Randy
Super Moderator
Well I'm less than 12 months now from being on the Army permanent retired list, I start drawing my pay when I turn 60. 
I've done the math and checked my records (of which there are many missing) and my pay figures out to be about $500 monthly. That may not sound like much, but how many of you out there are getting a retirement, with medical benefits, from essentially a part time job?
My pay will be maxed out for time in service, retirement points and rank. I took my initial oath in Nov 1968 and served in some capacity until May 1997. It was a heck of a ride, 6 Presidents, who knows how many wars and/or military operations and service in 2 major branches, the Marine Corps and the Army. Even though I was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) in the Marines I had to take an administrative reduction to Staff Sergeant (E-6) when I transferred into the Army and the 12th Special Forces Group. I didn't hold the paygrade of E-7 long enough for it to become permanent and I never made it back in the Army so I retired a SSG E-6 with 23+ years in grade....Oh well, E-7's only worth about $75 a month additional pay and I still had lots of fun.
Drawing retired pay, getting a Grey ID Card and going on the permanent retired list are milestones that I never thought I would really see. Retirement doesn't seem real when your a 17 year old, scared kid getting knocked around at the Marine Recruit Depot and in fact it wasn't promised mainly because of what was going on at that time. Oh yeah, I was scared s*itless, I won't lie about that, and I stayed that way for a long, long time
I really got to see some cool places and met some pretty interesting folks all over Asia, Central America, the Carribean and Northern Europe. Was it all fun and games? Not hardly, but toss the bad and remember the good.
It was my service in the Arkansas Army National Guard that was the actual defining point that started me on my journey to where I am now in my career. A background in aviation maintenance afforded me by the Army is what opened the door for me with Lockheed and later ITT Industries, both of whom were excellant employers.
What am I getting at? Nothing other than I start getting my pay in less than a year now
I've done the math and checked my records (of which there are many missing) and my pay figures out to be about $500 monthly. That may not sound like much, but how many of you out there are getting a retirement, with medical benefits, from essentially a part time job?
My pay will be maxed out for time in service, retirement points and rank. I took my initial oath in Nov 1968 and served in some capacity until May 1997. It was a heck of a ride, 6 Presidents, who knows how many wars and/or military operations and service in 2 major branches, the Marine Corps and the Army. Even though I was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant (E-7) in the Marines I had to take an administrative reduction to Staff Sergeant (E-6) when I transferred into the Army and the 12th Special Forces Group. I didn't hold the paygrade of E-7 long enough for it to become permanent and I never made it back in the Army so I retired a SSG E-6 with 23+ years in grade....Oh well, E-7's only worth about $75 a month additional pay and I still had lots of fun.
Drawing retired pay, getting a Grey ID Card and going on the permanent retired list are milestones that I never thought I would really see. Retirement doesn't seem real when your a 17 year old, scared kid getting knocked around at the Marine Recruit Depot and in fact it wasn't promised mainly because of what was going on at that time. Oh yeah, I was scared s*itless, I won't lie about that, and I stayed that way for a long, long time
I really got to see some cool places and met some pretty interesting folks all over Asia, Central America, the Carribean and Northern Europe. Was it all fun and games? Not hardly, but toss the bad and remember the good.
It was my service in the Arkansas Army National Guard that was the actual defining point that started me on my journey to where I am now in my career. A background in aviation maintenance afforded me by the Army is what opened the door for me with Lockheed and later ITT Industries, both of whom were excellant employers.
What am I getting at? Nothing other than I start getting my pay in less than a year now
That dog don't hunt
