Being addressed/addressing others by rank after retirement

I’m on the fence about it, largely because I’ve met too many senior officer retirees who think it’s their due and take umbrage if they are not addressed as “General” or whatever. I think the choice is mine. I’ve had a doctorate for longer than some of those folks served and could care less if I’m addressed as “Doctor” or not.
Where I am NOT on the fence is with, for example, still addressing Madeleine Albright as “Madam Secretary” more than 30 years after she served as Sec’y of State. No reflection on her - just an example.

I have no set rule, so-to-speak. In the classroom, I am "Dr. Brazee." All other times, I introduce myself as "Jonathan Brazee." Some people call me "Colonel," others do not. My feeling is that the Marine part of my service supercedes my rank.

As far as what I call people, if they are active duty, it is almost always by their rank. If they are retired, it depends on what they want to be called. The one weird one is one of my lieutenants who made flag. He still calls me sir, and in the end, I settled on his first name. which he seems to prefer.

Well as an E6 when I got out if I encounter any service member whether or not they are active or retired depends on their rank. If lower enlist it would be rank or their name if I knew it. For senior enlisted would be by rank unless they direct me otherwise. Same thing for jr commissioned. Senior offers would be by rank only. I still find it hard to call a senior officer by name out of respect for the rank.

I now work in Veterans services. One of the key points I make with my team regularly is that there is one rank among Veterans: Veteran

I call retirees senior to me by rank unless they tell me otherwise, and to be honest it feels strange not to use their rank - you can retire me from the military but I guess you can't retire the military from me.

I shoot with a retired officer, (06 type), from my USAR days. He calls me sergeant, I still call him sir. I've been at SAFS clinics where we were addressing each other by rank, and some of the new shooters were wondering why? I told them since we already had the working relationship why try and change it? Also, as a Green Knight, (military motorcycle club), I still rub elbows with commissioned types, and addressing them as sir\mam is just second nature.

I remember in the 1960s some people would call my grandfather Colonel (he served in WWI and WWII). I know he appreciated the recognition but was not bothered one bit when addressed as Mister (or first name by friends). I never was sure of the relationship he had with that called him Colonel. At that point I figured he was a civilian and Mister was right.

I usually go with category 2, myself. It depends on the circumstances and how well I know the individual.

I'm somewhere between 1 and 2. If a person leaves the military and embarks on another career, it can be awkward to call that person by rank, especially for civilians. Acknowledging and respecting rank is not only a military courtesy, but it's a functional discipline while actively serving (like wearing a uniform). In my opinion, it's optional and situational when retired as it serves no functional purpose except to stroke egos and/or to show respect (feelings), as is mostly the case with all titles.

Sorry but when you get out whether it is 4 years or 34 years you are no longer serving. No one uses my title I help at retirement from the FAA.