Being addressed/addressing others by rank after retirement

I don't mind being a citizen now, instead of a MSgt. After all, we were all just people before we joined; military rank isn't permanent.

If I can make a retired service member feel good by calling them by their rank - I always do it! One particular retiree really appreciates hearing "Sergeant Major" (and sometimes "Command Sergeant Major") from me every time we see each other - makes me feel good, too!

I say Cat 2. If a retired officer gives me permission to call them by their first name then so be it, until then it is by rank, they earned it. I call our county veterans service officer Colonel every time I interact. Same goes for my town supervisor, a retired Merchant Marine, he gets called Captain. I understand that one may be a stretch for some, but being a Military Sealift Command Sailor, not so much for me.

Here's my experience after 12 years of retirement:
1. I have a ponytail and usually a three-day beard. Addressing me as "Commander" just seems silly, although admittedly I frequently looked like that on day 82 of a 90-day submarine patrol.
2. When someone addresses me as "Mr. Nordman", my guilty conscience makes my sphincters clench by reflex.
Both of the above terms seem to be used most frequently by people who want to coerce me to behave in a certain way, even if it's just to comply with their wishes.

"Ma'am" or "sir" seem to be all the formality required by social interactions. For everything else I prefer "Doug" or "Nords".

Wearing one's rank in retirement is a temptation to rest on your laurels without earning a new honorific. Is your rank really the most significant accomplishment you have in your life? I think the best goals are designations like "Honey" or "Dad" or "Grandpa"...

Please address me by the first name if I am no longer subject to UCMJ.

For Official communications Rank every time, feels silly to even state that. On boards like this it just depends. Sometime the rank distinctions interefere with the discussions, or rather have the potential to cause a stilted playing field for the discussions. As a retiree, I do enjoy hearing my Rank used but more so when someone WANTS to use it rather than when they feel obligated to do so in non-official communications. For this kind of board, I, don't think it's not inappropriate to leave rank out of most discussions. But even so, Courtesy among ourselves should still remain.

Sir, I'm not retired, however I do feel, as a sign of respect, it is appropriate to address those who achieved a higher grade than I with their grade. If they request I don't do it, then I won't. I don't think it should be required, but it is entirely appropriate to forward that level of respect and recognition. If I were to meet you face to face, and I knew, I would without hesitation address you as Sir or Maj, not by your name. You've earned that respect until proven otherwise.

I work on an installation with few AD Military and hundreds of civilians. Some are retired, but most have no military affiliation in their background. The former military folk address me as SARGE, but a retired SFC and a MSG wants to get on the 2 soldiers for not addressing them with rank? There is some give and take, but how would they know?

I will use their rank if I knew the person. Otherwise, I will use Sir or Ma'am. Overall, as long as you show respect to that person retired.

Out of courtesy I always use rank or title when addressing someone who I know served. After that we can talk it out to mutual comfort ability.