Army Retirement, Pt. 1
On March 1st, I retired from the U.S. Army. Kyra deserves pretty much all the credit - through it all, she supported me and took care of our family. I am forever grateful. As for the Army, there were ups and downs, and I’m pretty sure it’ll “keep rolling along” as we sing in the Army Song.
In the lead-up to retirement, I struggled mightily to figure out what to do with myself. Given time, I could write a tome describing the things I thought about over the last couple of years, what my friends and colleagues said about retirement, how I came to assign value (or not) to all the advice I received, what “worked” for me and what didn’t. Although it was a tumultuous time (at least in my head), I learned a lot about myself.
I read a good number of books. Life design books, other self-help books, business books, philosophical books, books written specifically on the subject of “military transition,” sci-fi (of course), and even a little Russian. I spoke to countless strangers on the phone in a vain attempt to obtain a glimmer of where I was headed. I obtained a few certifications and certificates. I even considered staying on active duty.
Very slowly, I began to realize a few things. I cannot fully explain why it took so long to recognize on a conscious level and translate into action the fundamental truths that underpin my self-image and view of the world. Looking back on everything, though, I think part of it was the tidal wave of other people’s opinions, advice, recommendations, experiences, and even off-the-cuff comments that drowned out my own voice. I am a listener by my nature, and frankly, it hurt me here.
One thing I did well, though, was plan my exit from the Army. We were in an unusual housing situation, and I wanted to do an Army-sponsored internship with a civilian company. We planned to move first, use military leave / vacation time, do the internship, use more vacation, and finally retire. By the grace of God, it worked. I still almost can’t believe it.
What does this have to do with farming? Good question - I thought you’d never ask! Stay tuned for what I learned during the process, where farming fits in, and where our family is headed. Thanks for reading!