I'm a Cold War Navy veteran, and I'd like to share some recommended tips. I immediately joined the Naval Reserves upon my discharge, which helped me transition into civilian life from a military mindset. This was especially helpful in making connections with other reservists for business and job opportunities. Don't expect civilians to understand military service - there's no need to be upset about this. However, sharing good sea stories can be an effective way to connect with others. Personally, I feel very uncomfortable when someone thanks me for my service. Like Cincinnatus, I was a civilian who did my duty only to return as a civilian, and I prefer to be treated like anyone else. Nevertheless, I'll respond if someone asks about my service in terms of branch, travels, and job. Because I was a Cold War veteran, I was initially excluded from veterans' organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, and AMVETS, which made it difficult to connect with veterans from different generations. It's important to be mindful that other veterans' experiences may not be the same - my Cold War experiences of exotic port calls are very different from veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan, who may feel more jaded from their experience.
You can join the American Legion. I was informed that because I did tours in Korea I qualify for membership in the VFW even those tours were in the late 80’s.
I think this is a good point. You kinda have to figure out "How do I connect with other Vets?" You might not feel that it is very important, but it's a good touchpoint as you go thru your transition.
When I was a teenager I had a neighbor who's wife would loudly complain about her former Marine Corps husband's NCO and Drill Sergeant plaques and framed awards. She hectored him constantly that he left the Corps for her and it was time to get rid of youthful mistakes. I was taking the garbage to the curb and found all his Marine awards, uniforms, boots, odds and ends, piled in and around the cans. I ended up taking all of it and storing it in a dis-used carport storage room, thinking he might want it later or I would just take it to the Army surplus store and trade it in for something I might want. A month later there is a moving truck at his duplex and the Missus is leaving with her boss from the bank she worked at. I Asked Mr. Smith what was going on and he let the entire neighborhood know what he thought about his soon to be ex-wife and how he hope the Corps would still take him back. He was beside himself when I showed him the storage room with all his stuff and I had not realized it also contained his photos and medals for valor while serving in Vietnam. We both move shortly afterward and I hope he found his way back to the Marines, where I found a home in the Army.
My retirement shadow box sits on a shelf in my closet where I get dressed everyday. I sit in the chair opposite that shadow box putting on my socks reminding myself that the young Marine I once was is still inside but just a bit slower but much wiser.
Good words....I always have a conflicted feeling about that young idiot who joined the Army. He got me signed up for a hell of a lot more than he understood. But the older Soldier who did the hard work...I owe him a lot.
I retired almost 5 years ago... purged my closet 2 years ago of all the extra uniforms I was keeping. I kept 3 uniforms... my last set of BDU's as a 1st Sgt, my final set of ABU's as a Chief Master Sgt, and my final set of blues... hoping one day to wear them while escorting my daughter down the isle.
I had saved every issued( less trade ins) fatigue uniform and flightsuit from my 32 year (80-12)Air Force career. Last summer i took all of them to a local quilter who took them and made a spectacular quilt. Even my wife is willing to admit that it is a special keepsake , worthy of display in “ HER” house.
Do you mind shooting me a picture of that at chuck.weko@gmail.com? I'm trying to do something similar, but I'm discovering I'm not the best quilter on the planet.
My journey wasn’t retirement but returning home from deployment and then processing out. Struggled for 10 or so years till I understood the process that you discussed. Thank you!
I have the feeling that folks like you transition faster than retirees. Retirees tend to see the end coming for years in advance while folks who just do one or two enlistments don't. As a result the transition process can be clunkier.
Thanks Chuck for words of wisdom worth considering. Speaking of wisdom, folks might want to hang on to what they learned about themselves and others during their thousands of person-to-person interactions. Life is “a people business” after all.
Great point. Not only is like a "people business", the military gives you a chance to practice over and over on how to deal with people. How many times were you the "new guy"? How many times did you onboard the next "new guy"?
LOL, Call me sentimental.... I have a single set of each different uniform type I wore throughout my career. I have a pickle suit from the late seventies with PFC rank. A BDU (with the Elvis collars) with my Lieutenant rank. Another BDU (with a more normal collar) with Captain's rank, (Hello to Korea, Haiti, Balkans, Thailand and West Germany). A set of DCU I wore in in 2004, 2006 with Major's rank (Hello Iraq) A set of Multicam from 2009 with Silver Oak Leaves (Afghanistan) Just one set of each type. But, I do have the extra closet space ... So its not much of a problem.
