Originally Posted by
heights good
Personally, I think the only people that keep their rank are those that have an inflated ego and cant let go....
and
..... So I am always very suspicious of anyone who uses their rank post retirement. Do some of them understand how widely they are broadcasting their failure?
Exactly! I have worked with, and know, many ex-Forces people from an ex-2nd Sea Lord (lived next door for a while!) down to lowly ex-Erks like me. Apart from 2 people, I never came across anyone who "used their Rank" and I was often really surprised (in a pleasant way) at how senior some people had risen given how humble/normal they were.
The 2 exceptions were an ex-FS and an ex-Air Cdre. How the RAF ever survived after they left was simply amazing! Oh, until you found out the jobs they each had prior to leaving the Mob and the "interesting" views of those who'd served with them!
Of course, you do get people like the Landlord of my local who, on finding out I'd "done me time", has been known to greet me loudly at the Bar with "Aw gawd, it's the bleedin' Admiral!" as he knows how much it annoys me. Of course, my response, in my best Nelsonian tone of voice, is always "Ah, Bar Steward! Mine's a pint of XYZ!". Of course, in my reply, the gap between the words "Bar" and "Steward" is almost non-existant!
