I have a plan part III

He signed the form that stated he would decline testing for promotion or WAPS as it was recognized as in the AF.  "Why?" I asked since it was a goal for every airman to get promoted.
"I am happy right where I am with rank.  I am not in charge and have no responsibilities except for my truck."
Ok, so what is your goals? What do you want to do?
I have been saving money and in 10 months when I retire I plan to buy a dump truck and a D9 with a trailer.  I just want to do dirt work."
Now he was a country boy but with smarts.  He saved and invested his money so that he could start a dirt work business and he and his wife would be comfortable.  He had a plan and that was his goal.  Nope, did not see a need to become chief.
Over the years I have had people under me that had a plan or goal.  Some just dreams but desires beyond what they were doing at the time.
Now you might have read or heard my opinion about getting a degree or not really needing one.  And I still hold to that even though I did get a few for myself.  There are reasons I did that and probably some of those very selfish, but I do believe not everyone needs one.  But you do need to know or have knowledge and maybe experience that will land you a job.

When I made my transition from active duty to exposing myself to the civilian workforce I was not in a position to work with companies and organizations that could direct me in the direction necessary.  This was because I was overseas at the time.  Remember the Chief telling how people were wanting him to sell insurance?  Yeah, the same thing happened to me as I attended job fairs that were going around Europe.
That is why it was important to demil my resume finding the civilian equivalent to my military KSA. (That is knowledge, skills, and experience or accomplishiments.)

I am not sure what to do now - part II

Chief George and I were on the phone to the pentagon as I was relying a message via a 1st Lt to the general.  As we finished the chief sat back and said to me, "I must say that a year ago I would have had to say you were nuts going for a college degree and not fully focused on making chief.  But as I look at my future I must admit I am not sure what I will do when I retire.  I  talk to other chiefs that retired and some are selling insurance.  I don't want to sell insurance. But what marketable skill do I have?"
At my first duty station I was over at a supervisor's house for a bbq.  He was talking about taking classes at Gulf Coast Community College and working on an associates degree.  He told me I needed to think about my career as there was no job on the outside for a munitions troop.  Right, that is why I joined the AF so I would not have to worry about school.  But I decided to check it out since I could get a pilot's license for about $500 and the AF would pay for it.  That is until there was this four letter word, "math" that messed with my mind.  So I passed on it.
It was at Patrick and a TDY to NCO Leadership school that I learned all the courses I attended for the AF had college credit attached and one instructor encouraged me to continue.  So I was working on some college classes.  But several of my colleagues and supervisors had a problem with that. Jack would say, "focus on your AF career and forget school.  Make chief.  That is the goal."  Ok Jack, that sounds good but... He was totally AF all the way and I get that.  But it was not until I talked to a couple of civilians that worked for Pan Am out at the Cape that gave me some reasons why I should go forward with the AF and my degree.  Looking back, they were right.
I tried to get involved in a push for Chief program that was basically contributing a case of beer, drink and discuss every conceivable testable item for the career field.  That lasted about 3 weeks.  Nope, could not do that and go to college and be married.  But a couple of guys stuck through and, well, I have to laugh.  It is one thing to be book knowledge but to actually perform the task.   Anyway, another story.
Peace time military, especially in the field of munitions was murder.  I was called into the Senior's office and asked if I wanted to be in charge of a paint crew repainting every building on base, be a dorm chief, or work in the safety office doing explosive and nuclear safety stuff.  "Ahhh, let me think..."  Safety it was.

The first year after I retired I filed 9 W-2s.  Yeah, I was trying to get a feel what I wanted to do.

I can't find a job - part I

One phrase that stuck out to me was that he depressed that could not find a job. I was reading a news report of an individual that ended up losing his life to the police in a shoot'em up.
I do not know his background and what his life was like but I do understand the issue of depression and the concern of the unknown.
Let me go with part 1: retirement on the horizon.
The last three or four months of my long AF career was one where things when crazy with my health. The doc was not sure but felt I needed a stress test, both the run on the tread mill and the nuclear option. There were tests galore. Then I was scheduled with the gastro doc out at the post. I showed up and feeling down right good. Better than I had in about 3 months. So the doctor starts running down my records and discussing what some the the symptoms were and then asked how I was doing.
"Doing great. Feeling good."
"Really? No problems? What has happened in the last week to make that happen?"
"Received my retirement paperwork a couple of days ago. Have a part time job that is working out. Not bad."
He puts down the pen and sits back. He tells me about how many soldiers end up dying right before or on the day of retirement because of the stress of what is happening on the other side of a military career. We spent about an hour looking at the stress of the last six months to include the death of my mother in law, oldest daughter going off to college in the states, having to make a decision of retiring or staying in and taking a transfer to someplace I had no desire to go to, trying to determine where we would live, and the list went on. So my risk factor was off the charts.
I am glad that I am still around. But it does cause one to think about what or why we can get this way. Some go into a depression, others battle stress, and others take the bull by the horn and battle on.
One of the issues we encounter when we hold that DD-214 in our hands is that we do not have a formidable plan, especially if we are used to getting up every morning and putting on a uniform. The civilian side of the fence is totally different. And for some, that is hard to handle.
I know a number of friends and colleagues that say they miss "the life". With that there is that difficulty in transitioning.

Well, wait for part II.