I still have Daddy’s dog tags from WW2. And an uncles beer stein from his time in Germany as well as his pocket notebook listing aircraft tail numbers he needed to work on.
You nailed a lot of good subjects for good food for thought... Something recently occurred I am disabled and I walk with canes because of my service, I'm dismissed by most even some vets... I remember what happened I had just returned from the Afghanistan and my children were in a youth military program by their choice and they had a passing review in front of a former General who I served with when the man was a colonel... It started rain and it was cold as heck everyone went undercover but one tired infantryman straight out of the Stand (Afghanistan) and as they passed and reviewed I stood there in the rain as these young men and women march by and years later I ran into a couple of them and they told me how much you meant to them to see me standing there in faded uniform, soaked to the skin but I stood there at attention for a couple hours as they march by in the cold... The point is - a simple act and years later these people still remember it.... Just a thought....
I got a Shadow Box, two shelves full of coins, checklists, and berets, and a Stetson rack left in the house/office. In the Garage is all the going away plaques, and lots of pictures.
I think each of us carry parts of our military career, both good and bad. 1. It has been 18 years since my last deployment and I am finally living..as a person. 2. I don't carry my rank, however, I have never worked so hard at anything and was able to retire a Lt. Col. 3. My 24 years of military service is not my life, but it did shape the man who I am... Integrity, Compassion, and someone for my children and grandchildren to feel pride and honor for supporting me. I don't wear hats, no stickers on my vehicle, no shadow box or relics in my home. I learned a lot about my country both good and bad. I have learned to live my life now, in the moment, finally being present, being a better husband and knowing I did the best I could. I am blessed with where I am, not sure if I would do it again.
Photos taken while you were in should be saved for your kids. For me, this is a rare thing as I tend to duck photos (breaks the cameras and such lol). I have two of my father's photo albums with a mix of old family photos and his service in WWII. Those too will be passed down. Friends. This is kind of a sticky area. In the military we tend to put up an emotional wall knowing that tomorrow one or the other person won't be there (not being grim, thinking along the lines of PCS, ETS etc.). We make a TON of acquaintances, but at least for me only a few folks got to the other side of my emotional wall, and most I'm still in contact with. Saying that, it's amazing how folks can pick up where they left off the last time you saw each other - regardless of which side of the wall they are on. But actual friends, I think those are maybe fewer amongst us than the civilian population. I dunno, I may be alone in this thought process, but it seems to be my particular case. Good advice in this Chuck.
I was part of the 172d when it changed from Snowhawks to Arctic Wolves. Was part of that 16 mo Iraq deployment they did. Now it doesn't even exist 😢 Not sure what the 11th ABN BDE is called. Having that 172d patch is definitely something for us both to keep tucked away in a memory box.
@@articrecon It was still the duality "172nd Infantry Brigade (AK)" and "172nd Infantry Brigade (Light) (affectionately known as the "LIB")" which differentiated the overall HQ vs. the infantry brigade. Was there '76 - '80 (4/23) and then again '89 - '92 (6ID & 4/9). Met my better half the first go 'round when she moved into the BOQ next door to me and here we are two two-time AK vets and old retired soldiers 47 years later! 😉
I got there right after the 6th ID cased flags. I'm sure that no matter the name, it's still MF'n cold and every field exercise has real world risks. Oh and I bet the tech still screws up at 40 below.
Remember when you die someone has to clean up your archives. My father seemed to save everything like an “onion skin” copy of an order appointing him mess-hall inspector in 1946 and every temporary and permanent promotion. When I retired 25 years ago I was not going to be a pack rat and limited my museum to my dog tag collection (back to 1955) , my engraved canteen cup - retirement gift and of course any legal documents. Do you want to burden your family with the cost of a construction dumpster when you die or just a trash bag?
One thing I did with my grandfather's old records (and he had all sorts of pay stubs and memos) was scan them before getting rid of them. That made it feel less like I was "throwing them away".
I keep the hair cut because my hair goes six different directions if left on its own. First time I got a military haircut it was like "So that's what I should have been doing..."
