Posted on Nov 25, 2014
SSG Accountant
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Do Retirees keep their email address after retirement? If so, for how long they can access? Are they able to save all their contacts, emails, folders, etc?
Posted in these groups: Retirement logo RetirementAko borderless AKOEmail logo Email
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Responses: 13
SGT Javier Silva
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Edited >1 y ago
SSG (Join to see) - Secretary McHugh signed the memo that authorized the transition to the Army Enterprise e-mail. What this means for retirees, is that they will not have access to AKO e-mails and must obtain one from a civilian commercial provider. All current AKO users retirees/families will have until 31 DEC 2014 (auto-forwarding final date) and access to account may have already been suspended.

Future AKO retirees will have to have a commercially run email. It is recommended that you start saving and updating your contact lists prior to retirement, along with any messages you may want to keep for future reference.

You can read more about it here: http://www.eis.army.mil/ako
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COL Vincent Stoneking
COL Vincent Stoneking
>1 y
SGT Javier Silva Thanks for the info on the end of auto-forwarding. I knew AKO mail was dead, but didn't realize that the relay had a hard date for shut-off... It'll be interesting to find out who still was using my AKO email for contact info over the next few months. (I bought the "email for life" hype, and AKO was my ONLY email for many years, right up until they took it away).
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CSM(P) Police Officer / Detective
CSM(P) (Join to see)
3 y
Are there any updates to retirees keeping emails since we are moving to Army 365?
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SGT Javier Silva
SGT Javier Silva
3 y
CSM(P) (Join to see) - Retirees will not have access to any .mil e-mail address when they retire. They ended that back in 2014, especially after launching the Soldier for Life website (http://www.soldierforlife.army.mil).
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CSM(P) Police Officer / Detective
CSM(P) (Join to see)
3 y
SGT Javier Silva Thank you for your response. Although, it’s unfortunate we will lose all situational correspondence and references.
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SGM Erik Marquez
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No once again the Army screwed us with a promise not kept.

No AKO for after military life... just another lie
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COL Vincent Stoneking
COL Vincent Stoneking
>1 y
Actually hosting email has a real cost. However, just allowing a relay (auto-forward to another account) costs almost nothing. I've had an ARRL (Ham radio) email address that goes to my gmail for many years. There is no place to log onto ARRL to SEE the email, but the address can be used transparently. It's basically a "vanity" email address. I don't see why the Army couldn't have done the same for retirees.
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SGM Retired
SGM (Join to see)
>1 y
Sir, I didn't say it didn't have a cost to keep their promise to have AKO for life. I just asked how much it costs, so I know the value the Army puts on their word. And let's not forget that some of the "cost" is amortizing the infrastructure; i.e. costs that were going to be paid anyway to serve the active population. I expect the Army to bump up the cost of retiree email accounts by factoring in the infrastructure, but that is fictitious, to some extent.

I know you aren't "disagreeing" with me, and neither am I disagreeing with you. But I don't think it's a vanity thing to want a ,mil email address to access government websites for things we have a need for, or interest in. And I don't think cost considerations are more than a red herring in the overall Army budget. In short, I'd like to hear someone tell the truth, possibly:

1) We don't give a damn about retirees ... OR
2) We are too pig-headed to figure out a solution for retirees wanting to access email without a CAC card ... OR
3) We haven't thought out a solution for replacing CAC cards for retirees not living near a military base ... OR
4) Retirees call the help desk 1000 times more often than AD people and they are too stupid to use AKO ... OR whatever ...

CPT AKO, you aren't going to offend me any more by picking one of the above, than you already have by lying to me. Try the truth on for size. It just might be the best option.
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SGM Erik Marquez
SGM Erik Marquez
>1 y
SGM (Join to see) That about sums it up..
Thanks
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LTC Martin Metz
LTC Martin Metz
>1 y
A DS log-on is as close as they're going to let us get for official access ..... at least for now.
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SPC Leisel Luman
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I'm retired army and kept my Military e-mail as my primary contact. It kept me in touch with my transient AD friends and I felt connected for years after my service. It was a social filter of sorts and if you didn't like the "@us.army.mil" I didn't want to hear fr you any way. On job applications if the didn't choose me for a interview because of my military e-mail then I didn't want to work for you either. I hated that it was taken from retires but hope it was for a good reason.
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SPC Leisel Luman
SPC Leisel Luman
>1 y
So much for the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act. Know that it does not apply to custody cases either. My Ex claimed abandonment when we had agreed that he would keep her and not pay child support while I was in OSUT training. He filed the day I left for basic. It was a done deal by the time I found out about it from finance my E1 pay was garnished my almost 50%. This is a shame how I patriotic out country has become.
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SGM Retired
SGM (Join to see)
>1 y
There's an old saying, "Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement." Next time, get the agreement in writing.

Sorry for what you had to deal with.
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SPC Leisel Luman
SPC Leisel Luman
>1 y
I'm extremely experienced and set the example for what NOT to do. I only hope others can learn from my mistakes. I keep all paperwork now.
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Sgt Beth Ennis
Sgt Beth Ennis
>1 y
I know it's late, but it is actually illegal to not hire you for that reason. Federal law....
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