@Clioman,
Thank you and well met. I didn’t know that the retired Colonels now get to keep their full pensions. More important I think is that the Federal system is so skewed towards internal promotion that even for a GS-15 level job with significant educational and skill requirements the former enlisted who came in with a point bonus as a GS-5 often has a better shot at working up to it than the retiring O-5. Given the current economy and BHO’s efforts to suppress corporate pay the Civil Service may be more attractive for a time. On the other hand many may feel bitter about the new regime and eager to get out of government service entirely. The ideal place for retiring military when the private sector is in free fall would be in Teaching. Efforts have been made to streamline opportunities for Veterans but the unions still make credentialling needlessly onerous and the atmosphere can be hostile to former military.