OFFICIAL ROLL CALL!
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,816
Likes: 3
From: River Valley AR
Wow- just found this thread, salute to my fellow vets-
Dan
USN 1984-1988
VS-22 Antisubmarine Squadron (Checkmates)
NAS Cecil Field
USS John F Kennedy CV-67
E2, E3, E4, E3
Aviation Ordnanceman, plane captain, aircraft scrubber, sonobuoy slinger, habitual foul-line stepper
Service-connected DAV
Dan
USN 1984-1988
VS-22 Antisubmarine Squadron (Checkmates)
NAS Cecil Field
USS John F Kennedy CV-67
E2, E3, E4, E3
Aviation Ordnanceman, plane captain, aircraft scrubber, sonobuoy slinger, habitual foul-line stepper
Service-connected DAV
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,801
Likes: 48
From: Abilene TX.
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Freshman User
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 31
Likes: 5
From: Henrico, VA (Richmond)
"Butch" Ammon
Yeoman First Class, E-6, Retired
U.S. Coast Guard
1979 - 1996 (17 years, "early out" program called TERA).
Basically put, if you all remember back in the late 90's, Pres Clinton (back then) and Congress passed a bill to lower the normal 20 year military retirement. They created a 15 year military retirement package (E-5 and above - anyone - any rating/MOS). Since the military was so "top heavy" back then, that a lot of people decided to opt for it. I was one of those "Coasties" who sat behind a desk doing military personnel records and computer operations for years and years and hit that proverbial Brick Wall as the saying goes. I tried and tried and tried and tried to make Chief (E-7) and just couldn't do it. Way too many people in the USCG for a small service, and way too many Yeomen. So... I saw the writing on the wall, and decided to retire at 17 instead of 20. Full retirement, full benefits, everything... Just the base pay was (obviously) reduced from 20 to 17, and that's all. Legend has it that in 1997 or 1998 the military branches freaked out because so many people opted for the early retirement (TERA = Temporary Early Retirement Authorization), that Clinton and Congress had to go back and rescind that bill and shut down the early retirement package deal called TERA.
Yeoman First Class, E-6, Retired
U.S. Coast Guard
1979 - 1996 (17 years, "early out" program called TERA).
Basically put, if you all remember back in the late 90's, Pres Clinton (back then) and Congress passed a bill to lower the normal 20 year military retirement. They created a 15 year military retirement package (E-5 and above - anyone - any rating/MOS). Since the military was so "top heavy" back then, that a lot of people decided to opt for it. I was one of those "Coasties" who sat behind a desk doing military personnel records and computer operations for years and years and hit that proverbial Brick Wall as the saying goes. I tried and tried and tried and tried to make Chief (E-7) and just couldn't do it. Way too many people in the USCG for a small service, and way too many Yeomen. So... I saw the writing on the wall, and decided to retire at 17 instead of 20. Full retirement, full benefits, everything... Just the base pay was (obviously) reduced from 20 to 17, and that's all. Legend has it that in 1997 or 1998 the military branches freaked out because so many people opted for the early retirement (TERA = Temporary Early Retirement Authorization), that Clinton and Congress had to go back and rescind that bill and shut down the early retirement package deal called TERA.
New User
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: United States
USAF 1N3X4A linguist and 21A Aircraft Maintenance. 1990-2012. SOF and RECCE birds. Hate sand. Couldn't make E5 (see TARA post above) so got a commission instead. Worked out better in the long run.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 18,404
Likes: 9,180
From: Sheridan / Gilchrist
More Turbo
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 529
Likes: 54
From: Houston
Reporting as ordered.
John
US Navy, E-6, Cryptologic Technician Interpreter (spook), Russian and Spanish
1990-1996 active plus a couple or three years reserve.
I was in what might be called the white collar Navy. Most of my time was spent as a radio intercept operator and analyst (intel).
I miss the Cold War days when it was easy to know who the enemy was.
John
US Navy, E-6, Cryptologic Technician Interpreter (spook), Russian and Spanish
1990-1996 active plus a couple or three years reserve.
I was in what might be called the white collar Navy. Most of my time was spent as a radio intercept operator and analyst (intel).
I miss the Cold War days when it was easy to know who the enemy was.