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Welcome Home! So…why read this book?

58,220 Americans died in Vietnam, along with 3+ million Vietnamese. How many more since? Due to Agent Orange, asbestos exposure, and PTSD?

In the face of such tragedy, these stories are the best memorials we have. In unflinching detail through stark, eloquent prose, the author holds no punches back.

You want real? How about real, historically accurate, raw, honest, salty, and true? A kaleidoscopic and immensely readable view of one of the defining events of the twentieth century.

A book written by a lowly seaman (E-3) who had the unenviable job of pulling the trigger, killing on a daily basis. This is a true story. It illustrates the exhaustion, humor, tension, destruction, and terror of war. Anxiety, fatigue, and dread. Intensity that was unbearable, excruciating and the astonishing closeness of shipmates and their attitude, regrets, and mental anguish. War kills everything.

Simple survival. We were sent into a chemical sausage grinder. This is a story from someone who survived it but fights it daily to this day. This is our story.

DATE LINE: 30 March 1972: Easter Day Offensive consisted of a massive, coordinated three-pronged attack. In response, President Nixon called up a massive buildup of naval firepower. This included the Norfolk, Virginia based USS Mullinnix DD-944. The last all-gun destroyer in naval history. She participated in 171 NGFS missions, delivered 14,472 rounds in 88 days of combat action. Surviving enemy counterbattery on four occasions. This book is different. It’s about a gunship with only one mission. Naval Gunfire Support (NGFS).

So, what IS that magical number you need in savings to ensure your current standard of living once you retire? $1 million? 2 million? Those numbers make me laugh-out-loud, no, LMAO!!! I found I didn’t need anywhere near that. Stop beating yourself up and keep reading. Here’s how I’m doing it:

The Basics (Applies to EVERYONE)

1. This first one starts when you were much younger: Find jobs/careers that allow you to “max out” what you put into SS (Social Security) every year. We all know that SS uses the 35 years of our highest earnings to calculate your monthly check.
   1. In my case, I ONLY had 1 of 35 years that I didn’t pay the “max” in. Work ethic can take you a long way.
   1. Years with $0 contribution to SS is a killer to your future check. Even 1 year! The reasons are irrelevant. There are medical reasons, sabbaticals, additional degrees, taking care of a family member, the list goes on. All GOOD reasons but, I’m sorry, the ONLY thing that matters to SS is “your top 35 years earnings”.
   1. My goal was NOT to retire until 70 yrs. However, I was 66 and some change when me and my silver hair were sent packing. I hung on until my 67^th birthday before starting SS. My check, let’s say, is north of $3.5K/month. Believe it or not I left about $600/month on the table. Bloody silver hair…
   1. Starting at ANY age when you start drawing YOUR money, until age 70, your check will grow 8%/year you wait. That’s ¾% ‘raise’ each month you wait (yes, Social Security DOES calculate it by the month, not the year). Imagine a monthly check north of $4000! It’s very very possible for you.
   1. DON’T buy into “SS won’t be around when I retire”. None of us has a crystal ball. I believe it will because I believe in this country. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t live here. However, I would strongly recommend you save like it WON’T be there.
2. This one maddens me BIG TIME: People who say, “if I don’t start drawing SS at age 62, I’ll leave money on the table if I die ‘early’. You CAN’T leave money on the table, when you die, you SS check dies with you – period, end of story. “But Frank, I’ll draw a check much longer than you (hence, more total $$$) because you waited until 67.” So what? You can’t draw it any faster than I can – it’s simply 1 check/month. My response, “my check will be much bigger than your check”. You can’t leave your SS to anyone – NOT anyone! Your money (remember, not an entitlement) simply goes back into the general fund.
   1. ONLY 1 EXCEPTION to the view above: If you are still working and start drawing SS at 62 AND can invest 100% of it – well then, that’s different, but only IF you can make more in interest that you are losing by drawing early (remember 8% each year). Example, if you can invest 100% of your SS check and make interest in excess of 8%/year, you will be money ahead (time value of money).
   1. Obviously, some may have no choice but to draw early.
3. Don’t take ANY debt into retirement. It can be a deal killer. We don’t have any debt – no house payment, no car payments, no CC bills – nothing. You may wonder how great it must feel not to have a house payment, right? Trust me, it feels so much better than you can ever imagine.
4. Max out every retirement account your company offers! Then, max out an IRA. HSA accounts are a great place to park additional money and make interest before you spend it/save it (take your balance into retirement with you). AND, for the love of Mike, save at least enough to get your firm’s match (yes, this is free money).

The Specifics (Applies to SOME)

1. Veterans sign up with the VA! Doesn’t matter if you every plan on using them or not, sign up. Some Vets use ONLY the VA for their medical insurance. I use both VA and Medicare AND I purchase a Part G Plan (much different than Advantage Plans). My monthly medical costs are 5.7% of my current gross monthly income. Does change as I don’t pay any co-pays or deductibles for anything. The yearly deductible for Medicare is a rounding error at best.
2. Disabled? Like SS, this is NOT an entitlement. VA rules, their ballgame, you are only a player. If they say you are disabled, then you ARE and qualify for compensation. Look into the details of the PACT Act passed in 2022.
3. You may disagree, but I’m not a fan of “long term heath care”. My logic is, mortgage/sell the house and use the proceeds.
4. Health: Its everything! We only get one body, take care of it. Stay active, just don’t retire and sit in front of the TV, drinking cocktails. You know, most of us don’t know what we’ll die of nor when. Tobacco user know more than most. They KNOW what will get them.
5. What to invest in, stocks or bonds? I invest in 100% stocks and will always. Why? I view my SS check as my bond fund.  I’m in it for the long haul – even at 72!

