Right now... my plan is to retire from the USAF next 01 June at age almost 43. I will more than likely continue working for the US gov here in Germany for three more years. Within two months of retiring, I will be 100% debt free excepting one car payment. Our plan is to save the retirement and COLA payments for three years. That will pay for 1/2 (roughly) of my retirement property. I will then find a gov job near my retirement area and and work for "about" 5 more years while making double payments on whatever is left of the mortgage. I intend to retire from "real" work at about age 52 (give or take a year). I've got ideas for a couple of small business' that will hopefully allow me to work some and play some. At that point, I want to be able to take the kids/grandkids fishing or shooting or hunting whenever I want to, NOT whenever I can take vacation or time off.
Kids have been told that I CAN'T pay for college. I have four, three will go to college within 1.5 years of each other. No way I can do that. One is definitely joining the AF next summer. One wants to go to college... although I just called the recruiter and gave him her name and phone number... (I'm devious like that). The boy won't graduate until 2012 but so far he insists that he is going to join the military too. That leaves the youngest one... he is in 4th grade now. I'm hoping that when the time comes, he'll join up too. Uncle Sam pays well, gives education, pays for college, pays for a place to live, pays for food, health care and gives the GI Bill after all of that. Plus, the sooner they are gone and have a job, the less I have to worry about them "coming home". I told them that once they are in the military, they can't come home. They can just stick it out for 20 or find a job that will utilize their skills.
