Before you go any further, get yourself off to the side for some quiet time and do some soul searching.  Ask yourself if you’re REALLY ready to retire.  Be sure it’s the right time and for the right reasons.  I call this a “location” check.  Where are you with this?

Are you at peace, looking forward to the next chapter of your life, hopeful and a little excited?  Or are you suffering, edgy and fearful?

If you’re anywhere but peaceful and hopeful, do whatever you have to do to change “locations”, get to that place of peace.  Talk to someone you can trust…..a mentor, a good friend, a counselor or a transition coach.

The Fleet and Family Support Centers offer trained counselors and workshops in areas of stress, anger management, transitions, etc. for the whole family.  If you’re a long way off from peace, maybe get with a therapist for a short time to work through some deeper issues.

Now’s the time, early in the process, to get clear on what your military career has been, what it has meant to you and where it has brought you.

You may find that you aren’t ready to leave yet!  There are many good reasons to stay in the service.  It’s okay to decide to stay in at this point.  Better now than later.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Identify the ‘noise’ in your life.  All the things you leave undone, ignore or tolerate, actually drain your energy and sap your creativity.  Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away.  And tolerating or accepting them doesn’t lessen the negative impact they have on you.

Make a list of everything you can think of that would make you feel better if it were taken care of or dealt with permanently.  Organize your list into 4 major categories:

1. Physical Environment (examples: personal papers filed neatly, plants being fed and watered, clothes all ironed, adequate lighting, car in good repair, appliances working),
2. Relationships (examples: let go of old relationships, caught up with letters and phone calls, nothing ‘unsaid’ in current relationship, always tell the truth, spoken to parents recently),
3. Financial (examples: pay bills in-full and on-time, no credit card debt, save 10% of income, live within your means, up-to-date will and insurance), and
4. Health/Well-Being (examples: exercise regularly, don’t smoke, make healthy food choices, meditate daily, take vacations, think positively).

Make this list as long as you like.  Once you have your list, commit to deal permanently with at least one item per week.  As you quiet the ‘noise’ your life, you’ll have more natural energy and vitality.

Create some space for your new life to grow and take shape in.  Don’t suffer with this…. make a game of it and have FUN!

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Contact your Command Career Counselor or the nearest Fleet and Family Support Center and schedule yourself and your spouse for the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) seminar.  This is a mandatory seminar per OPNAVINST 1900.1D.

They normally have several speakers over a few days giving out lots of advice and providing checklists on what you must/ should do prior to/ immediately after leaving the service.  Each base provides slightly different material and information.  Be sure to get hard copies of everything they offer in class.

This seminar is best attended 2 years prior to leaving and again within 6 months of leaving, if possible.  This is the place to ask questions about what the latest government requirements and benefits are, get copies of any forms you may need, gather phone numbers for your primary points of contact in the Personnel Office and do a little networking.

Don’t become overwhelmed (or under-whelmed) by the information they’ll give you during this seminar.  Because you’re using this checklist, you are already miles ahead of everyone else in organizing your retirement.

Check out TAP Facilitators for more military transition resources.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Create your Life Vision.  This powerful exercise will ground you in your goals and what you truly want for your future.  After several years in a military mindset, it can become difficult to see yourself doing anything else.  This will help you stretch your “imagination muscles” and prepare you for a more flexible lifestyle.

Using the following questions as a guideline, picture vividly in your imagination how you would like your future to be.  Don’t analyze what you see.  Judging how reasonable or possible it is or how you could earn a living at it will only get in the way of your creativity.  Don’t think about timelines, 3/ 5/ 10 year goals.

Give yourself permission to create your perfect future with childlike curiosity, fun and imagination.  Please be sure this future is what you want, not what you think it should be or ought to be or needs to be.  And certainly not what you think will please everyone else.  This is just for you.

Don’t hurry this; let it come easily and naturally to you. When you have a clear picture, open your eyes and write down everything you imagined.  It’s best to put this on a computer so you can easily change it and add to it during the next several months.  Make it a habit to go over it and update it every week.  It’s THAT important to your transition!

• What do you look like?
• How do you feel? (Physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually)
• What are your personality characteristics?  How do you act?
• What characteristics do the people around you have?
• What interests do the people in your life have?  (Similar to yours or different)
• How do you feel when you are with the people in your life?
• Where are you living?  (Geographic description or specific location)
• What style of house do you live in?  (Describe it from roof line to door knobs)
• How is your home furnished?  (Everything from bath towels to baseboards)
• What things do you own or have unlimited use of?  (Transportation, equipment, small and large, this is all your ‘stuff’)
• How do you feel when you are in your home?
• What type of work do you spend most of your time doing?  (Physical, mental)
• Which skills are you using regularly?
• Where are you when you’re working?  (Inside, outside, small, large, busy, quiet)
• How many hours a day, days per week, and weeks per year do you work?
• What type of products or materials are you working with?
• What are you creating?  (Tangible, intangible, think little, think big)
• What subjects are you learning about?
• What are you talking about all day?
• How many people do you interact with daily when you’re working?
• How do you feel when you’re working?
• What level of responsibility do you have?  Why is this important to you?
• What are your day-to-day rhythms?
• How do you spend your leisure time?
• Where do you go for vacation?
• How often do you take vacations?  How long do they last?
• How much income do make monthly and annually?
• What are the sources of your income?

Go over each part of this exercise.  What mini-steps could you start taking today to live your vision?  What changes are you willing to make now that will move you closer to your vision?

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Determine the date you first become eligible to retire.  Now determine the dates you’re eligible for 52%, 54% or 60% of your base pay.

