Coach Me, Teach Me

[StratPlan61]

OK guys this is a little off the normal Hatteras path, but I trust your judgement and experience. The Army tells me I must retire, the last day I can serve on active duty is 30 July so I guess it's retirement after 36yrs, 3mos. I will continue to consult with private and public sector organizations for strategic planning, as I have been doing for several years, but no more wearing the Army uniform. (Yes, of course I am always looking for clients!)
Yes, I know, great opportunity to catch up on all the little projects I need to tend to on-board. But help me see this transformation. It feels like becoming a grandfather (yes, I have 6 times) - it's something which is going to happen but I am unsure about how to feel about it.
Give me your best advice and don't be shy!

Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

 

[Ross Macdonald]

Bear...Thanks for your service. That's alot of hash marks on the sleeve...I don't know as much as many on this site, but I've owned 4 Hatts over the years and if I can assist you in any way, it would be a small repayment for your service...Ross

 

[Gina Marie]

I too thank you for your service and admire the honesty in your thread. Now as far as your question I am 54 and could not give you the first word of advice as I am still working and a few years from retirement. So in saying that as you lead us in example in serving our country and keeping us safe I again will follow your lead and look forward to your travels and experiences so I may learn and enjoy things that I will look forward to as I retire. Enjoy life with your family and thank you again. Gina Marie

We are docked in Lighthouse Point, Fla. If you are ever down this way would love to hear some of the stories.

 

[Passages]

Well...my advise would be to go fishing for 6 months.

Relax and reflect on where you've been and where you'd like to go. I know it's difficult when you've been running so hard for so long to just cool the jets, but that's exactly what you must do. You've earned that right.

After your "summer vacation", pick up the phone and call some old friends and associates. Get the word out that you're available and guess what???The calls will be returned and you will have your pick of projects. I see it all the time.

So again...take a deep breath, relax and go boating - You can then get back into the grove on your terms.

Enjoy!

 

[CapetaniosG]

First of all congratulations for serving our country for so many years. You are
a great American and wish you a happy and healthy retirement.

As some one who retired a fiew years ago from a public works construction co. that I founded and managed for many yeas, it is not easy to give up what you love to do, but it is not that difficult either. The secrete is to have something to do every day. By that I don't mean a second career. Just something meaningful that will give you satisfaction in doing and completing. Several hours per day doing something wothwhile that will keep your mind and body fit it is all you will need.

If you never cleaned a heat exchanger or an intercooler now you will have the time to do it. Don't be afraid to tackle new things you've never done before. Sure you will make some mistakes. But mistakes= experience.

Make new friends in your new suroundings and put the military behind you (it is easier said than done, I know) but try it. You will find it rewarding. I did.

There will be times that you may see a warship out in the horizon, an F16 overhead or just an army truck driving infront of you, and you will reminisce
your Army days but that's normal and proper. Even after six years into my retirement, I still stop by a construction site and watch what is going on and the noise makes me feel good. It connects the past with the present in some strange way, but it is satisfying to me at least.

Never make a formal list or a set schedule for the things you want to do tomorrow or next week. Just do them as they come into your mind or you see the need to do them. Don't clocK yourself. If it takes an hour or a day, so what! You're retired and no body can tell you what and when to do it except, perhaps, the Admiral and if you're like me put her in her place from
the start. If she keeps up bossing you around, do what I did. Demote her to a cook! But don't forget to put on your Army helmet to deflect the pots and pans that will be flying around. I have my construction hat still handy and ready.

Take those long trips you always wanted to make and never had the time. Now you do. You can cast off any time and any day of the week and stay as long as you like. If that is not retiment I don't know what it is. Good luck and enjoy your retirement.

CapetaniosG
Hatteras 53MY
Southold,NY/ Rhodes, Greece

 

[trogers]

I'm not much of a fisherman, so the 6-month fishing trip doesn't inspire me as much, but 6 months afloat would be my ideal. I've done the Keys to Nantucket 4 times over the last 10 years and I've always had to do it at 'pace' to get somewhere on a deadline. Making the trip at hull speed with plenty of stops. Pretty much heaven on earth.

I enjoy messing about in boats. I love all of America, but I especially love those parts where she meets the water. The beauty and the link to our history are amazing. Reading a little about that history and the people who caused it inspires me every day.

