Meet the general officers who broke tradition and just retired to quiet lives
This doesn't seem right.
By Bull Winkle
WASHINGTON — Amid years of political turmoil, pundits and observers from across the spectrum are raising the alarm on a new trend: In retirement, many flag officers are shunning the limelight and shutting the fuck up.
Phil McCracken, a retired Navy rear admiral and president of the “Relevant 4 Life” flag officer employment association, says “everybody knows” that American military tradition expects retired senior officers to become news commentators, political advisers, or signatories to rambling, divisive policy tomes. But McCracken laments how many recent retirees are “totally blowing off” such roles and leading lives of relaxation, hobbies, and “some kind of normal life, whatever that means.”
An extensive Duffel Blog survey seemed to confirm the trend: Out of 50 retirees contacted for this article, most did not respond. Ten said they were focused on submitting articles for AUSA Magazine, while six others said they were writing romance or fantasy novels. One retired admi…
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Duffel Blog to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.