Good advice sir. I kept a few odds and ends from my career, Class A’s, coins, and a few things I picked up on deployment. They’re stuff similar to things we found in an old footlocker after my grandfather (retired SGM, WWII & Korean War Vet) passed away. I’d also like to add that being the goofball and prankster I am, I donated a bunch of old uniforms to my wife’s friend who owns a large costume rental company, now every Halloween people go out partying dressed up like me. 😁
I’ve got dress blues still, and my 2 flags (clerical error) sit in the firearms armoir. In thier respective boxes. Held on to the fleece caps and thermal underwear with a combat shirt.
Decades ago, before I joined the military, my Scoutmaster set up 'appointments' for me with three veterans. So, I could go to their homes and talk to them about their service, and to confirm if I really wanted to enter into that, or was I being hogswaggled by a recruiter. The answer was probably yes on both counts.
That is a good idea just for anyone thinking about joining the military. Especially if you can talk to someone who is a little conflicted about their experience. I mean, it's nice to talk to a nostalgic dude, but it also helps to talk to someone who questions their decision to join.
He was lucky to be rid of his wife. She obviously had no respect for his service and his achievements and she had no respect for his sacrifices on behalf of his country.
I'm a Cold War Navy veteran, and I'd like to share some recommended tips. I immediately joined the Naval Reserves upon my discharge, which helped me transition into civilian life from a military mindset. This was especially helpful in making connections with other reservists for business and job opportunities.
Don't expect civilians to understand military service - there's no need to be upset about this. However, sharing good sea stories can be an effective way to connect with others. Personally, I feel very uncomfortable when someone thanks me for my service. Like Cincinnatus, I was a civilian who did my duty only to return as a civilian, and I prefer to be treated like anyone else. Nevertheless, I'll respond if someone asks about my service in terms of branch, travels, and job.
Because I was a Cold War veteran, I was initially excluded from veterans' organizations such as the VFW, American Legion, and AMVETS, which made it difficult to connect with veterans from different generations. It's important to be mindful that other veterans' experiences may not be the same - my Cold War experiences of exotic port calls are very different from veterans of Iraq or Afghanistan, who may feel more jaded from their experience.
You can join the American Legion. I was informed that because I did tours in Korea I qualify for membership in the VFW even those tours were in the late 80’s.
I think this is a good point. You kinda have to figure out "How do I connect with other Vets?" You might not feel that it is very important, but it's a good touchpoint as you go thru your transition.
When I was a teenager I had a neighbor who's wife would loudly complain about her former Marine Corps husband's NCO and Drill Sergeant plaques and framed awards. She hectored him constantly that he left the Corps for her and it was time to get rid of youthful mistakes. I was taking the garbage to the curb and found all his Marine awards, uniforms, boots, odds and ends, piled in and around the cans. I ended up taking all of it and storing it in a dis-used carport storage room, thinking he might want it later or I would just take it to the Army surplus store and trade it in for something I might want. A month later there is a moving truck at his duplex and the Missus is leaving with her boss from the bank she worked at. I Asked Mr. Smith what was going on and he let the entire neighborhood know what he thought about his soon to be ex-wife and how he hope the Corps would still take him back. He was beside himself when I showed him the storage room with all his stuff and I had not realized it also contained his photos and medals for valor while serving in Vietnam. We both move shortly afterward and I hope he found his way back to the Marines, where I found a home in the Army.
Well done. (Meant the Navy and Marine way of high praise)
Thank you...
You're a good man Charlie Brown!
Strong Work
That is such a great story.
My retirement shadow box sits on a shelf in my closet where I get dressed everyday. I sit in the chair opposite that shadow box putting on my socks reminding myself that the young Marine I once was is still inside but just a bit slower but much wiser.
Strong work
Good words....I always have a conflicted feeling about that young idiot who joined the Army. He got me signed up for a hell of a lot more than he understood. But the older Soldier who did the hard work...I owe him a lot.
I retired after 23+ years as an artilleryman. I work on fort Sill now so it is all still there and all around me.
I retired almost 5 years ago... purged my closet 2 years ago of all the extra uniforms I was keeping. I kept 3 uniforms... my last set of BDU's as a 1st Sgt, my final set of ABU's as a Chief Master Sgt, and my final set of blues... hoping one day to wear them while escorting my daughter down the isle.
Burial Dress
I'm similar...one set of OCPs in case they call me, the AGSU in case I have to testify.
I had saved every issued( less trade ins) fatigue uniform and flightsuit from my 32 year (80-12)Air Force career. Last summer i took all of them to a local quilter who took them and made a spectacular quilt. Even my wife is willing to admit that it is a special keepsake , worthy of display in “ HER” house.
