Author Topic: Ladies and Gentlemen, I've come to the end of the road! (Read 2311 times)

Lennyjoe · « **on:** March 26, 2007, 06:21:52 PM »

Time to hang up the hat. Decided (with a bit of help from a non-vol 1 year remote orders) to punch out of the Air Force. I've been at it for 21 years and its time to move on. No sense in staying in any longer.

Retirement date is set for 1 Oct 2007. Now I have to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. I thought the military life would never end but seems all good things must come to an end.

Have a couple of things on my side. 21 years as an aircraft mechanic, degree in aviation technology, TS clearance and no children to take care of. They are all grown up.

I know I want to live somewhere on the East side of the Mississippi river. Tired of being away from my mother/father, brothers/sisters and niece/nephews for so long. Time to get back closer to the family and enjoy the remainder of our lifes together.

Where to go from here............................. undecided

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2007, 06:32:37 PM »

Good luck buddy. Too bad crappy assignments can ruin it for good people.
Thats why I retired.

FIGMO!!!!!!!

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 26, 2007, 07:15:33 PM »

From one recently-retired Air Force puke to another, "Congratulations!"

I'll tell you something the folks at the TAP class never did - beware of post-service clinical depression. Stay busy, keep moving, and talk to people. A lot. Wink

Isn't it funny how the AFMPC assignment system works when they know you're retirement-eligible? (Same thing happened to me, I doubt anybody's seen retirement paperwork get dropped so fast...)

sumpnz · « **Reply #3 on:** March 26, 2007, 09:31:28 PM »

Lenny - Congrats!

Just out of curiosity, did AZ G&F charge you the $114 for an elk tag? They did for me and all 3 of the other guys I'm going with. We all put in separately. I find it a little hard to believe that we went 4 for 4 on the tags, so I'm not sure if they are just charging everyone that put in (and will refund if you failed) or if they've done the draw and only charged those that got a tag. The website still says they won't publish draw results until April 16.

Leatherneck · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2007, 03:25:17 AM »

Len,
Congratulations. I found the first retirement was no big deal. Retired friday and went to work at a new job Monday. My nearing second or *final* retirement is looming larger, however.

Don't underestimate the value of your clean background to a new employer. They're paying big premiums in this area (NoVA/DC).

TC

Art Eatman · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2007, 03:28:06 AM »

Increasing amount of corporate travel by executive jet, on account of all the TSA BS. So, more work at FBOs, if that's your bag.

Art

TarpleyG · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2007, 03:30:08 AM »

Hey Leatherneck...anyone ever refer to you as a "Marine puke"? Me either. Whats' with this Air Force, Navy, and Army and this "puking" thing?

Greg

Manedwolf · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2007, 04:09:41 AM »

Quote from: Lennyjoe on March 26, 2007, 05:21:52 PM

Time to hang up the hat. Decided (with a bit of help from a non-vol 1 year remote orders) to punch out of the Air Force. I've been at it for 21 years and its time to move on. No sense in staying in any longer.

Retirement date is set for 1 Oct 2007. Now I have to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. I thought the military life would never end but seems all good things must come to an end.

Have a couple of things on my side. 21 years as an aircraft mechanic, degree in aviation technology, TS clearance and no children to take care of. They are all grown up.

I know I want to live somewhere on the East side of the Mississippi river. Tired of being away from my mother/father, brothers/sisters and niece/nephews for so long. Time to get back closer to the family and enjoy the remainder of our lifes together.

Where to go from here............................. undecided

Cross your fingers that you don't get stop-lossed and yanked right back in?

There's so much more dependence on high-tech aircraft and drones now, and so few qualified new incoming sorts that it could be that they can't afford to let you go.

Hope that doesn't happen.

wmenorr67 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2007, 04:21:52 AM »

Congrats on the retirement and thanks for the service. Have a few more years myself before I can retire from the Guard.

Lennyjoe · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2007, 05:03:52 PM »

Thanks for all the kind words. As for jobs, I'm finishing my resume and looking for jobs back east.

Sumpnz, we sent in money orders so I don't know if we got drawn. 3 other guys I know used credit cards too for elk and all three had pending debits on their cards as of last week.

It would be my luck to get drawn this year since I'm planning on moving back east this fall. Guess I'll have to come back for the hunt if I do get drawn.

sumpnz · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2007, 08:54:29 PM »

I'll be driving back down from WA for the hunt, so I know how you feel.

El Tejon · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2007, 03:00:17 AM »

Congrats and best wishes for the future.