Will your retainer be calculated from the base pay you’re receiving on your last day or will it be taken from some average over the past 3 years?  If it’s based on your last day, you may want to stay and take advantage of the 1 January raise.  Or maybe you’re eligible for a mid-year raise.  Do you want to stay for that?  Is it worth it to you for the few extra dollars?

Visit the Navy Personnel Command site for information on Pay and Benefits and an online pay calculator.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Determine when you’ll be clear of all service obligations.  Do you owe time on station for orders or time in grade to be able to retire with your current pay grade?  How about payback for graduate school?  Did you use Tuition Assistance funding?

I’ve learned that you can get a waiver for almost everything.  It may be more important to you to have the time and pay back any money owed, rather than serve out the time obligation.  If so, use this week to investigate how to request a waiver for your particular situation.  Can you submit your request for waiver now?

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Get a professional sounding email address.  If you have an internet company that provides 2 or more email addresses, you can use your full name such as JohnDoe(at)internetcompany.com.  Please don’t use a cute or funny email address for your professional correspondence.

Another way is to register your name as a domain name on the internet. For example, register JohnDoe.com and your address can be John(at)JohnDoe.com.  One advantage of having your own domain name is that you can check your email anywhere, from any computer with internet access.  Set up a webmail account when you register your name.  The total cost of a domain plus a webmail account is less than $20 a year.  And if you move later, you won’t have to go through the pain of changing your email.

Your email address becomes one of your marketing tools.  Every time someone sees it, your name is impressed in their mind.  So they’ll be likely to remember you in the future.  Believe it or not, it’s true.

If you choose to use a free email service such as Google’s Gmail, be sure they do not add advertising to the footer of your emails.   These don’t give a serious professional impression to the receiver and may cause your email to get caught by spam filters from time to time.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Learn how to use your application software, such as Microsoft Word®, PowerPoint and Excel.  Become proficient in a Contact Management program such as Microsoft Outlook® or ACT!®

Begin adding contacts to your now-growing network. Start using the calendar and reminders in your contact management program to organize your schedule.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

If you don’t have a home computer, or the one you have is more than 3 years old, think about buying a new one.  You’ll need one in the near future and it will more than pay for itself through the use you’ll get out of it.

Get the most up-to-date system, including software and the fastest internet connection, you can afford.  You can get a good quality combination printer, scanner, fax, and copier for about $300.  This will save you many trips to the office supply store to accomplish these tasks, not to mention the savings in service costs.

If you purchase a new computer to replace an older one, think about donating the old one to a local school or business.  Call the Chamber of Commerce or look in the newspaper for organizations that accept these types of donations.  Maybe a Veteran’s Association?  Keep the receipt for your tax-deductible charitable contribution!

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.

Establish 2 files to accumulate and organize all the paper you will be acquiring in the next several months. One file will be for military papers and one will be for collecting information about your follow on plans; job search, resumes, new business start-up, etc.

These can be anything from small accordion files to 1-2 drawers of a file cabinet.  You’ll need space for service, medical, and financial records, copies of letters you’ll be writing requesting various things, and lots of information you’ll gather on Veteran’s benefits, resume writing, job searches, business plans, and more.

The following lists are suggested categories only.  Use whatever titles make sense to you.  The key is to have an organization system you will use that serves you well.

Suggested Military Folders:
AWARDS (Letters & Medals),
CEREMONY (Retirement Party, Hail & Farewell)
COLLEGE (Credits & Transcripts),
DENTAL (copy of Record),
DD214s & SERVICE RECORD (+Statement of Service),
FINANCES (Leave & Earning Statements, W-2, W-4, Allotments),
LAST MOVE (+Travel Claim),
MEDICAL (copy of Record),
MILITARY SCHOOLS (Completion Letters, Certificates, Proof of Attendance),
ORDERS (Permanent Change of Duty Station, Reserve AT, ADT, TDY, PTDY),
PERFORMANCE REPORTS (Fitness Reports, Evaluations, Promotion Letters),
RESERVE DRILLS (Proof of Retirement Points, Diary of Drills Performed),
SECURITY CLEARANCE,
SPECIAL REQUESTS,
TRAVEL CLAIMS,
VA BENEFITS (education, disability compensation),
FINAL TURN-IN (temporary folder to collect papers and records required by Personnel Office prior to releasing your final DD Form 214)

Suggested Civilian Folders:
APPEARANCE (Wardrobe, Briefcase, Pens, Stationary Portfolio lists & ideas),
HEALTH AND DENTAL PLANS (TRICARE, etc.),
INSURANCE (Life, Health, Dental, Long Term Care),
NETWORK (contacts, phone numbers, biz cards),
RESOURCES (Reading List, Websites),
VISION (Goals, Primary Aim),
EXPENSES (Receipts for Tax Deductions),

If planning a job search, add:
INTERVIEWS,
RESUME (Objective, Skills, Job History, Accomplishments)

If planning a new business, add:
BUSINESS PLAN,
FINANCES,
MARKETING PLAN

Don’t stress about trying to find all the paper to fill these folders now. As you come across paper or generate it in the next several months, you’ll have a place to put it.  If you know where you have this information and have been somewhat organized over the years, go ahead and start sorting through it a bit at a time.

I strongly suggest you scan all your papers into your home computer and save them on a CD for long term storage.  It will provide a backup in case you lose any of the original paper files in the future.

Start today keeping all your receipts for any expense you incur during this transition.  Everything from phone calls and new clothes to printing paper and mileage is tax deductible.

This is part of a complete step-by-step military retirement checklist. I’ll be posting weekly action steps here, so please subscribe over in the right-hand column so you’re sure to get each update.