If I were in your enviable position I would take an extended trip that afforded me the opportunity to meander up and down the coast From the Dry Tortugas to see Fort Jefferson (the largest brick structure in the western hemisphere!) to Maine where you can visit/read about Joshua Chamberlain (Brevet Major General, Governor, theologian, academic, Bowdoin College president!)

OK so that's how I want to spend my retirement...........

After that I think you should find a few boards that could benefit from a Strategic Planning insight and celebrate.

Thanks for you service.

 

[spartonboat1]

That's a considerable degree of service. My brother-in-law retired after 20 as a Gunny Sgt. in the USMC and I think his neck got thicker every year. A very fine gentleman. His brother was in Desert Storm also as USMC, but in a hot zone (lots of live fire, while he was trying to repair M1A1's), so left as soon as he could.

You don't indicate if you are enlisted or commissioned (assumed for 36 years), but the 800 Lb. gorrilla consulting firms that dot the beltway will jump to get you on board, if you so choose, esp. if you have a secret or TS clearance... a very valuable commodity these days. So CACI, CSC, SAIC, EDS, Accenture, et al will welcome a resume.

I find that the more I am aboard, the more it is like a day long aerobics class...all action on a Hatt is up or down, open this, pull on that...in an out of engine room (with great glee). Also, sitting with a cup of (fav here) and zoning out is highly recommended.

My $0.2, but working until God puts me on the hard.

 

[Nonchalant1]

Thanks for your long hard work protecting our country. That's quite a career!

Now you'll have 6 Saturdays and one Sunday every week.

I retired 2 years ago from a VP job at a Fortune 50 company and I couldn't be happier. I agree that you can just cool it for a few months while you discover your new routines, or lack thereof, and I also agree that you just need to let your interests, family and friends come up to the top of your mental to-do lists. You can add to your to-dos with consulting and can find plenty to do without it. Hey, weekends used to be the good days, now they're the days to avoid going to stores, movies, etc. because the rest of the week those places are all yours.

I really like the idea of the big boat trip. For me, it is the Great Circle Route we're starting this year. When I retired, I figured it'd take me more than 2 years with a "new" boat (1978 53MY) to get it and my wife and self up to my standards for going around the eastern half of the United States over ten months, and sure enough, it did. Here's our blog we'll use to make daily entries starting in October. http://dougandkathysboatlog.blogspot.com/ Maybe yours is the Bahamas, the North Channel (spectaculer) or whatever. For 2008 and beyond, we're looking forward thinking we may just live on the boat 6 months a year every winter in Florida and the Bahamas. But it almost doesn't matter where, we just love going.....and of course, things need fixin' and upgrading....it's a boat....so you're always busy on that.

How cool would it be to have to fly from the Bahamas to Washingtin, DC for a week evry now and then, at your client's expense, to do project work?

If you ever find yourself thinking you just don't have enough to do, simply find something you like and start in. That includes voulnteering, hobbies, etc.
I love mechanical things, machines, etc. Not the stuff with chips inside. I had no plan to do it, but I discovered that antique pocket watches are incredible machines, and I've taught myself, with the help of some books and just doing it, to fix them. So now I spend 8 to 10 hours a week working with watches and teeny tools......Who knew? It just happened.

I say, just do it. This is one you don't have t plan for, except for the money side, which is another 5 to 10 hours a week. You should do that yourself too.

Again, congratulations!

Doug Shuman

 

[jim rosenthal]

Well, I have no advice to offer, since I am still working, but I am more than a little envious. Good for you. You've earned your time off. The only suggestion I would give you is to work out, stay in shape, etc, so you have the maximum number of years of free time to do with as you wish.
Also, many of the people I see in the emergency room, which is where I work, told me they got shot or stabbed or injured while they were "minding their own business". From this, I conclude that the most dangerous thing to do in the world is to mind your own business. This is why I have made a career of minding other people's business, at least the medical kind, figuring that I am probably safer that way.
Seriously, good luck to you and spend a lot of quality time with your boat. And maybe buy a motorcycle. Those are fun, too.

