It was a somewhat bittersweet moment, but I made an appointment with the Pension Section today. That's the date that you get processed for retirement. I made the appointment for the first week of October, but I may change that. Under NYPD retirement terms, you have to give thirty days notice of your intent to retire. But if you complete twenty years of service, you get two calendar months of what's referred to as "terminal leave." I could conceivably walk out the door in October. Only a couple of things hold me back. First, you can boost your pension by working a week of your vacation. You can only do this once a calendar year, but your pension is generally based on your final year. So if I stay through into the beginning of 2006, I can work a week then to fit two into my last year. I could even run my terminal leave and come back for a week in January. Or I could work until the end of the year, take terminal in January and February. This would be advantageous if I decide
to go back to school for my Ph.D. since that wouldn't start until January.

I have to say, it's an odd feeling. There are certain conditions where I would stay, but I don't think it's in the cards.

- posted by Base10 @ 8:20 PM