Retirees and Veterans: how busy are you; now that you've been discharged from the military? What do you do to keep busy?

I didn't retire from the military, but I'm retired. Surprisingly, I'm busier than I've ever been in my life. In addition to pursuing a new career as a writer of short stories and novels, there's grandparenting. (I'm a professional grandparent or at least that's how it feels at times). And I'm trying to be a better veteran than I was as a soldier. I've mentioned it before that I wasn't much of a soldier. I would have liked to make it a career but drove my superiors beyond their patience after just five and a half years.

I'm trying to be a better veteran by serving veterans and active duty personnel in need. Sadly, too many of us think that the VA should be doing the job but what right have we to expect that? When has any bureaucracy ever done a good job? Of anything? Bureaucracies are designed to serve themselves. Propagate themselves. Aggrandize themselves. Grow. Prosper. Many outlive their original mission. Look at NASA. It was created to put a man on the moon. Mission accomplished in 1969. What are they still doing hanging around? They spend more doing nothing (there is no shuttle fleet, they're hiring Russians to supply the space station, there are no manned missions to Mars or back to the Moon). Does anyone really expect the VA to step up and serve us? Even under pressure for a year now they are doing a worse job than before. There are still waiting lists. They're getting longer. No one has been fired for misfeasance or malfeasance or even nonfeasance. So it's up to us to get the job done, isn't it?

SPC Margaret Higgins I'm working a civilian job now fulltime out of my home; I play in a Country Band on weekend gigs all over Southern California (Drums) call "The Hickory Wind Band"; I spend a lot of time on RallyPoint for the discussions and connections and LinkedIn for my fulltime job; I keep my daughters engaged with completing college and High School (3 daughters)-(trying to teach them some best practices for their future); walk every morning with my better half (good communications) for about 2.9 miles Monday through Sunday; spend all time requesting student loans to pay for college; and I ride my Harley Davidson motorcycle as often as I can.

Been retired from the Navy since about June 1985. Since that time, I worked as a contract administrator for a couple of years and then turned my avocation into my vocation. Started working as a computer consultant until hired full time (great $$$) by a larger international concern. Now fully retired....too old to work now. So I occupy my time with making handmade jewelry. I love learning new ways to do things, and even sell a good portion of my handicrafts in silver, brass, & a smite of gold.

SPC Margaret Higgins
I keep VERY busy!

I left the Navy 1973 and entered college. Didn't like it. Couldn't concentrate. Started to work dead-end jobs. Finally started with the Post Office and finally retired with 30 years Federal Service with an outstanding pension; mostly my own money. Had serious back surgery in '08. Drove my self crazy with nothing to do so got a PT job and now work full time. Don't t know how long I'll stick with this. Don't have war stories. Never left continent, guess I was to valuable or could have been reaction to innoculations. If a Third World War broke out I guess I would be beating off people to get back in and do my part to save my country, my flag and my God. Only thing I could not stand would be the 90 day wonders. Hope this is OK.


A.L.D., SUPV. FMLA COOR., RET

I am retired reserve and just retired from my teaching job; thankfully adding my reserve retirement to my teaching job allows my to retire comfortably. I am continuing my passion to serve my country , youth and veterans in the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Naval Sea Cadets, Civil Air Patrol, American Legion, AUSA, and Reserrve Officers Association. I gues Im still a military junkie!

Family time is my priority now. All the deployments left a big whole in Family time so there is a big make up time. Plus working again at another job. The BIG retirement check is not that big but nice to have.

MAJ Ken Landgren, It was an honor and a pleasure talking to you. Thank You!

I had a three day break between my final out and starting my new civilian job. Keeping busy has not been an issue.

SPC Margaret Higgins Well, I still work... I am HS teacher now, but summers are awesome. I occupy me free time working around our house, swimming, riding and working on my Motorcycle, and doing low impact PT (other than swimming), and drinking beer. I just cleaned and did maintenance on our kegerator.