Military Retirement - Woohoo! no more Fitness Tests

[QFactor]

I have spent the last 48 hours doing that wonderful scavenger hunt for signatures that is required to clear installation and retire. I still have yet to find the snipe at the end. Only military will get this but it is funny non-the-less.

Is this the same kind of snipe hunting one experiences at Boy Scout camp?

 

[cwbullet]

Is this the same kind of snipe hunting one experiences at Boy Scout camp?

Sort of. I found myself constantly looking for an office to be open. The clearing sheet says it is open, but when I show up, they tell me to come back in 2 hours. I came back in 2 hours, and they told me to return tomorrow. Finally, I put my signature in the block and said the heck with it.

 

[Jay Dub 4009]

the AF is worse....they make all outprocessing on the web, so you can imagine, us idiots have to print a copy of the outprocessing checklist and have it hand signed also so when they dont clear out the online portion, we dont get held up.

 

[GrouchoDuke]

the AF is worse....they make all outprocessing on the web, so you can imagine, us idiots have to print a copy of the outprocessing checklist and have it hand signed also so when they dont clear out the online portion, we dont get held up.

Printing the web forms was my favorite part of AF outprocessing.

 

[cwbullet]

the AF is worse....they make all outprocessing on the web, so you can imagine, us idiots have to print a copy of the outprocessing checklist and have it hand signed also so when they dont clear out the online portion, we dont get held up.

I can remember the first time I transferred to a new post and had to have like 35 copies of my orders. Everywhere I went wanted a copy of my orders. It was insane. I finally had to ask, "What do you do with the copy of my orders?". The person responded, "I file them." I bet I know where they were filed.

 

[Jmhepworth]

I had an assistant when I worked for McDonnel Douglas. Every month she printed and distributed a big purchasing report using a couple of reams of paper. One month she didn’t have time to do the report, so she just ignored it to see what happened. An assistant for one of the purchasing directors called and asked where the report was. My assistant asked out of curiosity what they did with it. They filed it. Nobody actually looked at it. My assistant never printed the report again.

 

[cwbullet]

I had an assistant when I worked for McDonnel Douglas. Every month she printed and distributed a big purchasing report using a couple of reams of paper. One month she didn’t have time to do the report, so she just ignored it to see what happened. An assistant for one of the purchasing directors called and asked where the report was. My assistant asked out of curiosity what they did with it. They filed it. Nobody actually looked at it. My assistant never printed the report again.

SOUNDS a lot like the TPS report from Office Space. That movies screams DOD / DA. Bureaucracy is alive in well in the military.

 

[hobie1dog]

The whole system is so broken. Like George Carlin said " never ending war, disease, death, crime, filth, poverty, corruption, destruction, starvation, and the Ice Capades, something is wrong here."

are you counting the days you have left?

 

[cwbullet]

I have 120 days.

 

[mo2872]

I can remember the first time I transferred to a new post and had to have like 35 copies of my orders. Everywhere I went wanted a copy of my orders. It was insane. I finally had to ask, "What do you do with the copy of my orders?". The person responded, "I file them." I bet I know where they were filed.

Round File/File 13, for sure!

 

[cwbullet]

Round File/File 13, for sure!

I once caught a physician shreading medical charts. That guys ears are still bleeding.

 

[John Kemker]

Back in the 90s, I worked for the VAMC in Decatur, GA. Several of my bosses were former Navy. One of them taught me the "short-timer's chain." For those who don't know what that is, figure out how many days you have left and make a chain with that many paperclips. Each day, take a paperclip off the chain. Last day, throw away the paperclip and you're done.

 

[cwbullet]

There is no going back. I just signed out of my last post and took my battle uniform off for the last time or at-least the last required time.

Now it is time to have a good meal and maybe a finger of bourbon to celebrate!

 

[GrouchoDuke]

There is no going back. I just signed out of my last post and took my battle uniform off for the last time or at-least the last required time.

Now it is time to have a good meal and maybe a finger of bourbon to celebrate!

Congrats & cheers!

 

[Peartree]

Yay! Congrats!

 

[cwbullet]

Congrats & cheers!

Yay! Congrats!

Thanks guys.

I took my wife out to lunch and shopping and got my second official job offer from the DOD or VA as a GS physician. Decision time!

 

[H_Rocket]

Thanks guys.

I took my wife out to lunch and shopping and got my second official job offer from the DOD or VA as a GS physician. Decision time!

The VA could always benefit from a physician who also understands what it means to be a serviceman.

 

[BABAR]

Congrats and thanks for your service. As a fellow physician, we both know the burnout rates for medics at all levels. Hope you find a way to serve your new patient cohort with your best competence, compassion, and diligence, with a balance for your personal beliefs, your family, and yourself. VA, government, and civilian healthcare may have a whole new lexicon, set of hoops to jump through, and regulations (in short, a whole new set of headaches and hassles standing between you can taking care of your patients.). There is ongoing pressure for “productivity”, which translates to either spending less time per patient (to have a realistic 8-9 hour day) or staying later and later. It is a hamster wheel that is tough to avoid.

having that retirement pay and benefits is a nice backup if the first job doesn’t fit.

best wishes, and I am still hoping to get my PortaPot shot rocket!

 

[cwbullet]

Congrats and thanks for your service. As a fellow physician, we both know the burnout rates for medics at all levels. Hope you find a way to serve your new patient cohort with your best competence, compassion, and diligence, with a balance for your personal beliefs, your family, and yourself. VA, government, and civilian healthcare may have a whole new lexicon, set of hoops to jump through, and regulations (in short, a whole new set of headaches and hassles standing between you can taking care of your patients.). There is ongoing pressure for “productivity”, which translates to either spending less time per patient (to have a realistic 8-9 hour day) or staying later and later. It is a hamster wheel that is tough to avoid.

having that retirement pay and benefits is a nice backup if the first job doesn’t fit.

best wishes, and I am still hoping to get my PortaPot shot rocket!

