Retirees and Veterans: how busy are you; now that you've been discharged from the military? What do you do to keep busy?

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:48:38 -0400

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Jul 14 at 2015 5:50 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:50:33 -0400

My question is: how busy are you keeping as a retiree and/or as a veteran? What are you doing to keep busy?

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Jul 14 at 2015 5:54 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 17:54:05 -0400

I am very busy. As well as being a photographer and a Soldiers' Angel, I have many children and two grandchildren on the internet; I go to church; I go out with friends, etc.

Response by COL Mikel J. Burroughs made Jul 14 at 2015 6:42 PM

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 18:42:24 -0400

SPC Margaret Higgins I'm working a civilian job now fulltime out of my home; I play in a Country Band on weekend gigs all over Southern California (Drums) call "The Hickory Wind Band"; I spend a lot of time on RallyPoint for the discussions and connections and LinkedIn for my fulltime job; I keep my daughters engaged with completing college and High School (3 daughters)-(trying to teach them some best practices for their future); walk every morning with my better half (good communications) for about 2.9 miles Monday through Sunday; spend all time requesting student loans to pay for college; and I ride my Harley Davidson motorcycle as often as I can.

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Jul 14 at 2015 7:16 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:16:25 -0400

I am retired from any and all paying jobs. I am the local American Legion Commander in a small village of 1200 people. Seems everyone knows who I am and where I live. I am full time care giver to my wife who is in end stage liver disease. I am the administrator on a small political message board and I write in several others. I try to spend at least an hour every day on the treadmill.....

Response by SPC Rebecca Gassaway made Jul 14 at 2015 7:22 PM

SPC Rebecca Gassaway — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 19:22:00 -0400

I am not that busy at all. I wish I was lol. I go to school full time and my off time I am so bored I am finding ways to improve my jeep

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 14 at 2015 8:17 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 20:17:42 -0400

I didn't retire from the military, but I'm retired. Surprisingly, I'm busier than I've ever been in my life. In addition to pursuing a new career as a writer of short stories and novels, there's grandparenting. (I'm a professional grandparent or at least that's how it feels at times). And I'm trying to be a better veteran than I was as a soldier. I've mentioned it before that I wasn't much of a soldier. I would have liked to make it a career but drove my superiors beyond their patience after just five and a half years.

I'm trying to be a better veteran by serving veterans and active duty personnel in need. Sadly, too many of us think that the VA should be doing the job but what right have we to expect that? When has any bureaucracy ever done a good job? Of anything? Bureaucracies are designed to serve themselves. Propagate themselves. Aggrandize themselves. Grow. Prosper. Many outlive their original mission. Look at NASA. It was created to put a man on the moon. Mission accomplished in 1969. What are they still doing hanging around? They spend more doing nothing (there is no shuttle fleet, they're hiring Russians to supply the space station, there are no manned missions to Mars or back to the Moon). Does anyone really expect the VA to step up and serve us? Even under pressure for a year now they are doing a worse job than before. There are still waiting lists. They're getting longer. No one has been fired for misfeasance or malfeasance or even nonfeasance. So it's up to us to get the job done, isn't it?

Response by MSgt Michael Cannon made Jul 14 at 2015 8:22 PM

MSgt Michael Cannon — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 20:22:31 -0400

Raise chickens in my back yard. nom nom nom fresh eggs and fresh chicken. nom nom nom.

Response by Maj Mike Sciales made Jul 14 at 2015 8:24 PM

Maj Mike Sciales — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 20:24:59 -0400

I'm busy every day, all day. What used to consume me on weekends was chores. Now I spend 2 hours a day on them and take the weekends off. I walk to the Y, do yoga or strength training in the morning, attend to bills and correspondence in the afternoon, plan dinner and do the shopping and every evening I just get to enjoy the company of my wife over a leisurely dinner. My health is much better since I retired. I'm not stressed, don't work for any crazy people, I wake up when I feel like it, shave when I care to and I haven't touched power point in 10 years. In sum, being a type B person I am delighted to be retired. Glad I have war stories, but very glad to be out of it.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jul 14 at 2015 9:43 PM

SGM Erik Marquez — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 21:43:35 -0400

How busy?
Monday I woke up and worked in my shop, finished building a motor, installed some electronics on another bike and changed a tire. That night I taught 5 hour classroom MSF Basic Rider course
Tuesday I went to my range at 0600 and taught a 5 hour block of the Basic rider course, went home, cut grass on 8 acres and did work on a fleet maintenance contract set of motorcycles.
Wednesday I went to my range at 0600 and did another 5 hour block of the Basic rider course, graduating 8 new motorcycle riders, went home and worked in the shop till 2200
Thursday I conducted a Advanced rider course over 6 hours...then went home and worked in the shop till 2100
Friday I woke up at 0430, drove to Austin and spent 10 hours at a 3 wheel Basic riders course certification course, went home and passed out.
Saturday I woke up at 0430, drove to Austin and spent 13 hours at a 3 wheel Basic riders course certification course, went home and built and packaged a motor for shipment to Colorado.
Sunday I woke up at 0430, drove to Austin and spent 10 hours at a 3 wheel Basic riders course certification course, graduated, went home and spent a few hours with the wife doing home finance stuff, and picking a contractor to give $26k to for a new roof.
Monday I woke up and started it all over again....

