Thank you for defending my family and my country for 20 years. God bless you and yours.

Thank you for serving your country so honorably these past 20 years. I have no idea if you plan to continue in the Army (you just got promoted, didn't you?), but whether you do or not, you have earned the respect of us all.

Thanks to the Mrs and the little hawks too.

I'm sure there are employers over-flowing your email to steal you away from the military............

God Bless and thank you,
Cheryl

GH;

Pass to the entire family:

Your service is deeply appreciated. Each of you has had a part in the 20 years of faithful service to the Nation. Each part you have been is important in the grand scheme of life.

Thank you and know you have been a part of historic events, that will make the World a safer place.

Congrats and thanks.

Thanks to the Family of Greyhawks! Job well done by all. You have all given so much to us in sharing your life as a military family.

Now, for a retirement job. I first got captured in your written word when you wrote, about Sept 11, that Bush flew in, had B52's loaded, folks willing and wanting to go.... you so brought that emotion of that day for you guys to my mind. I've been a fan since.

A retirement job for you -- become the written GI's story of the Iraq War in book form... you have the knowledge of the warrior, you have the skill of writing, and you got some young Cpl's, SGTs, LT, Captains that you nutured through the Milblogs, that have shared their words with us.

The story is there (probably several).. please capture it for us.

Thanks for these 20 years and thanks for the next 20 years, 'cause these young folks serving under you now, have a role model that will guide them through their 20 years.

Congratulations and well-done, my friend!

Thank you so much for all your years of service. You've been in the military longer than I've been alive! As a Air Force brat, I give many thanks to your family as well. God bless, and keep rolling!

Congrats! and thanks, to you GH for serving and defending our country, and to Mrs. GH for allowing you to do so.

I sleep peaceably in my bed at night and I have you to thank for it. I salute your dedication to God and country.
Semper Fi
Dad

Greyhawk,
Heard of your 20 years of service...
Our family...gives a big thank you to you and yours. Hat is off to each of you. Thank you for your service.
Rachelle

Greyhawk: It is with deep respect that I take this opportunity to thank you and your family for the years of service for me and mine. My God, we can never repay but we can support and woe be to the person who runs their mouth about our military close enough for this greyhead to hear.
And when the docs go to cut my foot out of their ass it won't be my foot they cut on either!
Yessir!

Hawk -- you're awesome.

Thank you for your service.

I hope you get a few terrific job offers.

Thanks for our many freedoms which many more in the world are now truly beginning to appreciate and understand.

Figured I'd let you sleep in before I stopped by...good luck on civvie street. Unlike Dean, I hope you get a huge number of great job offers,

Means there might be some hope for *me* when I hang up the flight suit in a couple of months!

[*insert big cheese-eating grin*]

Thank you. Thank you for 20 years of service. Thank you for MilBlogs, this site, and all you do for all those who serve. Special thanks to your family, who have supported and encouraged your service, and served themselves in a way few can understand or appreciate. It is not enough, but is all: Thank you.

Thank you! If I had a job to offer, I'd offer you one.

Thank you for your service, sir.

Congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Greyhawk. Your service is appreciated and valued!

Signed,

USAF (ret) wife

Thank you for long years of willingness to stand "between your loved home and the war's desolation." I don't want to convince you to retire - I want *you* to choose your next twenty with full knowledge that you've earned that right - unlike so many of us who take our choices for granted. Regards to your family, the ones who live with and take pride in your choice, even when it complicates life (she says, remembering her days as an AF brat).

Many thanks for all your service. Congratulations on 20!

I hope you can blog full time, my life will be richer and more informed.

Thank you! As a military daughter (USN) and a military wife (USAF), I know what it's been like, and all I can say is THANK YOU!

GreyOne,

Now, you are officially "no longer young". When I reached my 20 yr point I was forced to realize that I could no longer do the same things I used to do. It wasn't that I couldn't keep up with the 19 yr olds, although that was part of it. It was that I couldn't match myself in what I used to achieve. I could still leave 50% of the troops behind on the PFT test. But there was no way I could do as well as I had done when I was 30 yrs old, and could throw an unconscious 200 pound man over one shoulder, and carry him 100 feet out of a burning compartment, wearing full firefighting gear, and breathing through two tiny rubber hoses from a grocery bag half full of oxygen on my chest.

