Going Back to Work

[methusaleh]

I went to school to be an English teacher. BA in English, certification, the whole nine yards.

I laughed when my army national guard recruiter suggested to my parents that I join a newly-forming military police unit. I wanted to join the military for action, but my parents wouldn’t sign the age waiver when I was 17 unless I wasn’t going into a combat arms MOS. I wanted nothing to do with law enforcement and had less than zero interest. But it was the only way I’d get into the guard at age 17!

Being an MP changed my life after the first deployment.

I was hired full-time onto a small municipal police department, then became a federal agent and did my twenty years. Retired very young.

Took a year off from life and now I’m a campus cop and couldn’t be happier. I rarely work overtime and I’m more than adequately compensated— money for toys that have engines and amateur radios!

In the movie “Colors”, I’m Bob Hodges, the crusty old guy who has to teach all the new/young/overzealous officers to slow down and learn how to deal with people.

 

[shortyb]

I know the feeling, "retired" twice before getting it right this last time. However, after a few months, even with all the projects I end up doing because I have more uninterupted time, I get restless. This go around, I have started to volunteer at local homeless shelters and missions. Helps me feel useful again and fills that self satisfying urge I need when I help other folks out because thats what I had been programmed to do for the last 40 years in my career. I will start with Habitat for Humanity in the spring when it warms up because of my love for carpentry and building things. I will be getting some paid gigs soon, doing some consulting work for several law enforcement agencies in my area, possibly becoming an associate judge for our local municipal court, and heading up some training for my former department. So yeah, if you have the skill and expertise, put it to good use and help others learn. It will keep you active and stimulate your brain, 2 things that you really run the risk of slowing down or stopping when you formally retire. Don't let that happen if you can.

 

[shortyb]

In the movie “Colors”, I’m Bob Hodges, the crusty old guy who has to teach all the new/young/overzealous officers to slow down and learn how to deal with people.

Ha! That was me too. I think thats the duty of all old cops that make it to a ripe old age while still doing the job. Its a rite of passage to spread your legacy for being crusty. I even quoted his famous "2 bulls" story when I trained new folks. When someone would start to get wound up and wanted to go, I would say, "there were these 2 bulls standing on a hill". You could almost hear their eyes roll after doing this a few times, but they always learned. I always told everyone that I can be any flavor I want. I choose salty .

 

[vwmaniaman]

I worked in X-Ray and MRI. I am 77 and had plenty of offers to go back to work but I have so much fun with my wife and children and grand daughters that I can't imagine going back to a job. I was driving over 30K per year. Too many opportunities to die. I loved my job and the people I worked for, but I was busy working when my children grew up and I am not going to miss all the fun again. Lord willing that is.

 

[John105]

If you're serious, good on you and I hope you enjoy it. When I'm 78, all I'm going back to is the back 9.

Funny, when I was in my 40's, I made a joke, "I'll be working until I'm 80." An older gentleman, 56, did not laugh and said, it's different for everyone, but one day, time > money, and you'll need to decide when that is. For me, it was at age 53. He could take an early retirement from the rule of 75 (age plus seniority is >= 75).

But to add to the above, he went back to old job as a consultant, and he became adjunct at 2 universities in his area. When covid struck, he got laid off from the colleges. I think the main thing or message that I got? One wants to do things, but hopefully at a much lesser stress level than our full time jobs. He said that the college jobs were very challenging as students routinely challenged him, and he enjoyed that.

Me? My dream? And how many men realize them in reality? I want to coach youth hockey at a lower level like 6-8 y.o., and work part time at Costco. Will these two things happen? I bet the odds are actually against them, and I continue to work full time. However, they are not unreasonable...

 

[frankbee3]

I don't think you would be robbing anyone of a job. I have been offered a job with two trade schools to teach Auto technology (fancy word for auto mech) because there is no one even applying for that job. I have been considering it for night courses but not 6 hour days.

I think you would be an excellent teacher. The trade school would be lucky to have you!

 

[Glenda W.]

I’m sorry….I have to many hobbies to come out of retirement. To many lakes, rivers, and mountains, not enough time.

 

[Capt W]

I went to school to be an English teacher. BA in English, certification, the whole nine yards.

And in your very next sentence you failed to capitalize Army National Guard and improperly used a hyphen between "newly" and "hired." Probably a good thing you followed a path in law enforcement.

