Light at the end of the Tunnel, but only darkness behind

[curious]

congrats on surviving to retirement...

now while this sounds harsh, pull your pants up, get over yourself(es) and move on with life in general and your retirement $$ and go enjoy life, family, ad nauseam...

trust me, sitting around in a "woe is me" is extremely counter productive as there are tremendous opportunities to volunteer your services...yes volunteer to see if you enjoy the environment and experience...

also remember, thousands of folks retire from the military each year after traveling the world, w/ & w/o their families defending this country against real and imagined issues.

true story, brother was patrolman, then moved up, then chief, then decided the mayor was an idiot, so ran and then served two terms, then continued to function within the city's infrastructure...oh and didn't get into the wanta-be-LEOSA mentality whatsoever...

as a military enlisted retiree, the realization I was retired arrived immediately when I arrived at the aeroport of my new stateside job which I obtained while still on active duty at an overseas location & before i retired, so here I was looking around for my sponsor to help me navigate the place and it hit me...I'm on my own...and moved out accordingly.

again, congrats for surviving to retirement but aim your sight forward in lieu of behind you...

[AMC]

congrats on surviving to retirement...

now while this sounds harsh, pull your pants up, get over yourself(es) and move on with life in general and your retirement $$ and go enjoy life, family, ad nauseam...

trust me, sitting around in a "woe is me" is extremely counter productive as there are tremendous opportunities to volunteer your services...yes volunteer to see if you enjoy the environment and experience...

also remember, thousands of folks retire from the military each year after traveling the world, w/ & w/o their families defending this country against real and imagined issues.

true story, brother was patrolman, then moved up, then chief, then decided the mayor was an idiot, so ran and then served two terms, then continued to function within the city's infrastructure...oh and didn't get into the wanta-be-LEOSA mentality whatsoever...

as a military enlisted retiree, the realization I was retired arrived immediately when I arrived at the aeroport of my new stateside job which I obtained while still on active duty at an overseas location & before i retired, so here I was looking around for my sponsor to help me navigate the place and it hit me...I'm on my own...and moved out accordingly.

again, congrats for surviving to retirement but aim your sight forward in lieu of behind you...

While I thank you for the well intentioned advice, to say that the point was missed is an understatement. No "woe is me" here. I'm literally about to get a raise while retiring and will get paid MORE to not go to work. Pretty sweet deal. I will have more time, more money and far less risk and liability. I'm getting the nice end of this deal.

It is those left behind in the burning building that I lament.

Several folks have asked me what my post retirement plans are. I was offered a few jobs, one in the industry and one as a retiree part timer at my agency. Said no to both. I will have 40 hours available that I don't have now so the plan is:

10 hours more a week being a better husband.
10 hours more a week being a better father.
10 hours more a week dealing with house stuff I haven't been able to get to.
10 hours more a week just doing what I want to do.

That's the plan for now at least. Fortunate I don't have any crazy debt, and the wife just returned to Federal Service with decent money.

[curious]

While I thank you for the well intentioned advice, to say that the point was missed is an understatement. No "woe is me" here. I'm literally about to get a raise while retiring and will get paid MORE to not go to work. Pretty sweet deal. I will have more time, more money and far less risk and liability. I'm getting the nice end of this deal.

It is those left behind in the burning building that I lament.

Several folks have asked me what my post retirement plans are. I was offered a few jobs, one in the industry and one as a retiree part timer at my agency. Said no to both. I will have 40 hours available that I don't have now so the plan is:

10 hours more a week being a better husband.
10 hours more a week being a better father.
10 hours more a week dealing with house stuff I haven't been able to get to.
10 hours more a week just doing what I want to do.

That's the plan for now at least. Fortunate I don't have any crazy debt, and the wife just returned to Federal Service with decent money.

the standard mantra comes to mind ~ 'can you do absolutely anything about their plight?'

if not then it isn't your problem is it?

was one of the reasons my brother ran for mayor ~ to do something about it!

sidebar, when i retired, one defense organization wanted to pay me substantially below the going rate...when I ask what's going on...the VP of the organization said..."well you already have your military retirement so we adjusted your pay from us!" I smiled and muttered an obscenity discussing his heritage under my breath as I walked out of his office...sigh!

best of luck...

[Erick Gelhaus]

Congratulations!

[HCM]

Congratulations.

[AMC]

Last day was today. Turned in the guns and gear and signed the papers. Got a new photo for my Old Dude ID. Over 30 years....more than half my life. Feels strange to not have the immediacy of the mission in front of me.

Said a lot of goodbyes to a lot of folks today. Got a lot of very gracious replies to my email announcing the new guy was taking over effective immediately. Spent some time reminiscing about old friends and partners, and kids I trained. There are folks I worked with, including ones I supervised, who I will always hear heroic music when I think of them, having witnessed their selfless courage. Guys and gals who i know would've ripped the classroom doors in Uvalde off with their teeth and run in with a handgun. Because I saw them do it in other situations. I will miss working with and leading such folks. You guys still wearing the badge....know that there is now one more citizen who looks up to you with awe.

Then I spent some time thinking of the ones we lost. Who didn't make it to this day, and never will. For them, I'm gonna enjoy every second of this....and hopefully bang the city for more than 30 years in retirement.

[UNM1136]

Thank you...

pat

[LockedBreech]

Hope your first day of full retirement is an awesome one today, AMC, lifting a coffee cup to you.

My dad retired after 23 years and a line of duty injury, and my only real advice is to stay active and happy. Get out there and do the shit you wished you were doing when you were working. Toss a line in the water for us poor saps that are still punching a clock. Godspeed.

[SoCalDep]

Congratulations! I’ll miss our emails back and forth but you have better things to think about now.