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jul 14 at 2015 10:00 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 22:00:54 -0400

I've been fully retired for a year and a half. Problem is my eyes activate at 0530 and won't retrain. I'm just busy at other things recently like getting a house remodeled for sale, buying a new place, moving and getting ripped off by the movers, etc. I've been doing more soccer referee experiences, especially in Canada. I leave in 3 days for my European tournament work. I'm getting more done with a new tractor than I could believe especially since my back won't do post hole diggers any more. So digging trees in, land planing the road, tilling at our friend's farm, and figuring out what the next attachment will be is the norm. Like MSgt Michael Cannon, fresh chickens and eggs can't be beat. We also have unlimited pork, veggies, spices, and fruits. My wife is going to get into canning big time. Bottom line, our next new adventure.

Response by SGT Richard H. made Jul 14 at 2015 10:58 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 14 Jul 2015 22:58:31 -0400

Mostly I work. When I'm not busy working...well...I work more. When I'm not busy with one of those two things, I teach SCUBA (no more than 1 or 2 classes a year). In what little time is left, I spend it at the beach, on the range, or fishing.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 15 at 2015 6:21 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 18:21:41 -0400

I lift weights so I can be a semi sexy old man :)

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 15 at 2015 8:08 PM

COL Charles Williams — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 20:08:30 -0400

SPC Margaret Higgins Well, I still work... I am HS teacher now, but summers are awesome. I occupy me free time working around our house, swimming, riding and working on my Motorcycle, and doing low impact PT (other than swimming), and drinking beer. I just cleaned and did maintenance on our kegerator.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Jul 15 at 2015 9:36 PM

SFC Christopher Perry — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 21:36:39 -0400

I had a three day break between my final out and starting my new civilian job. Keeping busy has not been an issue.

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Jul 15 at 2015 9:39 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 21:39:48 -0400

MAJ Ken Landgren, It was an honor and a pleasure talking to you. Thank You!

Response by MSgt David Haupt made Jul 16 at 2015 6:30 AM

MSgt David Haupt — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 06:30:34 -0400

Family time is my priority now. All the deployments left a big whole in Family time so there is a big make up time. Plus working again at another job. The BIG retirement check is not that big but nice to have.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 16 at 2015 12:37 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:37:51 -0400

I am retired reserve and just retired from my teaching job; thankfully adding my reserve retirement to my teaching job allows my to retire comfortably. I am continuing my passion to serve my country , youth and veterans in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Naval Sea Cadets, Civil Air Patrol, American Legion, AUSA, and Reserrve Officers Association. I gues Im still a military junkie!

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 16 at 2015 2:19 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 14:19:53 -0400

I love listening to good music! It gets my blood moving.

Response by PO2 Alden Dean made Jul 16 at 2015 7:43 PM

PO2 Alden Dean — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 19:43:09 -0400

I left the Navy 1973 and entered college. Didn't like it. Couldn't concentrate. Started to work dead-end jobs. Finally started with the Post Office and finally retired with 30 years Federal Service with an outstanding pension; mostly my own money. Had serious back surgery in '08. Drove my self crazy with nothing to do so got a PT job and now work full time. Don't t know how long I'll stick with this. Don't have war stories. Never left continent, guess I was to valuable or could have been reaction to innoculations. If a Third World War broke out I guess I would be beating off people to get back in and do my part to save my country, my flag and my God. Only thing I could not stand would be the 90 day wonders. Hope this is OK.

A.L.D., SUPV. FMLA COOR., RET

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 23 at 2015 9:26 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 21:26:28 -0400

I try to stay busy. I lift weights at home. Do household chores. Jump on the internet. Maybe cook. Nothing is really excites me anymore. I take small projects and try to understand them like COIN vs historical examples of revolutions and counterinsurgencies. Sometimes its because I ask why? Why has anyone explained a problem, probably because they never looked for the problem. Like where is all my money going? Why lol ?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Aug 17 at 2016 3:35 PM

PO1 John Miller — Wed, 17 Aug 2016 15:35:46 -0400

I keep VERY busy!

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 5 at 2017 11:31 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 11:31:01 -0400

Been retired from the Navy since about June 1985. Since that time, I worked as a contract administrator for a couple of years and then turned my avocation into my vocation. Started working as a computer consultant until hired full time (great $$$) by a larger international concern. Now fully retired....too old to work now. So I occupy my time with making handmade jewelry. I love learning new ways to do things, and even sell a good portion of my handicrafts in silver, brass, & a smite of gold.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made Nov 25 at 2018 6:11 AM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 06:11:15 -0500

SPC Margaret Higgins Still Working as a Private Security Officer but when Not Doing that Visiting on Social Media with Folks and when the Weather Cooperates Fishing. Other than that Enjoying Your Marvelous Picture. Purple Snapdragons, My Favorite Color.