When your military spouse retires, suddenly your life changes. There are no more deployments, no more permanent changes of station (PCS), no more pressing uniforms, no more baking cookies for Sailors or Marines. All the things you have known for 20 to 30 years have changed. You wonder what you are supposed to do now.
Retirement anxiety doesn't happen just to the service member – it happens to the entire family.
But you are not alone. The military is still your family and always will be. The majority of the benefits you have known are still there for retirees to enjoy.
If you have not checked out retirement benefits yet, now is the time to do so. The Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) and Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) offer assistance to retirees and all their family members. If you are not near a base, FFSC or MCCS can recommend a community program or service in your area to assist you in your transition.
Time for New Opportunities
After the initial shock of knowing you will be able to see your spouse 12 months out of the year has worn off, start to enjoy your new life. Retirement is not an end, but a beginning.
Now could be the time for your career to take priority. You now have the time and opportunity to spread your wings and indulge in your own professional desires. It is also a wonderful opportunity for your spouse to begin another career or continue his or her education, as so many retirees do in their late 30s and early 40s.
You can keep in touch with other retirees and retiree news at Military Living. From that web site, you can also find out about space available (commonly known as Space A) travel and lodging in the United States and overseas. Available to active-duty and retired military personnel, Space A travel provides discount flights just about anywhere a military flight would go. You can purchase a guide to using Space A travel at your base Exchange or Military Living. You'll find several articles explaining Space A travel here on the LIFELines site.
Many retirees settle down close to a military installation, which makes it easier to enjoy the benefits of shopping on base, remaining a part of the military community, and staying in touch with old and dear friends.
Travel, opportunity, and success are yours for the taking after separating from active duty. Just remember your military family is never far away and will be there for you during and after retirement. Enjoy the new life ahead of you. You've earned it.
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