Do you mind shooting me a picture of that at chuck.weko@gmail.com? I'm trying to do something similar, but I'm discovering I'm not the best quilter on the planet.
My journey wasn’t retirement but returning home from deployment and then processing out. Struggled for 10 or so years till I understood the process that you discussed. Thank you!
I have the feeling that folks like you transition faster than retirees. Retirees tend to see the end coming for years in advance while folks who just do one or two enlistments don't. As a result the transition process can be clunkier.
Thanks Chuck for words of wisdom worth considering. Speaking of wisdom, folks might want to hang on to what they learned about themselves and others during their thousands of person-to-person interactions. Life is “a people business” after all.
Great point. Not only is like a "people business", the military gives you a chance to practice over and over on how to deal with people. How many times were you the "new guy"? How many times did you onboard the next "new guy"?
LOL, Call me sentimental....
I have a single set of each different uniform type I wore throughout my career.
I have a pickle suit from the late seventies with PFC rank.
A BDU (with the Elvis collars) with my Lieutenant rank.
Another BDU (with a more normal collar) with Captain's rank, (Hello to Korea, Haiti, Balkans, Thailand and West Germany).
A set of DCU I wore in in 2004, 2006 with Major's rank (Hello Iraq)
A set of Multicam from 2009 with Silver Oak Leaves (Afghanistan)
Just one set of each type. But, I do have the extra closet space ... So its not much of a problem.
I still have Daddy’s dog tags from WW2. And an uncles beer stein from his time in Germany as well as his pocket notebook listing aircraft tail numbers he needed to work on.
I have an SOP from the Red Ball Express from my grandfather where he wrote "Hands Off, Higgins"...long story with ol' Higgins.
I'm
You nailed a lot of good subjects for good food for thought... Something recently occurred I am disabled and I walk with canes because of my service, I'm dismissed by most even some vets... I remember what happened I had just returned from the Afghanistan and my children were in a youth military program by their choice and they had a passing review in front of a former General who I served with when the man was a colonel... It started rain and it was cold as heck everyone went undercover but one tired infantryman straight out of the Stand (Afghanistan) and as they passed and reviewed I stood there in the rain as these young men and women march by and years later I ran into a couple of them and they told me how much you meant to them to see me standing there in faded uniform, soaked to the skin but I stood there at attention for a couple hours as they march by in the cold... The point is - a simple act and years later these people still remember it.... Just a thought....
Well said.
I needed this! Ty
Strong Work!
I'm glad to be of assistance.
I got a Shadow Box, two shelves full of coins, checklists, and berets, and a Stetson rack left in the house/office. In the Garage is all the going away plaques, and lots of pictures.
I'm about the same (although I didn't earn the Stetson)...Every time I move those plaques get packed a little farther back in the storage container.
Great advice as always Chuck
Thanks, man.
Well said. Thank you.
It means a lot to me that you appreciate it.
I think each of us carry parts of our military career, both good and bad. 1. It has been 18 years since my last deployment and I am finally living..as a person. 2. I don't carry my rank, however, I have never worked so hard at anything and was able to retire a Lt. Col. 3. My 24 years of military service is not my life, but it did shape the man who I am... Integrity, Compassion, and someone for my children and grandchildren to feel pride and honor for supporting me. I don't wear hats, no stickers on my vehicle, no shadow box or relics in my home. I learned a lot about my country both good and bad. I have learned to live my life now, in the moment, finally being present, being a better husband and knowing I did the best I could. I am blessed with where I am, not sure if I would do it again.
Photos taken while you were in should be saved for your kids. For me, this is a rare thing as I tend to duck photos (breaks the cameras and such lol). I have two of my father's photo albums with a mix of old family photos and his service in WWII. Those too will be passed down.
Friends. This is kind of a sticky area. In the military we tend to put up an emotional wall knowing that tomorrow one or the other person won't be there (not being grim, thinking along the lines of PCS, ETS etc.). We make a TON of acquaintances, but at least for me only a few folks got to the other side of my emotional wall, and most I'm still in contact with. Saying that, it's amazing how folks can pick up where they left off the last time you saw each other - regardless of which side of the wall they are on. But actual friends, I think those are maybe fewer amongst us than the civilian population. I dunno, I may be alone in this thought process, but it seems to be my particular case.
Good advice in this Chuck.
Photos...BRILLIANT!
Good on 'ya Chuck, great advice! Arctic Light! (or for older Alaska vets "Snowhawk!")
