7 days and a wake-up

[Shooter5]

Hanging up the uniform and retiring next week; any advice, things to know, wish had done different comments? From the perspective of the other end of boot camp, my salute and heartfelt thanks to all ya'll veterans out there.

[IditarodJoe]

OK Shooter5. I'll give you an honest answer, although it may not be what you're expecting. I retired 18 months ago at age 66 from a life-long career as a busy technical manager in the academic, public, and private sectors. Prior to my retirement, a good friend who had retired a number of years earlier shared one really good bit of wisdom with me.

The first six to twelve months after you stop working might seem sort of strange at times - don't let it worry you. At first, it will be great to be able to get up in the morning whenever you like, no pressing obligations, have a leisurely cup of coffee, do whatever you please, whenever you please. But after a while you just might start to realize that you're not being very productive, maybe you've become lethargic, you're wasting a lot of time. Well, that just might all be true! . . . but it's also perfectly normal. Think about it - you've been practicing strict self-discipline for what, 40 or 50 years? Suddenly the rules have changed. It may take up to a year (maybe more) for you to adjust to your new situation. That's OK! It's not at all unusual. It's a perfectly natural transition. I've met a few retiree's who claim to have made a completely smooth transition into busy life in retirement. Good for them, but that isn't the rule. My good wife and I retired at the same time, and it took both of us the better part of a year before thing started to feel "normal" again. So relax, ease into it, enjoy the transition . . . it's only a bad thing if you start to worry about it.

Congratulations on your retirement!

[Allen]

Congratulations on your retirement. Everyone's situation is going to be different but this is what I found when I retired.

1. Your wife, no matter how supportive she may have been on you retiring is not used to having you around all the time and may want time to herself.
2. It becomes extremely easy to gain weight. Try not to eat past supper time.
3. You can take a nap any time you wish now.
4. You will find you have no one to talk to. No matter how good of friends you and your wife are it's not the same as talking to your male co-workers.
5. I have not missed my job at all since I left. I think about it all the time but know I did the right thing.
6. Me and my wife, who is also retired both signed up for SS at 62. Even the SS representative said there is no reason to wait.
7. I don't know your age but if you are younger than 59 1/2 you have to pay a 10% penalty to withdraw money from your 401K.
8. Health insurance is costing about $1400 a month with my employer claiming they are paying most of it (yeah right). It's not obamacare.
9. You will save a fortune in gasoline now and when you buy your next car/truck fuel mileage will not matter.
10. Been retired for over 3 years now, no regrets.

Good words from Joe (above)

Good luck. Enjoy your life !!!

[2flasargent]

I retired from the Navy in 1990, finished a masters degree in a couple months and was employed before the end of that. You're undoubtedly used to being productive and the work environment. Even if you don't need the income a part time job at least is a great transition. As above I saw too many retired hanging around the donut shop with their own coffee mug on the wall and the same stool several times a week, and dead a couple years later. I've retired from a second career in facilities planning and maintenance about 2 years ago, and this transition was into volunteer work with kids - Guardian Ad Litem program. I can't conceive of not having a reason for the day! Btw as retired military health care is hopefully Tricare for life, or the VA. Most of my friends have had positive VA experiences, in spite of the bad press. Good luck and God bless

[Shooter5]

Great advice, thanks. Final paperwork and sign out tomorrow morning.

[IditarodJoe]

CONGRATULATIONS Shooter5!!!!

[CJCulpeper]

The one thing I tell all of the guys who get out or are retiring is take three to six months and do nothing. (Of course you need money in the bank) Do not get a job that is on a military post, base or station. De-compress. Get the military out of your brain. You would not believe the number of meat heads I saw in Iraq and Afghanistan who would fall in on a contracting job and forget their new rank is Mister and would bluster about saying things such as "I'm a retired ________________" in the hope that others would bow down and kiss their feet or a place just a few feet higher. The ones who had the roughest time of adapting to the new reality were (pick a branch but mostly Army) E-7s to E9s and a smattering of O4s and O5s.

[barretcreek]

When I was looking at retirement a friend told me I needed to be self employed. Not as lucrative as a job "we're looking for a retired ______" but better for the attitude in my opinion. Something new, at the left hand end of the learning curve. Keeps ya young.

[Michaelp]

There will be lots and lots of civilians running about doing what they dam well please.
There will be no apparant order or reason for this.
It's their world too, and they have the right to behave in this manner.
This will be tough to comprehend for a time.

[Ken The Kanuck]

Ahh, retirement "twice the husband and half the money"

Congrats

KTK