What’s it Like to Retire?

[LarryW]

I asked Ray Bradbury once what it was like for him when he finally decided to be a professional writer. He said: “It was like running up to the edge of an empty swimming pool and diving in, and hoping you sweat it full before you hit the bottom.”

Military retirement can feel like that. But most everyone these days don’t retire to the front porch rocker, least not right away. Rather the move is to the second career, often away from active military service to military contracting or working for one of the DoD Program Offices (which too often can look and feel like a corporate franchise; a McDonalds or a 7-11). One may rationalize that what you’ve gained in your experience is still very much in demand and you want to rest and kick back, but you find the monetary value of that experience is irresistible. So, you punch out and double-dip. Some folks go on to triple-dip. The geometry can go on and on. I’m not suggesting there’s anything wrong with doing that at all. Had a skipper who retired as an O-6 after a thoroughly successful background in nuclear engineering who decided he’d rather teach fifth grade. That’s what he did. When I asked him why he chose such a move he said he felt he needed to do something completely different. The most common thing most military retirees mention that they miss when they retire is the camaraderie, the fellowship, and that was something my O-6 friend was never able to rediscover in his second career as a teacher. Had nothing to do with teaching or education as a career being something below that of military service. For that matter, he was a damned good fifth grade teacher. It’s just very different.

Being retired because of a physical disability is not a decision one makes; it is a situation one has to deal with. For me, the loss of fellowship with military men and women came at me like a gorilla out of the trees and it hurt deep. Anyway, just for discussion purposes I was wondering; if you are retired now, what was the hardest part for you? (I suspect there are military men and women out there who will be retiring in the next year or so and who would be interested to know your perspective.)

Thanks.