The Numbers:

Current monthly income is 65% of what I grossed while working.

Biggest secret of retirement: You don’t have to save for retirement anymore. Make sense? You are officially a spender, not a saver. Funny, I found it hard to make that transition. I was about a 20% saver while working, so let me add 20%:

Adj Income: Up to 73% (no longer a saver)

Tax bracket has plummeted. Conservatively, I’ll add another 15% to reflect that.

Adj Income #2: Up to 84% (VA benefits are tax free as they should be, majority of SS is tax free, and Arkansas does NOT tax SS benefits).

Side Note: Congress has pending legislation to make ALL SS tax free. Haven’t we paid enough tax already?

Current monthly expenses at 29% of net (insurance, property taxes, home & auto insurance, utilities, food, gasoline, giving, etc.).

Leaving 71% earmarked “discretionary spending”. It is close to what I netted while working – travelling the world, killing myself, working insane consultant hours, never home.

One last recommendation to road warriors from a retired road warrior: Make all your business travels using only ONE airline and ONE hotel chain. I’m life time Platinum w/ AA and life time Titanium w/ Marriott. This past September, we flew first class to London and Dublin, staying in 5 Stars hotels for free. Feels as good as no house payment does.

In Closing

The big ‘unknown’ for ALL of us of course – nobody can predict how long we’ll live, nor should we. To that point, if you thought my SS argument above holds any water, think of this: Imagine the day in the distant future where you have exhausted every single penny that you save (you had a great time doing it, I’ll give you that). When that day comes, you are down to ONLY your little ole’ SS check. Wouldn’t you want it to be the highest amount possible?

Again,

• Work as long as possible
• Max out ALL savings
• No debt into retirement
• Stay healthy
• Invest wisely for long-term
• And above all, enjoy!

See you in the future,

Blessings, Frank

Good news? Our former beloved CO met us pier side as well. Boom Boom Cannon.

Home port isn’t far of…

As the Beach Boys sang……

The West coast has the sunshine
And the girls all get so tanned
I dig a french bikini on Hawaii island
Dolls by a palm tree in the sand

I been all around this great big world
And I seen all kinds of girls
Yeah, but I couldn’t wait to get back in the states
Back to the cutest girls in the world

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California girls…

A couple shipmates actually got discharged while the ship was in San Diego. One Radioman in particular (can’t remember his name) had become an ass about being a short short-timer. Now, I’d be the first to admit, he was a couple sums short of an equation. The day we pulled into San Diego, I’d finally had enough.

Pointing, he announced, “See that cockroach? Tomorrow I’ll be out of the Navy and it will still be on this fuckin’ ship.”

Wham! I killed that little sucker. Then I screamed, “It just beat you off this ship asshole!”

The compartment erupted in a roar of laughter!!!

With the war winding down, the Navy couldn’t dump LTJGs fast enough. Most were good guys just paying the Navy back for sending them to college. ,As he was leaving the ship for the last time, I said, “See’ya later LT.“

“Do you think there will be a time that you’ll be able to drop the LT?”

“Yea, Bill, I think just maybe. Now get the hell out of here and start the rest of your life!”

He laughed, and said, “See’ya later Woody. Have a good life.”

I thought, yep Bill, I plan on just doing that exact thing. But first I’ve got another 489 days and wake-up in this outfit! To be continued…

I drank too much in Pearl. If you play with the owls at night, you have to fly with the eagles in the morning. My intestines were like a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulfuric flames. I’d farted and was worried it would eat through the mess deck chair. No one seemed inclined to stand behind me, and I couldn’t feel my lips. I felt like I needed to wipe my butt with a snow cone.

You could have put a grenade in my mouth, pulled the pin, and I wouldn’t have felt a thing. I’d lost sight in one eye, and the world sounded like it was made of rushing water. My shirt was covered with breakfast, which had slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants felt like they were full of lava. At least during the autopsy, they’d know what killed me. I’d decided to stop breathing as it was too painful. Screw it, I wasn’t getting any oxygen anyway. If I needed air, I’d just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

I’d briefly hooked up with a titless Navy Wave at the EM club on base. She was knock-kneed and I was slightly bull-legged. When we stood together we spelled O-X! I danced with her and every time I’d spin her, she’d grow 2”. I asked why? She said, “You’re unscrewing my wooden leg!”

She was an Italian from Philadelphia with a mouth like a saltwater crocodile – one that would make a 2nd class lifer-BT blush. Her eyes were too close together like headlights on a jeep. I called her “AC” – “Almost Cyclops”. Anything for a laugh, right?

She didn’t think it was funny. She raised her middle finger. “This is what we call the finger. Go fuck yourself.”

Yes, it was that kind of night. As it turned out, my last one in the “Far East”.