If you choose to remain on Active Duty, good. If you are torn over leaving the profession you have given your life to, give that feeling away. There is no guilt in leaving. I agonized over this for the last 4 years of my career. But I don't regret leaving when I did. I only miss the service life as most would miss their good college friends after they graduate.

As you know, the Service is a harsh taskmaster. And that means it is a game best left to those who can continue to meet the physical challenges required to be the best. Sure, I can still think with the best of them. But then where would the young men who need to learn to lead and teach their younger shipmates get their opportunity to do so. If I reached 60 after hanging on for dear life, after denying youngsters the chance to do what I did, I (and our country) would live to regret it. Besides civilian life pays much better, and you get to spend it on your kids. I live vicariously through them, watching them grow to do the same things you and I have done as young men. They need the training in Life that we can give.

So enjoy whatever Time in Service you have left, Grey One. You've earned a long and happy second career opportunity. It will be as long as the first. And there will still be domestic enemies to defend the Constitution against.

My great grandmother's tombstone eloquently expresses my post-Service motto. "Remember dear ones, as you pass by. As you are now, so once was I. As I am now soon you shall be. So trust in God, and follow me." Welcome to the ranks of the careerists. Well done and Press on.

Subsunk

Congratulations!

I have 3 years left, and I have no doubt that 20 will be it for me. Unless of course I am still deployed and under stop-loss. Make no mistake, joining the Army was the best decision I ever made, and I'd ETS'd once to find I should have stayed in uniform, but 20 years is 20 years, and I feel the need to give my family the time and service and effort I have been privilieged and honored to give Uncle Sam, The US Army, and the American public. Good luck on your decision.

Congrats on 20 years. Thanks for your service.

One thing to remember. It's a hard life to give up. You've done things which really mean something. Nothing you do after will quite measure up. I know. I retired after 20 and still miss it. My reasons were good -- family, etc., but I miss the life and the sense of duty, and the knowledge that in some small way, I was really making a difference. What I do now is fun, and I like the people, and monetarily it's OK. But it really doesn't amount to a hill of beans in the big picture!

Think it through and if you decide to retire, more power to you. But there will be days when you regret it...a lot.

Again, thanks for being there for all of us.

Saying "thank you" to someone who sacrificed to protect me and my family is wholly inadequate.

But, Greyhawk, Ms. Greyhawk, and all the fledglings, you mean more to us than you will ever know. You are in our hearts and on our minds.
_______________

When the word got out I was retiring, I had several job offers. Different from you, I had been in a software support job, and therefore had lots of interaction with the "outsite world" while directly demonstrating my skills in the field.

I have taken a few minutes to draft some material on my experience as a headhunter (short, but instructive as it was), and how I saw what the years of military experience brings to the table. Right now, it's a 10 part post, and each post has links to the prior ones. If any one reading these has any input, fire away! The mostly civilian world doesn't realize how much of a broad spectrum we actually bring in their doors, and we military members sometimes don't even communicate the valuable skills we have practiced ourselves.

The Value of the Military Skill Set series.

If you know empolyers who need to read this, so they see what a deal they are getting off their years of paying salaries thru taxes, please do so. If we get more vets better jobs, it's a great thing all around.....

Too many people thatI know who retired cold turkey got sick, and died a slow death. Don't go that route. Keep doing what you love. Do what moves you. Follow your heart.
And, a thousand thanks to you, for your service to this great, great country.
Nor Hamlon
Grand Junction Colorado USA

Ol’ Hawk’s put in twenty

And to most that is plenty,

Enough for a man to retire.

But ol’ Hawk he’s still slogging,

Him and the Missus hard blogging,

Holding the feet of the world to the fire.

So we say bless you Hawk,

For all your rough talk,

And taking us all through the loops.

While back home Missus Hawk,

Keeps us walking the walk,

On our mission of backing the troops.

From a Vietnam Veteran. Thanks for your service to our country. And another big thank you for your fantastic website. Russ Vaughn gave you a fine compliment above and expresses my sentements also.

1st. Cav. Div.
RVN '71-'72

I know retireing is a BIG decision. The above friends have given you a lot to think about. Like"CURT" and others. Take your time. I know in the end you will make the right choice.