PM me your address. I will finish the kits on Tuesday and will mail them out by Monday. I am asking for the first few to suggest changes.

You are right. I went off on someone by email today. They key keep sending me anti-vaccination propaganda. I met him online, and he must have assumed I listened to his drivel. I might have been too nice, but the number of emails finally got to me. I switched jobs, and I am retiring for a reason. I am sick of COVID and Politics. Please don't share yours with me.

Sorry for the rant. I need some time off.

 

[cwbullet]

The VA could always benefit from a physician who also understands what it means to be a serviceman.

We will see how that goes. At this stage, I am probably staying DOD because it is easier. That is unless the VA drives a Brinks truck to my farm and offers some serious cash ( just kidding - we know that isn't happening). I could do far better in the CIV sector, but I have elected to stay GOV to take care of service members. They deserve a caring physician.

 

[John Kemker]

I never served. However, it was my honor to serve those that served. You get to do both. Bless you for both services.

 

[cwbullet]

I never served. However, it was my honor to serve those that served. You get to do both. Bless you for both services.

Thank you. It is a blessing. I have taken care of many a Soldier and Spouses. Whether it is a Soldier injured or a Spouse with a loss, I found it an honor to take care of them in their time of need.

 

[cwbullet]

I moving forward with all my disability evaluations. I had a PTSD eval on Monday. I had my hearing exam today. I have a eye exam on Friday. It is amazing the number of exams upcoming. I have a internal medicine, each, labs, dental, and a neurology exam. This process is very thorough.

 

[cwbullet]

I had my retirement VA Physical today. I have two more to go. TBI physical and Dental.

This is a long process.

 

[Scott_650]

There is no going back. I just signed out of my last post and took my battle uniform off for the last time or at-least the last required time.

Now it is time to have a good meal and maybe a finger of bourbon to celebrate!

I hadn’t checked in on your retirement in long while - yes, it feels good to take that uniform off but I have to tell you, eventually you’ll look at it hanging in the closet and, for a few moments, wish you were back in it. But only for a minute or two.

After I turned 60 I finally packed up everything (but my last pair of perfectly broken in desert boots from my trips to the Sand Box - my pair from Iraq hit the dumpster when I got back ) into a plastic tub and took it to the basement. All that’s left are my dress blues hanging in the spare room closet in a suit bag…oh, and a desert Goretex I use to get the mail in the rain…

 

[cwbullet]

I hadn’t checked in on your retirement in long while - yes, it feels good to take that uniform off but I have to tell you, eventually you’ll look at it hanging in the closet and, for a few moments, wish you were back in it. But only for a minute or two.

After I turned 60 I finally packed up everything (but my last pair of perfectly broken in desert boots from my trips to the Sand Box - my pair from Iraq hit the dumpster when I got back ) into a plastic tub and took it to the basement. All that’s left are my dress blues hanging in the spare room closet in a suit bag…oh, and a desert Goretex I use to get the mail in the rain…

Good to share. Thanks. I am not sure what I am going to do with the uniforms. I may wear my BDU / ACU / DCO pants to rocket launches. I am not sure about the rest. I also have the Gortex that I will wear in the rain.

I think the toughest thing for me is going to be in less control. I have been an executive for 10 years. The last 2+ weeks of vacation I have enjoyed, but I am not sure I can go 90.

 

[Scott_650]

Good to share. Thanks. I am not sure what I am going to do with the uniforms. I may wear my BDU / ACU / DCO pants to rocket launches. I am not sure about the rest. I also have the Gortex that I will wear in the rain.

I think the toughest thing for me is going to be in less control. I have been an executive for 10 years. The last 2+ weeks of vacation I have enjoyed, but I am not sure I can go 90.

I’m hip - I spent many months pretty much at loose ends on base watching my replacement run my flight (she did - and reportedly still is doing - a great job) really tough to sit back while someone else dealt with the responsibilities! I tried to grab a deployment to the Middle East but of all the snags to hit my separation date came before what would’ve been the end of my mandatory post-deployment downtime. I get that for the folks on the sharp end but I doubt I’d have needed a major rebuild after flying a desk in Doha for 12 months! No worries, not like I really needed to go back though the extra tax-free dough would’ve been nice.

My wife really didn’t give me much of a break, as a junior high math teacher she ramrodded my substitute teaching license so she’d have someone who could actually teach math if she needed a day off - I was in the classroom two months after my last day in uniform. Still at it - starting again this year after all the preventative measures from the Late Unpleasantness are over with - though I discovered that preschool through 3rd grade is much more my groove than 8th grade math (she’s since retired as well and wouldn’t sub in elementary unless a judge sentenced her to it ).

Anyway, enjoy your downtime - you deserve it - work will be there again when you’re ready.

 

[modeltrains]

I think the toughest thing for me is going to be in less control. I have been an executive for 10 years.

That brings to mind when Dad retired as Commander from USN in late 1980s, watched it take the better part of a decade for him to comprehensively learn "how to civilian" again.

 

[cwbullet]

That brings to mind when Dad retired as Commander from USN in late 1980s, watched it take the better part of a decade for him to comprehensively learn "how to civilian" again.

I doubt I will ever learn to be a civilian fully. Not sure that I want to do so.

 

[cwbullet]

Today is my TBI exam. I had two concussions on active duty. I am not sure I have any loss or deficit, but I will get the exam done.