For what it is worth, probably the exact same feeling/thoughts that damned near everyone of us had when crossing the brow for the last time. For 20 plus years we had a plan of the day, we had the rank and order of the military to tell us who we were, how important we thought we were and where we stood if the muster list. Hell we'd had that drilled in for all those years. The CG said we were somebody.
Now then all of a sudden we are just another of the great horde of unwashed masses, an it comes as a shock that no one really gives a rats azz what you were. The quickest thing I did was, close the door on the last employer. The Coast Guard WAS something I did for a living but it is a past occupation.
What do YOU want to do for the rest of the years, not what is expected YOU should do with your past to be "succesful". What do you want to get out of bed for each day.
I first looked at the typical "mid management" type ex-CWO type jobs and thought, who wants that ****z all over again. I went to a VOC-TECH over in Kirkland and became a LAWNMOWER, POWER EQUIPMENT & OUTBOARD SERVICE tech. I tinkered with things and had a frikken ball. A deck officer dinking with lawnmowers. Enjoyed every day of it.
I'd gotten my 1600ton Ocean Masters License before my recency seatime expired, just in case I wanted to go back to sea, I enjoyed that part too.
As I maxed out in what you could make $$$ in the power equipment line, and family expenses increasing, I went back to my second "fun" line of work. Going to sea. About 6 months work per year, good home time, and good $$$.
Don't get hung up on "what do I have to do, to appear as a success", get up, enjoy the new phase of life. You had 20 years of having to be something or be someone.
Find something the YOU want to do and go for it.
I am thinking next as maybe even a blue vest job at "Wally World" or Home Depot retrieving shopping carts.
Retired after 22 made sure I was debt free but that was about it. Wife and I moved to NC blind, we knew no one here. Everything worked out. Went to nursing school, now I'm an RN for a living but getting kinda burned out. Now I'm thinking Chef school, "I love to cook". Looking back to when I retired it's like ignorance really was bliss, I did allot of things that if I was cautious or really thought it out I would not have done, no guarantee things would have worked out but hey they did. USCG was great but I consider that the first part of my life, now I working the second half.
Good Luck with how it works out shipmate, It is one helluva life transition. There is a retired CDR over on the Navy site that has, I think, the best by-line in the world
" ILLIGITIMI NON CARBORUNDUM " Don't let baztards wear you down
Originally posted by 2504204: Retired after 22 made sure I was debt free but that was about it. Wife and I moved to NC blind, we knew no one here. Everything worked out. Went to nursing school, now I'm an RN for a living but getting kinda burned out. Now I'm thinking Chef school, "I love to cook". Looking back to when I retired it's like ignorance really was bliss, I did allot of things that if I was cautious or really thought it out I would not have done, no guarantee things would have worked out but hey they did. USCG was great but I consider that the first part of my life, now I working the second half.
Sounds similar to me, I moved to TN w/o much of a plan, but debt free. I'm signed up for LPN school that starts Sept 2nd, working as a CNA now in a hospital in Bristol, TN. What are your thoughts on going into nursing?
As a CNA just look around, chances are the Nurses are stressed(Nursing shortage)particularly at a larger hospital. Would be nice if you had four patients all the time but sometimes you may have seven and three of them need platelets. That's time consuming when just one needs blood and you have four or five patients let alone more. As an LPN you may get tired of hearing "Scope of practice" i.e. you probably wont be giving blood, central lines, chemo etc... Good thing is theres more to nursing than being a hospital floor nurse...anyway I'm burned on the stress, don't need/want it at this point in life. P.S. Nursing school was the hardest thing I ever did, I went through an ADN program...Good luck
I knew a Chicago copper (Bob R.) who retired from the PD and got his RN, then worked at a State Psychiatric Institute and drove a beautiful Mercedes Benz to work everyday. You have to figure he had to work on the streets of Chicago until age 50 until getting into his second career.
I'm assuming you're much younger that Bob.
Hang in there. There IS life after the CG. Take your time and figure it out.
If you are close to Memphis, look at the "River School." The marine industry is looking for experienced folks.
There are at least two Coast Guard Retirees that are instructors. Bill Kline is a great guy, as salty & smart as they come. I was surprised that he did not make Flag.
You are the same person that you were in the Coast Guard. You now have more choices. The world is yours for the taking. Be positive. Have fun.
Wray, My original post had lots of whining about having no focus and basically not being able to get out of my own way now that I'm retired. I deleted it in disgust at myself ;-) I'd be doing ok, if I knew what the heck I was doing!
I wished I had stayed 30 vice 20,then I could have just sat back and kicked up my feet,went fishing,whatever, but I did several jobs that paid nothing,learned nothing, accomplished nothing.
But I am alive and pretty healthy after 34 years of retirement,so I can't complain,your health means alot,no amount of money can buy your good health,walk,jog,stay healthy.
Sounds similar to me, I moved to TN w/o much of a plan, but debt free. I'm signed up for LPN school that starts Sept 2nd, working as a CNA now in a hospital in Bristol, TN. What are your thoughts on going into nursing?
Tony, you are much better off than many.. Entering retirement debt free is a very important thing to do... As for the nursing, it is probably an excellent choice.. There are always several jobs in the Sunday paper for nurses, or any other medical field professions... My nurse at the VA is a male, a young Capt. in the reserves (National Guard I believe) ... I think you will do quite well, if that is something you like.
Good Luck....Maybe I'll make it to a race in Bristol one of these years... Great track... if I do, I'll look ya up.
I did not read your post but I can tell ya! you are not alone. I am going through the same thing and it is not so easy. but it is not impossible and I am beginning to see some light. good luck with it.
In my opinion the problem most people have when approaching retirement is that they wait until it is perhaps too late to start planning. And this applies to those in the civil sector too. When I tell people that I attended a retirement seminar for civil service w/ 8 more years to go, they laugh and look at me as if I was from Mars. Well, the news that I have for them is that I have a plan. Just like I did when I retired from AD. I had a plan and I stayed w/ it. It was a two part plan that included 15 more years of civil service, but it was a plan. It involved going to grad school and getting the CG to pay for it. How long before I retired from AD I planned all this? When I had about 15 years of AD. And what do I plan to do/be in 8 years? The house b1t@h and house chef whenever I am not golfing and/or riding my Trek 1.5, while counting my 2 retirement paychecks, about $0.5M in TSP and SS (if any left) at age 62. But you have to plan in advance!!!!!
I'm near retirement, 4 yrs 10 months to 30. I'm getting pretty nervous. Getting out of debt is a B**ch. Being divorced is taking it's toll. Weird thing is post CG doesn't look too bad.
Originally posted by swabbie: ... Weird thing is post CG doesn't look too bad.
Swab
It's not bad at all, actually it's quite awesome! I've been a member of the checks of the month club for 9 years now. Seems like it was just the other day that I retired.
