23 years since I retired, SS this year. I also get VA disability compensation and state disability (minus offset for VA compensation). So I guess that makes me one of the 47%, lol.
It would appear many of us are hitting those milestones of retirement and SS. I served 22 years and in March it will be 22 years since I retired.....still not sure where that time has gone! I'll be 62 next month and already approved for early SS. I just went from working full time to being a part time consultant.
In November of '77 (NAVFAC Kef) I was a mere 23 years old. Younger than all of you "old timers". So Nick, did you follow me to Kef from Bermuda or were you the leader? I arrived in September '76.
You beat me to Kef, James. I did a stint at the Jewel of the Delaware from 74-77. Managed (with some serious effort) to get Jack Fessler on the straight and narrow so he could make something of himself.
Some will remember just how goofy the grading requirements were in those days. We managed to win 2 (or 3) straight Operations "O" awards during my tour despite the fact that we mostly played Spades on eves and mids.
I remember having an average T/L of something stupid like 15 min for a couple of years running.
Got my comeupins when I got to Kef and the worst reader on the floor could run circles around me. A lesson I never forgot.
Ah, that's right Nick. But for some crazy reason Petty Officer Donovan always wanted to be as good an Acoustic Analyst and respected Petty Officer as PO Nick McConnell and PO Randy Scott were...... Randy knows the story. (<:
I remember the radio callsignsfor Lewes. It was "touchy career" and the CO's was Touchy Career zero zero, but when he came through the guard shack in the middle of the night the radio on display would blare out "Touchy Career oh oh is on his way to the TE building" Gave us about 3 minuters to put away the risk board and the chess pieces!.
Nick, I also tell that story often, along with me returning from the head to the display room floor late one mid watch hearing the stereo on max and you standing on the plotter table playing air guitar to lynyrd Sknyrd Free Bird.
Back to the Admiral, who the hell would believe a Flag officer would show up in Lewes DE. at 9:00 pm on a Sunday Night? Maybe because our watch team and Lewes DE. was the tip of the sword keeping America safe from the Soviets!
Yep. It was 1990 for me! I left NAVFAC Centerville Beach (89) and officially retired Jan of 1990. Time really flies. I miss the Navfacs and the fun times we had. The work was gratifying also.