 

[zzyzzx]

How much do you think has changed since you last worked there?

For one thing, they no longer have a visitors center that is open to the public.

 

[alarmguy]

In my former life I worked at Three Mile Island. They plan on starting it up again. I worked in Engineering, Maintenance, and Training.

I am really excited to go back at the age of 78!

This is great!
Im fully retired for only three years and have no plans to ever to go back (mostly) however if I ever saw a position that would involve exactly what my passions are that might be a game changer. Im saying this not because I am bored, my days are flying by.
Meaning I think it's great you can follow your passion at your age. Im sure very exciting and I can understand it 100%.

Ps I remember well the 3 mile island fiasco as I lived on Long Island and of course the concern of radiation. Sadly I knew this would doom the industry as I am sure you remember the Shoreham Nuclear plant fiasco on Long Island that turned out to be true, over 6 billion dollars to build and dismantle a just completed nuclear power plant paid for by the public. It drove me nuts, scare the public and it took almost 50 years to wake them back up, Nuclear is safe and sorely needed in the USA right now.

 

[k1xv]

In my former life I worked at Three Mile Island. They plan on starting it up again. I worked in Engineering, Maintenance, and Training.

I am really excited to go back at the age of 78!

I hope you are going back to unit 1, and not unit 2. If going back to unit 2, I hope you are not being sent back in with a mop.

 

[andrewg]

I retired at 49 in 2008 and I'll never work another day in my life. I don't have any need to feel "useful".

49? Wow....that's fantastic. Good for you.

 

[John105]

49? Wow....that's fantastic. Good for you.

Yep I’m envious 49 is awesome!

 

[JHZR2]

I’ve noticed in engineering that folks who have had a lifetime of experience did not necessarily train the next generations, and they don’t have the hands on experience to make them the best they can be. The issue is that the older folks were overworked to the bitter end, and succession planning was not done.

So I think it’s exciting that a 78yo with lots of corporate knowledge can go back, and hopefully impart much of that experience that went all the way back to when TMI was a hole in the ground. Doesn’t mean that it needs to be full time, or long term, or to be at a desk until your last day.

But if done right it will be a huge service to the industry and next generations!

 

[Cujet]

A friend cautions me to "not fail at retirement". In other words, don't go back to work.

I'm about 7 months in now, and it's been wonderful. I am giving some thought to a bit of self employment in the aviation world.

 

[Al]

Thanks for all the well wishes and even some of the maybe negative ones. I won't be taking another's job, well maybe I will, but in a different sense. If all goes well it will lead to much MORE employment.

But again, I have a lot to contribute. If they don't feel they need me, thats OK.

 

[Fitter30]

Retired 13 years thinking about going back. My qualifications breaks, lunch and going home. I know when to start, when I'm hungry and when I'm tired going home.

 

[Dave Hess]

Thanks for all the well wishes and even some of the maybe negative ones. I won't be taking another's job, well maybe I will, but in a different sense. If all goes well it will lead to much MORE employment.

But again, I have a lot to contribute. If they don't feel they need me, thats OK.

You’ve forgotten more about this industry than these youngins currently know.

Good Luck with your decision and enjoy your time working there.

 

[CKN]

I want to feel useful and also I know I can contribute. I was there when it was a hole in the ground in 1970.

Respectfully- if you have a " hole" in your retirement about " feeling useful" you are not doing retirement right. Statically life is getting shorter for you ( sorry) why anyone would want to spend those years working is beyond me.
Nobody ever said on their deathbed "OH I WISH I WOULD HAVE WORKED MORE"!!!

 

[ATex7239]

I’ve noticed in engineering that folks who have had a lifetime of experience did not necessarily train the next generations, and they don’t have the hands on experience to make them the best they can be. The issue is that the older folks were overworked to the bitter end, and succession planning was not done.

My experience was somewhat the same. But with one key difference, the older generations had no desire to mentor from what I saw.

My company has voluntary mentorship programs but older folks refused to participate. All while talking about how great their mentors were and how much they learned from them. When given the chance to mentor they flat refused to pay it forward to the next group. Now they are “coming out of retirement” do what should have a been long, long ago. Better late than never I guess.

I have voluntarily monitored several people over the years and I’m in my 40’s with a working spouse and little kids. The “well, we were overworked and didn’t have time” excuse is BS, IMO. I am doing it.