• @TheDoozer
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    512 hours ago

    I retire (military) in 4 years, and my countdown feels like this, but more specific. I just had to re-enlist, and I was asking if I had to do full years, or if I could do 4.3 to line up with the anniversary of my enlistment (to retire THE DAY I am technically able to).

    Not that I don’t enjoy my job, because I do, but I’m excited to be able to do whatever I want with my time and let my wife be the primary support for us for awhile.

    • @theangryseal
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      59 hours ago

      This is where i’ve been for about 7 months.

      The cracks in my mind are just starting to show. I don’t know if I can keep doing it.

      It is different though. She wants me to be a stay at home dad so I left my job of 24 years. First 5 months was awesome. My last day of work was the day before our third little one was born.

      She’s in the “cry for nothing until you hold me” phase, so I’m hoping once she cuts it out I’ll be ok again.

      I’ve been about to crack though. 4:30 this morning it was bottle time. Mom is working from 4AM TO 2PM at the moment, so that’s just the way it is for now.

      I’m so so so tired. I guess I’d be even worse working right now.

      I hope you enjoy every minute of retirement.

      • @TheDoozer
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        28 hours ago

        I remember that time well. Mine are 5 and 10, so I’m moving out of the more intensive child-rearing time. When I retire, they should both be at or near the “too busy for Dad” time, so other than giving rides, my days should be free and clear. I’m really looking forward to it.

        Good luck with the little ones!

      • @TheDoozer
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        28 hours ago

        Man, I do enjoy taking the wind out of the sails of presumptuous people knee-jerking a response without knowing any specifics.

        I spent most of my career flying in relatively dangerous conditions in helicopters (or on small boats, before I went into aviation) in order to save people from drowning in the ocean or freezing in the woods. I’ve had two coworkers who’ve crashed (in separate incidences), one of which was at the door sending a dewatering pump to a sinking boat. I specifically joined the service I did because, as I told the recruiter, I can choose to join, but I can’t choose where I’m sent after, and I’m still responsible for my actions because I chose to join in the first place. There’s nothing morally ambiguous about saving somebody whose boat is sinking.

        Now, don’t get me wrong, having more and more of our people being sent to “defend the border” definitely falls in the realm of “not what I signed up for,” but I haven’t personally been forced into that, and am extremely unlikely to.

        So I may have dealt with some brown kids whose lives were threatened, but certainly haven’t found any that were a threat themselves (except to themselves… boaters tend to be their own worst enemies).