Go to Korea for a year or retire?...Revisited

[AKcharger]

Got a remote 1 year assignment to Kunsan AB, Korea. Deal is I have to take it and report by 10 March or retire by the first of April.

Bummer is I got back from 15 years of consecutive overseas service only 20 months ago and 5 months were over in the Desert! Oh, and I already spent a year at Kunsan back in '86-87 and about 8 months in Kwang Ju, Korea in '99 and '01

- If I go I make E-9   (and with it great power an authority)
- If I stay I have time for Chargers...oh and family...yeah, them too

Well who better to ask than my Charger pals!

[Shakey]

I'd go for one more year.  8 months into retirement you'll wish you had of.  After the year is up, retire for good!

[Johnny SixPack]

I'd go for one more year.   8 months into retirement you'll wish you had of.   After the year is up, retire for good!

You'd walk away in a higher retirement pay bracket due to the increase in rank too, right?

[Telvis]

Will there be a significant difference in your pension if you stay the extra year?

[NHCharger]

Will there be a significant difference in your pension if you stay the extra year?

That's what I was thinking.

[Old Moparz]

It sounds like you should stick it out one more year, but I have no idea what the conditions you'd have to face would be like. You or someone else in the military would know a lot better than me. The only person I know that had to make a similar decision was my uncle. He was a NYC fireman stationed around 125th street in Manhattan. He could have retired 5 years before he did, but wouldn't have gotten the pension he did get by sticking it out the last 5 years.

He was tired of the job & the BS that went with it by then, but he said it was the right choice. He said things over the years with the people he was "saving" had changed. People would throw things from rooftops, sometimes buildings were boobytrapped & set fire to, just to see if the traps would get them. They had been shot at on several occasions too. When he did retire, it was 3 months before 9-11 & probably lucky he did. I never asked him if anyone from the fire house he was with went to the World Trade Center, but they weren't that far away in NYC.

[Silver R/T]

id go

[ChargerBill]

I also agree...if the family can handle seeing you once or twice over the next year then I'd go for the retirement benefits, but if my wife was going to have a REAL hard time because of it then I'd stay home and retire.

[Charger Aficionado]

  I'm doing a civilian job, and it sucks...  I always YEARN for some adventure...  Maybe you can get some ACTION.

[Chryco Psycho]

I`d ask Sue

[AKcharger]

Thanks guys
Military retirement system is 50% at 20 years and 2.5% increase per year after that so when you hit 30 years you get 75% of your base pay. Not huge pay increase for additional year but the pay jump from E-8 to E-9 is significant...about $600 a month so that plus the 2.5% is big
- Susan isn't happy but we're leaning towards me going I can take leave 1/2 way through...maybe during Carlisle 
- I'm with yeah about adventure and stuff doesn't seem like much while your doing it but when it's gone you'll miss it

Old Mopartz my uncle was a NYC fireman and said the same thing about booby traps and stuff. I couldn't believe people would do that stuff to the people saving them...ANIMALS!

[Charger4404spd]

For $600 per month xtra, Id sure go. Godluck with your decision Ak. Sue can keep the Chargers goin while your gone!

[cudaken]

 AK, Army? Humm, need to change your screen name to Top.

                             Cuda Ken

[4402tuff4u]

I`d ask Sue

....and the big boss upstairs.

[doctorpimp]

AK, Army? Humm, need to change your screen name to Top.

                                           Cuda Ken

I'm not sure, but I think he's in the Air Force.  That would explain him using a 20mm barrel as a torque multiplier!  LOL
For the prestige of E-9 and the higher pension, I'd go.  At least Korea isn't Iraq or Afghanistan.

[69_500]

I would take the 1 year to Korea. I know that there is a pay increase for the advancement in rank, and there is a difference in retirement pay in that too. So yeah with 1 more year, and being a rank higher there will be a difference in your retirement package.
My uncle is facing the same decision right now too. To retire with 27 years in, and he is a L. Collonel, or stick it out another 3 years, and hope that in that time spane he came become a full bird and then retire. I think he is  going to wait it out 3 more years and then retire. But to do that he too has to go overseas for a year. So I just say best of luck to both of you.

[CFMopar]

Me personally I'd go overseas. But this is a decision you got to make with your family not us..

[bull]

I take it Susan can't go with you? I would rely on her feelings on the matter because I think she should matter most in this decision. From what I can tell in talking to you over the past couple years it seems you really love her and want the best for her. If she's not completely tied down to a killer job I'd see about taking her along. Maybe she can get a leave of absence? I mean there's no hot battle front in Korea unless the freak than runs the north half decides to go postal on a global scale.

It's always nice to have another promotion but if this decision is too difficult now, and you do decide to go, I sure wouldn't consider doing it again because it seem to be a bit gutwrenching for you.

[dkn1997]

look at it this way, when north korea nukes us, you will be over there safe and sound......

[skip68]

If you go, then you'll have more money for charger stuff. Then you'll buy more. Then there will be less stuff available. Thus making prices go up even more. Thus making the rest of us have to work more, so we can make more, because you're spending more!!! SO, you can see how this takes a toll on all of us. BUT who am I ... I would take one more year if all is well and everyone in family is healthy and then start the next chapter of my life. Good luck to you and stay safe.   CHUCK.................

[RD]

go... the electronics, clothes, and any other items are really cheap!  oh and get me some kaygogi, yakimandu, and kimchee. anayonsayo adashi! 


oh, but ask sue first hehe

[AKcharger]

See! for important life changing decisions who better to ask than a bunch of Charger People!

Well Susan, while not happy about, is leaning towards my departure so looks like I'll take the assignment...It could be worse aty least no one is shooting at us, in the south anyway. She'll stay here at Langley AFB while I'm gone...Not sure what to do with both cars though...She'll beat them into the ground while I'm gone! 

[twilt]

guess we will have to get used to calling you Chief.    2 questions i had out of curiousity........
would you be leaning towards punching out after the 1 year in Korea? and  How long would you have to wear CMsgt (E-9)  rank to retire at that level?
good luck with whatever you and your family decide.

[AKcharger]

Twilt
Deal is you have to stay 36 months after you sew on stripe. In the past people were making Chief...self-actualizing...then punching out after a year. Promotion people were constantly chasing their tails trying to fill slots. Plus when new chiefs would get remotes (like my situation) they'd just retire so it was mucho hard to fill the undesireable overseas billets. So when you sew it on you are commited for 3 years.

If I go I'll stay  for 30 years. The end of that 36 month period would put me at 26 years...4 more can't hurt...and that would put my retirement at around $4,000 a month before taxes. So I can just sit around and play with my cars

[AKcharger]

I wanted to reflect on the sage advice my DC.com buddies gave me a few years to take an assignment and stay in...I didn't go all the way to 30, but 27 1/2 is long enough! In short, did 13 months in Korea, made E-9, got a follow-on back to Alaska, started up the 1st F-22 Squadron in PACAF, then moved to C-17's for last 2 years with very last 2 months moving an Air National Guard C-130 unit over to Elmendorf....what a ride! Anyway my guys did a super job of having a mini airshow with F-22, C-130 and C-17 for a ceremony backdrop. Right time, right place to punch out!

Just thought I'd share