say congratulations...you've been selected as a candidate a wing command (next higer level of command)"...I'm sorry."

Can't you just send a formal letter to whomever (a board, I assume) that makes the decision on the final cut requesting that you not be considered and saying that you would decline the command if selected? Clearly you would not be selected. Since that should be privileged correspondence nobody would know about it except you and the board. It seems that would get you off the hook. Everyone would think you hadn't been selected for the wing command so you wouldn't have a lot of explaining to do to your peers and friends. (I'm assuming it wouldn't be an ego problem for you to be perceived as a non-selectee.)

As an aside, I recall a lot of those informal "rules" from my days in the Navy.

"Nobody ever declines command."

"You don't retire directly from a command tour; you have to take one more tour after that."

Those informal rules were mostly BS.

 

[Parr0thead98]

I've lost track-- you have O-6 time in grade already, right? Or is the Air Force's 1 Jan 13 deadline going to mean that you're looking at an O-5 retirement?

Nords: yup, I'm covered on TIG...pinned on back in 2008, no worries there. I'm actually really warming up to the idea of 1 Jan, but know next Summer is the most stable path. The Col's Group action officer thinks he can keep me from being matched, but no promises (of course). When I called him, I said, "Let me be blunt, WTF?!" He said, "well, that certainly was direct, sir!" hehehe He couldn't explain it, either.

 

[Parr0thead98]

Hi all, been a while since my last update...got lots to update on now!

I officially have my retirement orders in hand, 1 Oct 13 with last duty day of 24 Jun 13...only 4 1/2 mos out...seriously!!!

Funny side story for any military types reading this...after dodging the wing command scare (read a couple posts previous), I had surgery in Dec and was laid up on the couch for several weeks. However, on the day my wife took me to the doc for my 1 week post-op follow-up, I had her drive me to the office so I could log on my gov't computer and submit my retirement application within my 2 week window the Colonel's Group gives between releasing me from the Command selection cycle before throwing me into the next year's staff assignment cycle where I'd be locked in again for an assignment or have to "7-day opt" as they nickname it...nice, huh? Well, I've always been frustrated with the personnelists most...all...of my career, but when it comes to getting rid of me, bam! Best service I've ever received!! About 5 days later I get an e-mail approving my retirement application, very next day I have an e-mail with my actual retirement orders, and 2 days after that the separations specialist calls me to schedule my initial appointment already! Holy crap! Where have they been the past 25 years? (Note: if you are an Air Force personnel type reading this post....I'm sorry...that you had to be a personnelist! hehehe).

In addition, my replacement has been announced and I couldn't be happier since it's the guy I personally recommended. I also got a new Deputy Civilian that I personally selected because I knew he'd continue the transformation initiatives in my unit that we've been effecting the past 3 years since he's been a part of it. All in all, the transition of the unit is falling into place and I'm quickly working myself out of a job already...I luv it. That's the way a good transition should go, IMO.

Now, just last week, had a late o-6s Friday discussion with my General on some things and he pops a question out of the blue in front of my fellow Colonels, "hey, I'd like for you to apply for the GS-14 senior civilian position that's coming open on base...what would it take to get you to stay here and take the job. We could even make sure you could stay in your on-base house. You're perfect for the job!"

I nearly choke on my diet coke 'cause I DID NOT see this one coming from a million miles away...and believe me, in North Texas, you can see just about 1 million miles unobstructed!

After I gathered my senses at just being offered a $110K job out of nowhere, I looked at him and said, "General, you don't have enough money to keep me here, but thank you for your vote of confidence in my abilities! Do you have any Bourbon?"

So, I have orders in hand, I have filled out paperwork for when I want the movers to show up in June, I have TAPS course scheduled for the last week of Feb, I've picked the design for my shadow box, I've got 4 Sr Non-Coms who vol'd to throw a BBQ for my retirement "dinner" and these guys know how to do some serious Que! I'm not a fancy/formal guy, so a BBQ retirement dinner w/ paper plates and boxed wine is just my style...yes!!!

Nords, as I do the TAPS and VA process, I'll keep notes to post. I did some rough calculations and estimate I'm between 50-70% VA disability...I'll see how close to actual I got as I move through this process. From what I've been hearing from other recent retirees, the VA process is taking approx 10-12 mos to get your disability rating from the time of your medical exam. I plan to schedule mine in April which is the soonest I can do it.

 

[jclarksnakes]

Your story reminds me of some of the funny curves in my Army career. It always seemed like when I thought I was doing everything right somebody would come along and crap in my mess kit. And then when I had an "I dont care, and you can't make me attitude" along comes another promotion or award. I was thinking that you would change your mind and take the wing command. Congratulations on sticking with the right decision and thanks for your service.

 

[AllChoptUp]

Thanks for the great thread Col, it's nice to see how those a few years ahead of where I am have planned and executed a smooth retirement plan. I will pull the plug in 2016 at the 20 year mark so have some time to get everything squared away.

My hubs retired in 2010 and unsolicited job offers came in for years...he finally bit a few months ago and is happily teleworking for a beltway bandit firm.

Thanks also to the other retirees who have contributed so much. Go Navy!

V/r, AllChoptUp

 

[Parr0thead98]

Mornin; all...thought I'd provide another update as I move through the belly of the python known as retirement from the military!

Nords, side note: my nephew is a Junior at the Naval Academy and has decided to go into the submarine corps as a Nuke Officer! Oh gawd! He's actually looking at a scholarship to Stanford for his Masters right after the Academy--the kid's got some serious smarts and he's also on the Academy Golf Team. I had to rib him some..."You know, for such a smart Cadidiot, there's no golf on subs, right?"

Went through the new base TAPS program, not really impressed. It was death by "go to this website for more information." Not the fault of the instructors, it's just the way the new course i s designed. For the specific tracks on Entrepreneurship, or going back to college, etc, you have to sign up for a second week that's tailored to your interest.

The Dept of Labor briefer they bring in to teach Resume's, interviews, networking, etc is actually a sub-contractor. Again, it was flying through the mandated DoL book with a "go here for more information." The most helpful part was the practice 30 second elevator speech/tell me about yourself--I could tell many in the TAPS class had never had to do that.

I felt bad because most of my class were young Airmen separating. At least I had been though the Executive TAPS a year ago, so I was prepared, had a resume', had a Linkedin page (I had to explain to the class about the importance of Linkedin to job searching nowadays), had an interview suit.

The last day was the VA rep...what I was waiting for. I will say because I had already done extensive research, I knew a significant amount of his material, but I still took notes. In our area, there's actually a VA rep who meets with you first to go through your records and helps you fill out your claim paperwork and file it. He is also the one who schedules your medical appointments, but I'm told this is unique to our area and not the norm?? So, I did as he briefed and now have a copy of my 3 1/2" of medical records, have my appointment with him on April 23d, I have started to fill out my claim paperwork...this is a slow process as I am going through my records and tabbing events, supporting Dr's notes, etc for each claim I'm going to file.

Have the shadow box paid for, 7 family members flying for the retirement ceremony, have requested the movers for the week AFTER the retirement ceremony, my Change of Command will be AFTER the movers are done and we're out of base housing, then we hit the road the week of 4th of July. Have our retirement cruise to Bermuda booked for 2 weeks after that!