280plus · « **Reply #12 on:** March 28, 2007, 03:16:50 AM »

Congrats, in the overall picture it's really just a fork though. grin

I'd be listening to Leatherneck, there seems to be an abundance of retired military in his area. I imagine there's a reason for that.

Dannyboy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2007, 04:00:17 AM »

It could always be worse. I spoke to an old platoon sergeant of mine last year. He got orders for Ft. Campbell 2 months after putting in his retirement paperwork. So, he goes to Campbell as a heavy artillery guy (MLRS). There are no heavy units there. He gets assigned to an aviation battalion and gets deployed to Iraq. It can always be worse.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2007, 05:17:32 AM »

Lots of companies in the Mid-Atlantic area are looking for folks with security clearances. Retired military seems to be a plus as well.

Oh, just saw Leatherneck's post. He's right. I know for a fact my company needs lots of folks with security clearances and we're not the only ones...

Chris

Lennyjoe · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2007, 07:28:11 AM »

I'd prefer to stay outside of the beltway as far as jobs go in the DC area. I'm gonna hit up some job fairs here around the base and see whats out there. Now, to finish my degree and resumes.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2007, 09:31:06 AM »

Quote

I'd prefer to stay outside of the beltway as far as jobs go in the DC area. I'm gonna hit up some job fairs here around the base and see whats out there. Now, to finish my degree and resumes.

Good plan. Upon retiring, I was told to take my TS/SCI and head for DC, and continue doing more of God's Work for SAIC/NSA/CIA/State Department/Pentagon. I did some digging, talked to a couple friends who had recently been re-assigned to the Pentagon and NSA, and realized I just couldn't force myself to head for the agencies inside the beltway. The commute, cost of housing, cost of living, it all was just more than I was willing to put my wife and I through.

If you've got your A&P, I understand Scaled Composites is hiring every now and again. That would be fun. grin

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2007, 09:38:28 AM »

Quote

If you've got your A&P, I understand Scaled Composites is hiring every now and again. That would be fun.

Now that would be a sweet job!

The end of the road? If you look at it a different way, its just the beginning!

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 28, 2007, 01:01:14 PM »

Just a fork in the road, not the end. I was never under any illusions during my military career that I wouldn't return to a "normal" life someday. I was often chastised for calling a military career "a 20-30 year detour in one's life". I've seen too many GIs that were eaten up, so gung-ho that one wonders how they're going to cope with the transition once they move to a world that doesn't care who they are or what they did. (aka, Madison, WI)

Rutan's works in Mojave look like a fun place to start a second career. Here's the joblist, so far:

http://www.scaled.com/careers/index.php

280plus · « **Reply #19 on:** March 28, 2007, 01:15:55 PM »

Too bad it's in Kali, I'd like to apply there myself...

RevDisk · « **Reply #20 on:** March 28, 2007, 02:20:23 PM »

Quote from: Lennyjoe on March 26, 2007, 05:21:52 PM

Have a couple of things on my side. 21 years as an aircraft mechanic, degree in aviation technology, TS clearance and no children to take care of. They are all grown up.

Where to go from here............................. undecided

Any experience or interest in rotary wing aviation? We're (Sikorsky) hiring.

sumpnz · « **Reply #21 on:** March 28, 2007, 10:19:24 PM »

Lenny, G&F has the draw results up on their website now. I will most definatly be making the drive back to AZ for elk season.

Let me know if you got drawn for October Unit 9 cows. I recall you were going to list that as one choice. If so we'll have to coordinate meeting up.

Lennyjoe · « **Reply #22 on:** March 29, 2007, 10:01:19 AM »

I got drawn for unit #9 19-25 Oct.

As for rotary, no experience. Have 2 years in Flight Safety and 20 in fixed wing aircraft. A&P will be done by retirement date of 1 Oct.

sumpnz · « **Reply #23 on:** March 29, 2007, 08:45:30 PM »

Quote from: Lennyjoe

I got drawn for unit #9 19-25 Oct.

Kick ass! I'll PM you my cell phone number on THR.

RevDisk · « **Reply #24 on:** March 30, 2007, 08:25:23 AM »

Quote from: Lennyjoe on March 29, 2007, 09:01:19 AM

I got drawn for unit #9 19-25 Oct.

As for rotary, no experience. Have 2 years in Flight Safety and 20 in fixed wing aircraft. A&P will be done by retirement date of 1 Oct.

Well, PM if you're ever interested. We're always looking for more folks with an avn background and we're very rapidly expanding. Hard to find good folks with lots of experience.

News:

Author Topic: Ladies and Gentlemen, I've come to the end of the road! (Read 2311 times)