RE: what is the retirement pay for a full colonel after 30 years? I don’t know, but I suspect I could live pretty well on it. Is sleeping in a van a CHOICE?
Here’s the Armed Forces retirement calculator
http://militarypay.defense.gov/mpcalcs/Calculators/compare.aspx
For reference:
http://military.answers.com/military-benefits/retirement-pay-for-a-colonel-in-the-u-s-military
If a colonel has 30 years, his or her base salary is $10,736.70 per month. If he or she has 20 years, the monthly base salary would be $9,529.80. If the colonel has been in service for less than two years, the base salary is $6,064.80.
Alimony to Wife #1
Alimony to Wife #2
Tuition to the children of Wife #1 and Wife #2
It all adds up. That said, I will bet that this guy bills a very high price as a 1099 consultant, although times may be tough with sequester and budget cuts. It’s a tough world out there, you have to adapt.