10
10
0
Has anyone fully retired after military service? In my line of work I see a lot of retired military working GS jobs into their late 50s and 60s and all seem burned out. It would seem that with a little forethought and planning one could easily retire by age 50. I'm not talking about laying around the house doing nothing, but rather not having to work for money because you need to. Doug Nordman has written the book military finance or something like that in there are a lot of early retirement forums and blogs such as Mr. Money mustache. I am just curious why more people don't seem to do this or maybe they have it we just don't hear about it. Perhaps they are on this board :-)
Posted in these groups: 
Retirement
Retirement
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
23
23
0
I spent 33 years in Army and retired in Jan 13. I am currently working, but not in the GS world; I passed on that and passed on government contracting. I am currently a High School teacher, and I love what I am doing. I will likely stop in the next few years, when my wife can retire. I work because I enjoy it, and I am not sure I would like doing nothing.
(23)
(0)
SGT (Join to see)
I can tell you one thing teaching high school was the limit of my patience . Not always from the students it was the staff that I worked with . I taught for 9 years after retiring . Teaching was my dream job for years . Teaching Special Ed seeing lights come on is very rewarding ! And that fear of having nothing to do when you do stop working . I may be disabled today but I never find that I have nothing to do . One thing we were taught was to travel in are years of service . Now is time to do it for the fun of doing it . You know that you really don't need more than a duffle bag to go any where for as long as you want to go for if it won't fit it is too much to take . I have my grandkids to enjoy too . Heck I even take the wife along too some times when she is not working . :-)
(1)
(0)
COL Charles Williams
Col Michael Grubbs, Ph.D. Thank you. I always thought I would HS history, or perhaps being a college professor, but I really like this HS JROTC mission. I can't think of anything I would rather do.
(0)
(0)
SSG Dwight Amey MSA, MSL, BS, AS
COL Charles Williams, I view retirement not as a time not to have to go to work in survival mode, but to have figured out what I want to do in life. Now that I can sustain my basic necessities without working. I can move to my pursuit of happiness without having my parents to pay the rent and light bills.
On the issue of not working, well my father retired from UPS after 29 years but still pastors a church he turns 70 this year. From his example I realize we live because we have something to live for. He worked his life wanting to be in the ministry full time always only part time while working. He was always busy. Once he was able quit work he wants full time.
This is my model. Except even though I am retired from the military. I am still in survival mode due to my mishandling of my income throughout these last 22 years.
Nevertheless, God is still good to me and I am blessed to have a good job with the VA. Life is good.
On the issue of not working, well my father retired from UPS after 29 years but still pastors a church he turns 70 this year. From his example I realize we live because we have something to live for. He worked his life wanting to be in the ministry full time always only part time while working. He was always busy. Once he was able quit work he wants full time.
This is my model. Except even though I am retired from the military. I am still in survival mode due to my mishandling of my income throughout these last 22 years.
Nevertheless, God is still good to me and I am blessed to have a good job with the VA. Life is good.
(1)
(0)
While it's possible to live frugally, invest wisely and then retire completely living on ROI and a military retirement benefit..
In doing so I would have missed out on racing off road vehicles in Australia, riding and racing off road motorcycles in many states, visiting family and friends in far places, owning, building , riding many dozens of motorcycles along the way, owning and building a 1969 Mustang Fastback, 2005 Mustang, 2007 GT500, accumulating many tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools, machinery and tooling ...all of that cost money... all of that money COULD have went into investments allowing me to be retired worry and work free..And what a dull life it would have been.
I'm living a dream,,,NOT fully retired.
I work on bikes for fun and wages.
I teach others to ride bikes for fun and wages.
I teach off road riding on post.
My wife is the service manager for a 6 brand dealer locally
My younger son is a tech at the same dealer.
I do contract work for the same dealer
I may not be "fully retired" post service, but damn if I ain't having fun.
In doing so I would have missed out on racing off road vehicles in Australia, riding and racing off road motorcycles in many states, visiting family and friends in far places, owning, building , riding many dozens of motorcycles along the way, owning and building a 1969 Mustang Fastback, 2005 Mustang, 2007 GT500, accumulating many tens of thousands of dollars worth of tools, machinery and tooling ...all of that cost money... all of that money COULD have went into investments allowing me to be retired worry and work free..And what a dull life it would have been.
I'm living a dream,,,NOT fully retired.
I work on bikes for fun and wages.
I teach others to ride bikes for fun and wages.
I teach off road riding on post.
My wife is the service manager for a 6 brand dealer locally
My younger son is a tech at the same dealer.
I do contract work for the same dealer
I may not be "fully retired" post service, but damn if I ain't having fun.
(7)
(0)
SSG Buddy Kemper
Outstanding SGM!! I'm a little jealous, to be honest. Cheers and blessings to your family.
(2)
(0)
CPO Jim Turner
Sounds good, you're not a slave to your money nor your future. Live life while you can. I also have an RV and love riding my motorcycle. After retiring from the Navy, I'm a GS employee, and a plan for my future.
(2)
(0)
7
7
0
I fall into that category of folks who retired and are now working a GS job, LTC (Join to see). I don't feel burned out. I'm still contributing. And I will work till my early 60s, Lord willing.
I didn't plan well enough to retire after the military. Well, that may not be entirely true. I did not plan well, but I could have retired when I left the military - as a CW5 (Ret) over 30 - but I chose to continue working and improve (I hope) my quality of retired life when I do retire.
There are so many factors that go into retirement. Many more in my case that I'm not mentioning here. Bottom line though is that I didn't plan decades ahead for retirement, and I should have.
Here's a link to the book you mentioned (I think):
http://www.amazon.com/Military-Guide-Financial-Independence-Retirement/dp/ [login to see] /ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid= [login to see] &sr=8-1&keywords=doug+nordman
And there's a series of RallyPoint command posts by SFC (Join to see) on investing that would dovetail nicely with this thread:
https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/tactical-and-strategic-investing-part-i-of-iv
I didn't plan well enough to retire after the military. Well, that may not be entirely true. I did not plan well, but I could have retired when I left the military - as a CW5 (Ret) over 30 - but I chose to continue working and improve (I hope) my quality of retired life when I do retire.
There are so many factors that go into retirement. Many more in my case that I'm not mentioning here. Bottom line though is that I didn't plan decades ahead for retirement, and I should have.
Here's a link to the book you mentioned (I think):
http://www.amazon.com/Military-Guide-Financial-Independence-Retirement/dp/ [login to see] /ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid= [login to see] &sr=8-1&keywords=doug+nordman
And there's a series of RallyPoint command posts by SFC (Join to see) on investing that would dovetail nicely with this thread:
https://www.rallypoint.com/command-post/tactical-and-strategic-investing-part-i-of-iv
(7)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google