When Am I Going to Retire?

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Kuehnl
  • 39th Mission Support Group superintendent
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Do you know what question I was asked most often just after sewing on chief stripes a few years ago? "When are you going to retire?"

Honestly, I hadn't thought much about retirement, so I would normally answer with the often used response: "I'll retire when it's not fun anymore." But what was I really saying?

Over the more than two decades I've spent in uniform, I've had plenty of "fun," but more than that, I've enjoyed the stability, adventure and most of all, the camaraderie of military life.

For me, the military has provided stability and a true sense of normalcy. There are those who might think moving every few years is far from stable or normal, but as a "military brat," the Air Force was all I knew growing up. From the time I was born in a military hospital in Hawaii, until I graduated from a Department of Defense high school (Frankfurt American, to be exact); military life was the norm for me. After a couple years of trying "civilian life" while attending college, I realized I missed what being associated with the Air Force brought to my life. I enlisted in the Air Force and have never looked back.

And why would I look back? In those two decades the Air Force has allowed me to live in places as diverse as Spain, Utah, Texas, Ohio, South Korea, Germany, Wyoming, Nevada, Turkey and even North Dakota (OK, North Dakota wasn't my first pick, but where else is the crime rate so low people leave their keys in the car, and the car running while they go into the grocery store to shop?). I have traveled to more than 20 foreign countries and have seen most of the US. Whether it was enjoying the sun near the pool at a beach resort in Kuwait, volksmarching in Luxembourg or tracing the city wall around Suwon, I have definitely enjoyed the adventurous opportunities the Air Force has given me.

But it is the camaraderie of military life that is what really keeps me going and as a chief, I just can't imagine it could get any better than this. Having the opportunity to interact with Airman at every level from First Term Airmen's Center to senior wing leadership, allows me to really see what makes our Air Force great.

I am revitalized by the energy of our newest Airmen, as they transition from Basic Military Training, Technical Training and then into our FTAC and squadrons. They may have come from different corners of America or even from foreign lands, but they have all come together to join our team and we have the awesome opportunity to help develop and train them. I am inspired by the energy of Airman Leadership School graduates as they envision applying the new skills and knowledge they have learned to their first supervisory experience. I am impressed when talking with non-commissioned and senior NCOs as they discuss overcoming the challenges we face in our smaller Air Force and what they can do to help those that work for them. And I am reassured by the many dedicated officers who work so hard to fulfill their duties as leaders.

Am I still having "fun"? You bet! When am I going to retire? Probably when they won't renew my Common Access Card anymore.