I may have mentioned once or twice, or five times, I am a planner. I project out years in advance. I buy moleskin journals by the pound so I can write out Plans A, B, C and even thru F. I adjust as necessary to the challenges life brings, but even then, I feel a modicum of control knowing I have prepared for the best and worst. With that in mind, I know I am exactly 2-years out from retirement. I have been thinking about this moment for about the last 22 years and I knew it was finally time. My situation is slightly complicated because my last assignment is an Overseas (OCONUS) assignment. Under normal circumstances, that makes those final appointments and attending TAP (for the second time) slightly more difficult, but definitely doable.

I attended TAP right before my PCS overseas, and I fully intend to attend it again at about the 12-month out mark. I started to tune up my LinkedIn profile and start building my connections. I keep my ears and eyes open for future opportunities across a variety of sectors, industries, and I even leave the entrepreneurship route wide open as future opportunities may present themselves. I was well on my way planning the perfect retirement. But, with unemployment at record levels, is now the right time?

Whether you are separating or retiring in the next 2-years the COVID-19/Coronavirus Pandemic is likely affecting you transition plans. This blog will give you some calm in the storm of emotions, fears, and uncertainties around your transition out of the military. But, it may also have you thinking twice about the timing of your planned transition.

The Job Search

No job search goes how you would expect. The federal hiring process is convoluted to say the absolute least. It takes 3-4 times as long as you think it should and it doesn’t always end the way you and your professional network hopes it would. There are very few positions that you get just because you are (or think you are) a perfect fit. There are other factors at work, i.e. disability ratings, spouse preference, your resume writing abilities, your ability to weed through the USAJobs algorithms, and more.

A recently retired Lieutenant Colonel recommends that you connect with local and state employment resources and agencies to see how they are handling the pandemic.

Lieutenant Colonel Robin Johnson

For those of you planning to enter the civilian sector, you have to find out what companies have hiring freezes or if the pandemic has forced them to lay some of their employees off, how the pandemic has effected their cash flow statement and let us not forget childcare. Many daycare facilities are closed, some schools are closed and will continue to remain closed in the upcoming school year, who will watch your kids? There is a lot to unwrap and you have to think about all of this before making an irrevocable decision.

Separating During COVID-19

Civilian hiring freezes, reduced college classes being offered, going-aways canceled, transition support functions are moving slower if at all. There is a lot to digest when it comes to your decision to move forward with your military separation during this global pandemic and time of civil unrest in many cities.

You must ask yourself:

1. Can you financially support yourself after your transition while the economy is in the state it is in?
2. Can you emotionally handle the identity change from active duty to a veteran? [It will be much harder than you think]
3. Do you have a support network that can ease your transition?
4. Are you receive the attention and federally mandated support from the government organizations contracted to assist you during your transition out of the military?
5. And my personal favorite, are you prepared to pay full price for your domestic and international baggage when air travel has returned to normal? [my jab at humor]

If you can’t answer yes to all of those questions, you may want to reconsider your timing and speak with your personnel office about an extension. If you separate, you can’t undo it. You can’t reset the VA disability filing clock, redo your missed ceremony, or get that minor surgery or dental work you should have gotten before you got out, etc.

Retiring During COVID-19

The Retirement Ceremony

I have dreamed about my retirement for about 10 years. I thought about the slide show that would be playing as everyone is taking their seats. I imagined the room filled with my family (biological and military) all there to celebrate me and my family’s accomplishments and sacrifices during my 20+ years in the United States Air Force. I imagined the kind words being said and the funny stories being told. I thought about the trifold program that would have my color official photo draped across the front cover and the inside cover, detailing my assignments, accomplishments, and education. I have had my eye on tens of designs of shadow boxes that could properly address my enlisted and commissioned service to my nation. But, if you have retried since March 2020 and plan to retire in the next three months or so, you have to put a lot of those dreams to bed.

Retirement ceremonies are up in the air. Some are foregoing it altogether, while others are choosing unique alternate routes, like Zoom, Skype, or small gatherings. The DoD stop-movement policy that came out in Mid-March didn’t include retirements and separations. The Marines got out in front, stating that members separating or retiring can extend their service so they can properly transition.

Don’t underestimate the emotional and mental toll retirement takes on your psyche. This toll has been tripled by the effects of COVID-19. No social gatherings, social distancing, no large ceremonies, appointments postponed or canceled, TAP classes canceled, and TDYs are canceled. I was pafticulary suprised that seprations and retirements weren’t stop lossed.

Emotional Toll

How much experience have you had with rejection? If you plan to enter the civilian sector expect to have your challenges with rejection tested. If you hope to enter the GS system, you better wrap your head around a whole other kind of rejection along with the steep learning curve associated with the USAJobs.gov process. You have to consider how your future employer is handling the pandemic. Is your future job secure? Will you be able to telework?

Through your 20+ years of military service, you obviously have worked your way up the ranks and must have had positions of leadership where you were in charge of tens, if not hundreds of people or more. But, when you enter the civilian sector you’d be surprised how little your future employers value that experience. Or value it enough to place you in an elevated position. The chance of you starting off at the top of even in upper management is slim unless you’ve been working your networking connections hard. Can you get a good job post-retirement? Of course, you can. Will it be as easy as you think? Hell no!

Unless your future plans don’t revolve around the state of the economy or you have a secured place in your future job or education program, it may be a good idea to request an extension. Many of the support functions that help in making your retirement a success are closed or minimally manned. SFL-TAP and other traditional service component TAP classes have been canceled or are being held virtually but in reduced locations. The federal programs and services that are there to help you aren’t at 100% capacity and that gives you the short end of the stick.

If you plan to take some time off from everything, or you have the perfect job lined up that COVID will not affect, then by all means press forward. Don’t forget to factor in the emotional toll of changing your identity from an active duty service member to a veteran, it more jarring than you can imagine. Don’t short change yourself to prove a point or because you are fed up. Give yourself the grace you deserve to leave your military service the right way. You have served your country, now let your country serve you at full capacity.