Goodbye Active Duty

NorwichDad

10-Year Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2010
Messages
1,351
Hello all,
Today is my son's last day in the Army. His decision and is very happy to come home. He had a applied for a few Federal Jobs at his 3.5 year active duty level and had decided to accept one. He reports to work tomorrow signs out and starts driving home. It has been a long 7 years with 3 years at Norwich and 4 in the Army. I must say this site has been very valuable to me in understanding a lot of his ROTC and Army life. I wish to thank the many posters here who I think are such wonderful people. Son got a federal job near home and a commission with the NJ Guard. He still will be serving. He was very actively pursued by several agencies so your service is worth a lot on the outside.

For what he has done and will do... I am very proud.

One note to all serving and especially their families. I appreciate the sacrifices you make and I am always very grateful.

Best Wishes All
 
Congratulations to your son and his new federal job! You gotta be one very proud dad.
 
Hello all,
Today is my son's last day in the Army. His decision and is very happy to come home. He had a applied for a few Federal Jobs at his 3.5 year active duty level and had decided to accept one. He reports to work tomorrow signs out and starts driving home. It has been a long 7 years with 3 years at Norwich and 4 in the Army. I must say this site has been very valuable to me in understanding a lot of his ROTC and Army life. I wish to thank the many posters here who I think are such wonderful people. Son got a federal job near home and a commission with the NJ Guard. He still will be serving. He was very actively pursued by several agencies so your service is worth a lot on the outside.

For what he has done and will do... I am very proud.

One note to all serving and especially their families. I appreciate the sacrifices you make and I am always very grateful.

Best Wishes All

Thank you for the many contributions and insights you and your son have generously shared on this site. (not the least of which, by the way, was the advice to make sure to use the lavatory before donning the harness at Airborne School. Those were long days in the shed waiting for the low clouds to clear.)

I appreciate your son's sacrifices for our country.

Happy trails.
 
What kind of work?

More or less Law Enforcement in an agency. It ties in with his degree in Criminal Justice. These jobs usually take 6 to 9 months to get offer with a lot of paperwork and interviews. You can get dropped at any time along the way. For my son it was mainly about coming home. He has good friends at Polk but missed family and friends. The grass is not always greener but it seems a good fit for him. Once he fulfilled his commitment(4 years) it took two months to complete packet and get approval. From there he gets 6 months until his end date. The Guard picked up a good part of that last 6 month commitment. He is getting car now for trip home. He will get home late tomorrow. Just like his graduation he has 5 days home before he reports to new job.

I wonder if he ever learned to make his bed.
 
Congrats! Many thanks to your contribution to the forum over the last few years, you helped many of us.
 
Norwichdad! How exciting! I wish your son the best of luck, and for Norwichdad, many more years of "I'm So Proud of you Son!" moments!

Don't be a stranger here, since your input is still of immense value!

You done good, Dad!
 
Congratulations and thanks to your son for his service. Glad that he finished his service honorably and safely. You must be proud and glad to have him back home! Polk sure is hot :)
 
Thank you for the many contributions and insights you and your son have generously shared on this site. (not the least of which, by the way, was the advice to make sure to use the lavatory before donning the harness at Airborne School. Those were long days in the shed waiting for the low clouds to clear.)

I appreciate your son's sacrifices for our country.

Happy trails.

Good luck to your son & thanks for his service.

Don't forget to tell him to start contributing the maximum to Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) immediately once he starts his federal job. And if he wasn't contributing to FERS while in the Army to buy back that time as soon as possible (the longer he waits, the more expensive it gets).

And to also contribute 5-10% of his pay into the Thrifts Savings Plan (TSP, government's 401K plan) - and never to touch it, ever, until retirement.

And to opt in to the Federal Group Life Insurance right away, if that option is available (may have to wait for an open season). Its the best, cheapest life insurance around is FEGLI.

Bear in mind a lot of federal law enforcement jobs feature 20-year retirement, which is nice to have available but, in reality, few take it unless their ex-FBI types who get cushy corporate security positions.

And once he gets settled to pay a visit to the local American Legion post! Lots of ex-servicemen miss the camaraderie, the brotherhood, etc. Even officers.
 
Good luck to your son & thanks for his service.

Don't forget to tell him to start contributing the maximum to Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) immediately once he starts his federal job. And if he wasn't contributing to FERS while in the Army to buy back that time as soon as possible (the longer he waits, the more expensive it gets).

And to also contribute 5-10% of his pay into the Thrifts Savings Plan (TSP, government's 401K plan) - and never to touch it, ever, until retirement.

And to opt in to the Federal Group Life Insurance right away, if that option is available (may have to wait for an open season). Its the best, cheapest life insurance around is FEGLI.

Bear in mind a lot of federal law enforcement jobs feature 20-year retirement, which is nice to have available but, in reality, few take it unless their ex-FBI types who get cushy corporate security positions.

And once he gets settled to pay a visit to the local American Legion post! Lots of ex-servicemen miss the camaraderie, the brotherhood, etc. Even officers.

Great Advice thanks. I have to check with him on the FERS. I do know he had a month worth of vacation days so the Army paid him for a month after he was home. He is doing 10% to TSP and the life insurance. One thing to ask is he has taken High Deductible Health plan and passed on the Tri-Care from the guard. Is it better to keep both? He had to pay for both so I advised him to keep one.

He is a member of the Legion because there was a post was a couple of blocks from apartment when he was at Polk. He went there once or twice a week with friends. It was a good place to drink with no need to drive afterward. Still out west in training so I will send him over to the Legion when he gets home.
 
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