I was part of the 172d when it changed from Snowhawks to Arctic Wolves. Was part of that 16 mo Iraq deployment they did. Now it doesn't even exist 😢 Not sure what the 11th ABN BDE is called. Having that 172d patch is definitely something for us both to keep tucked away in a memory box.
@@articrecon It was still the duality "172nd Infantry Brigade (AK)" and "172nd Infantry Brigade (Light) (affectionately known as the "LIB")" which differentiated the overall HQ vs. the infantry brigade. Was there '76 - '80 (4/23) and then again '89 - '92 (6ID & 4/9). Met my better half the first go 'round when she moved into the BOQ next door to me and here we are two two-time AK vets and old retired soldiers 47 years later! 😉
@@articrecon11 ABN DIV are the Arctic Angels, “down from heaven comes 11”. And it’s still freaking cold up here at Wainwright.
Strike Fear 1/17 IN Fort Richardson. I still miss the OG 107 field uniform.
I got there right after the 6th ID cased flags. I'm sure that no matter the name, it's still MF'n cold and every field exercise has real world risks. Oh and I bet the tech still screws up at 40 below.
Very Good message ❤❤❤😊
Thank you. Sometimes I'm worried that I will botch an important message.
After 21 years, it took me several more to change the way I thought. It’s far from easy
Remember when you die someone has to clean up your archives. My father seemed to save everything like an “onion skin” copy of an order appointing him mess-hall inspector in 1946 and every temporary and permanent promotion. When I retired 25 years ago I was not going to be a pack rat and limited my museum to my dog tag collection (back to 1955) , my engraved canteen cup - retirement gift and of course any legal documents. Do you want to burden your family with the cost of a construction dumpster when you die or just a trash bag?
One thing I did with my grandfather's old records (and he had all sorts of pay stubs and memos) was scan them before getting rid of them. That made it feel less like I was "throwing them away".
Huh. How come I didn’t get any gold nuggets upon discharge?
Only applies to General Officers, everybody else gets Fool's Gold.
Golden Nugget Casino?
Retired pay and VA compensation...
The memories of our service should be held proud and kept. Anyone who served through to retirement has a sense of what is what.
Here here! Those long timers know what it means to be up and then down then up again.
I keep the medals and badges in a bag in my underwear drawer. I also kept the haircut but it's a lot more gray than it used to be.
I tried to apply for service connected "hair loss", unfortunately the VA said "not service connected".
I keep the hair cut because my hair goes six different directions if left on its own. First time I got a military haircut it was like "So that's what I should have been doing..."
Always keep your military bearing.
True...and the ability to put that mask back on.
Good advice sir. I kept a few odds and ends from my career, Class A’s, coins, and a few things I picked up on deployment. They’re stuff similar to things we found in an old footlocker after my grandfather (retired SGM, WWII & Korean War Vet) passed away. I’d also like to add that being the goofball and prankster I am, I donated a bunch of old uniforms to my wife’s friend who owns a large costume rental company, now every Halloween people go out partying dressed up like me. 😁
I have a small cracked alabaster bowl my grandfather allegedly got from Germany in WW2. Probably crap, but it's this weird family legend.
My kids getting my medals whether he wants 'em or not. I'm volunteering to help other Vets.
Good deal.
I’ve got dress blues still, and my 2 flags (clerical error) sit in the firearms armoir. In thier respective boxes. Held on to the fleece caps and thermal underwear with a combat shirt.
Going skiing next week...I have a pair of high end arctic gloves that will keep me toasty.
My shadow box contains my retirement DD214🤷♂️
Smart.
Decades ago, before I joined the military, my Scoutmaster set up 'appointments' for me with three veterans. So, I could go to their homes and talk to them about their service, and to confirm if I really wanted to enter into that, or was I being hogswaggled by a recruiter. The answer was probably yes on both counts.
That was a great scoutmaster.
That is a good idea just for anyone thinking about joining the military. Especially if you can talk to someone who is a little conflicted about their experience. I mean, it's nice to talk to a nostalgic dude, but it also helps to talk to someone who questions their decision to join.
He was lucky to be rid of his wife. She obviously had no respect for his service and his achievements and she had no respect for his sacrifices on behalf of his country.
Sometimes just making sure you have the right people in your life makes all the difference.
Between two divorces and Hurricane Katrina, I don’t have anything left from my military service
Memories.