So, how is the retirement gig?

[bayoublaster7527]

Congrats on your retirement. Enjoy it!

 

[rmyoung1]

Congratulations, Buzz!

 

[Gr8bawana]

Congrats on your retirement!

 

[BenP]

Congratulations on a fulfilling and long time career doing great stuff for our country and all public land users. I am looking forward to 2056 for my possible retirement date...

I'm sure your time will not be wasted on a couch.

 

[brocksw]

Congrats Buzz!

 

[Wildabeest]

Congrats Buzz, and thanks for all the years serving our public lands. Perhaps @JohnCushman can send over some midget strippers for your retirement party .

 

[El Jason]

Congratulations Buzz.

 

[TheTone]

Congrats on retirement and a great career. Very cool to have some documentation of all the places you were able to call work sites.

I’m at just over 7 years to go and can’t wait to make up for lost time fishing and hunting

 

[mtmuley]

Congrats Buzz. Well deserved. Thank you for all the behind the scenes advocacy. We've had some dust ups but appreciate that we can still communicate. Enjoy whatever endeavors are coming. Especially hunting Montana. mtmuley

 

[hank4elk]

Cool Buzz!!
17 years since I cut the cord. Never a dull moment.

Watch your health!

 

[Treeshark]

Congratulations @BuzzH, happy retirement

 

[marshman]

Retirement is awesome! You will enjoy the hell out of your life now.
Congratulations!

 

[Bulldog0156]

Congrats Buzz! I hope retirement treats you well!

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Congrats....now you will have ZERO excuses, other than you hate me, to help in years to come to help me and my son get an elk.... :O.... In all seriousness though, I can't wait to be you, enjoy....

 

[mtmiller]

Congratulations Buzz. Enjoy

 

[F250]

We don’t always agree on the issues of the day, but from one retired Natural Resources employee to another… CONGRATULATIONS Buzz !! I hope you have many years of enjoyment !!

 

[BuzzH]

Congrats. I am always happy to hear of retirements. Curious how you decided that now was the time? Why not last month or next month or next year?

Fair question.

As to the timing on the month, well 2 reasons.

1. Hunting season
2. Field work is largely wrapping up. I had all my QC numbers met, production wrapped up, etc so didnt leave coworker in a bind.

As to the year...tough one. My original plan was to retire at 60. Then came trump2.0 and his south african side kick. I was in the perfect place to take the DRP, and I really wanted to take it.

However, with the clown show of the new administration, I saw Union Membership sky rocket. The local that I was President of the past decade, saw astronomical growth. So, high we were given an award by NFFE.

I knew I had to stay a couple more years at that point. I was being entrusted to help a workforce and represent them best I could through a blatant and illegal attack on the Federal workforce.

Along with my day job, i did a lot of work trying my best to help coworkers navigate the lowest points in many of their careers. Undoubtedly the toughest 2 years for me personally at my Union role. Lots of long phone calls with anxious coworkers, most of them after tough days in the field.

The Union has been successful in thwarting a bunch of this administration's bullshit.

Things are far from perfect, but in a much better place now than 2 years ago. I have mentored 2 amazing coworkers to take over the Local Union. They are both brilliant employees, 2 finer Gentlewomen would be tough to find. They will, without doubt, represent the Union and bargaining unit employees better than i did.

At the same time I also mentored another coworker to take my place in my normal job. He will step right in no problem.

So wirh everything in good order at work...and the offer of VSIP/VERA, the table was set for me.

Been financially set for 5 years...my one recommendation here: PAY YOURSELF FIRST.

When you prepare correctly, the timing becomes a bit easier.

 

[Redmt]

My thoughts on retirement.
1. When you finally get to the point where you're not sure what day it is.
2. You get to the point when you have to ask someone and don't really believe them.
3. You no longer care what day it is.

 

[jbseamus83]

Congrats Buzz! Enjoy the heck out of it!

 

[Bonasababy]

Congrats! It's all it's cracked up to be. Started full time in 89, pulled the plug late last year. Health insurance is the biggest barrier cost wise but if you and any spouse are already 65 that gets easier. MIght be less of a problem for fed retirees though?

You might have run into an old college friend of mine, now retired I think, same job out of St. Paul.

Used FIA a lot in my work.