Honorable Discharge

Thanks for your service. I never served, closest I came was working as a civilian contractor on a huge Army ammunition depot in the middle of the Nevada desert. One of my dear family friends there was a retired Navy Lt. Commander; his son, who I went to school with, also served--I went to college to while away my time, he went to the Navy to serve his country. In some ways, I regret I didn't join him.

I have the utmost respect for those who served, congratulations on the end of a long odyssey.

 

Congratsulations and I'll always try to follow your wise advice and not spit on my neighbors (nor on the president, policemen, etc.)

 

Yup, me too. Although definitely more than two crossings. Seven or eight, maybe? Being forward deployed 7th Fleet (in Yokosuka, Japan) keeps you in the water alot!



Tom Nixon

 

I retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in the Limited Duty Officer field of Administration (Military HR) after 26 years of active duty on 1 July 1995. Prior to obtaining a commission, I advanced to Chief Personnelman (E-7).

I found it difficult to adjust not because I could not take off the uniform but because it took me several years to start earning somelike close to what I was earning when on active duty. I now work for the Department of the Navy as a civilian employee doing almost what I did when I was on active duty. Presently, I serve as the Officer in Charge of a Navy Personnel Support Detachment in Bethesda, Maryland. At the moment, all my counterparts are active duty military. But, it appears that the Navy is moving ahead to make a majority of the HR type jobs civilian. This is still unclear.

Like most folks that served, I am proud to have worn the uniform and would gladly serve now if asked but a little long in the tooth now (56).

 

Congratulations sir. I am looking forward to that particular goal myself, and will be reaching it, God willing, in January 2009. Maybe sooner if I can manage to save up some terminal leave. I am active duty army, assigned to the Defense Attache System. I am currently serving at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville, Gabon. My next assignment will be Nepal and after that I'll be done. Hopefully, I will be sitting for the California Bar in 2009 as well since I will be starting at Taft very soon. I love being in the military - and Africa, although quite hot is very interesting. Still, it will be nice to return to a place that has more than one season.