...signed by the President. The original directive is here: http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/134834p.pdf

but does anyone know if a retiring person can request the certificate be signed by a past President as opposed to a current sitting one?

Oddly I was thinking the same thing.

I don't believe so. I know a lot of folks postponed retirement during the Clinton admin istration, so they wouldn't have his signature on their retirement certificates.

Kate

They can be requested from all the presidents that the member served under.

quote:

Originally posted by catcher_of_fish:
They can be requested from all the presidents that the member served under.

I hope you're right. I'd kind of like Bush Senior to sign mine.

The retirement before last I attended had one signed by Clinton.

quote:

Originally posted by catcher_of_fish:
They can be requested from all the presidents that the member served under.

I wasn't aware of that, I hope you are correct. I knew people that retired before Clinton took office just because they didn't want his name on their certificate.

I know the certificate means a lot to the person getting it. I asked when I retired and was told it is only the current President and they uses a Electric signature writer to sign the form. So mine sits in a closet with a draft dodger signatures on it.

I too, have heard it can be done. I just never thought to ask how!

I'll see if I can find out for sure.

Give me a day or two and I will look for the info I had.

My hub just told me one of the guys in his unit had Clinton sign his. That was a few months ago. Apparently it is true.

Please post what you find out.

I have sent the same question as to how to do this to the Air Force Personnel Center Retirement department....I will post the results.

quote:

Originally posted by USAFMXOfficer:
I have sent the same question as to how to do this to the Air Force Personnel Center Retirement department....I will post the results.

Thanks, troll.

Who's trolling?

Wow I'm glad I found this one. I was asking the same question myself. I'm eligible to retire in 2 years and I want W to sign mine.

I'd be interested to find out how you can get this done. I will probably be retiring in 2011

Remember -- at the end of the day, it's just a piece of paper.

Bad news....here is my question to the Air Force Personnel Center Retirement Office and their response:

QUESTION - Hello, I have heard through the grapevine that you can request to have any living former President sign your retirement certificate instead of the current President. Is this true and if so, how do you go about doing this? Thank you.
Auto-Response 11/07/2008 11:26 AM

AFPC RESPONSE - In regards to the retirement certificate, the Chief of Staff signs the retirement certificate, not the President. If you are inquiring about the certificate of appreciation that is signed by the President, that is only signed by the current President in office, not any other President. We hope this clears up any questions that you may have.

AFPC Retirements
DSN XXX-XXXX
Response (Contact Center Agent TM) 11/07/2008 01:07 PM

------------

I still think AFPC is wrong on this and will continue to do some more research. Next I will contact the OSD Retirements Office.

Remember, it is only the Letter of Appreciation that is signed by the sitting President. I do not believe this letter HAS to be part of a retirement ceremony.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: USAFMXOfficer,

You can get an appreciation letter from any living president. When my wife was setting up someone else's retirement ceremony about a year ago, Bush 41 took quite a while to get. The rest were pretty quick.