 

[StratPlan61]

Hey, thanks everyone for the kind thoughts and suggestions. Keep them coming, I need all of the help I can get!! Someone wondered, yes I am a Colonel. I had a TS clearance for many years (a War College requirement). It has been my honor to serve all of you and our great nation. I will miss it but am excited to discover a new 'Chapter' in my life. Another grandchild is due in July and my son's wounds continue to heal so I guess most things are pretty darn OK.
I will complete my book on strategic planning in the 90 days, Clean Up In Aisle 4, and get it off to the publisher. I can finish my Miami-Michigan trip in the next few weeks (presentling lying in KY) and cruise the upper Great Lakes this year. I will home-port Strategic Plan in upper MI and spend the summer catching up on boat projects. The office on-board needs a remodeling, I'd like to update a few electronics and I'll mount those electric down-trollers on the ole' Whaler for some fishing fun. Maybe I'll have time to figure out why my air whistle won't whistle, darn thing!
Please send along any other thoughts, I like that 6 Saturdays and 1 Sunday per week comment. No thanks Doc on the motorcycle idea, I had one when much younger, but too many crazy drivers out there for me. Although a small scooter on the bridge deck makes some sense for these small town visits.


Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

 

[trogers]

Let me know when you get to Michigan. We have a cottage on Superior and have always talked of taking our boat there, though the closest we've gotten was "South dock" at West Point before we went back down the Hudson river.

Now we fly into Kinross and drive up to the Soo from there.

 

[labrador]

Bear do you happen to know an Air Force Bird C by the name of Paul Manley who was also in strat planning. Just wondering as he is my brother in law now retired. Flew 141s for a long time then went to the pentagon in strat plans after a stint at the war college. Now working @ Boeing.
Skip

 

[StratPlan61]

Labrador - I'm sorry to say I don't know COL Manley, those Starlifter pilots are great guys!
Tim - I should have the boat up here towards the end of June. If you can't get your boat up here, drive over and visit. Upper Michigan has some of the most pristine places in the country to boat, as you already know. Your 56 would make a great exploration vessel for a summer trip!

Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Bear,
As you probably remember, my grandfather is a retired Colonel from the Air Force and my uncle is a retired Lt Col. They both never slowed down a bit after retirement. In fact, at age 83, my grandfather still attends every pilot class reunion, although the class keeps getting smaller. He got into farming and real estate after retirement and still has a couple of recent subdivisions that he is selling. I'm sure you will get into the routine of retirement after a while and enjoy it as they have. I'll tell you that my grandfather has been on many long boat trips with us and he is the best navigator that I ever had onboard. Congratulations on retirement. You've earned it.

 

[MikeP]

Welcome to the retired ranks and congratulations on your military service! I joined the Army in 1966 and later planned to stay as a career officer but after 7 years service and as an Infantry Cpt, I was caught up in the RIFs after Vietnam (made it through the first two but the third got me).

As a recently retired person (about 1.5 months ago) - I can offer one bit of info re any clearances you may have held. They don't matter! That's right, the instant you leave your Gov position with whatever clearance you may have had (TS + a COMSEC clearance in my case), it doesn't matter, you have to reapply for whatever clearance you need as a consultant! It is treated just as if you had never had a clearance in your life and you will get to fill out the good old SF85 and, so they tell me, be fingerprinted again (haven't done that part yet!). They will do the background checks again, talk to the references you put on the form, etc - allegedly takes about 6-8 weeks. In the pre TSA days, if you retired and then went on to do something that needed a clearance, they would carry over whatever you had. No more. From a retired point of view, the annoyance of filling out the forms, time involved, etc, is not much of an issue but I find the concept and the waste of Gov money to be absurd. I asked why they could not simply reinstate my clearance - the answer was that Bin Laden could have had me killed and had an imposter take my identity and, therefore, my clearance. Oh well...

 

[StratPlan61]

Mike - I am not surprised by your comments. As you can imagine I have seen alot of sillyness in government over the past years. I've done my best to resolve those kind of issues where I could impact them, but, wow, too many issues beyond my influence.
Ross, thanks for your kind offer. Thanks for all of your thoughts and insights. Skye, I hope to link up with you sometime this summer. You and your wife are just around the corner, maybe we can share a bottle of wine and chat about Hatteras' one of these days soon. All of you guys have given me great insights and points to consider. I hope I can transform and find the peace most of you seem have found.
I haven't heard anything from the gals - maybe no one is retired yet? Those of you still working - let me know how I can help your organization with strategic planning, send me a PM.
I knew I would be glad I asked for your help - this darn website is so rich with experience and candor, no matter the subject. Thanks for letting me reflect on a non-Hatteras issue, I appreciate your indulgence and kindness!

Bear'
1984 61' MY Strategic Plan