Bottom Line UP Front (BLUF): After 35 years of Government Service, I will be retiring effective September 30, 2025.

But that’s just part of the story. I am still unsure how to feel about all of this. Am I Happy? Nervous? Betrayed? Frustrated? Excited? Yes. All I know, is that God has a plan and I guess me and thousands and thousands of other federal employees needed to be reminded of this.

No one will disagree that the government has gotten a bit oversized and could run more efficiently. There were over 100,000 IRS employees at the beginning of 2025. Based upon today’s rumors and predictions, by this time next year there will be between 16,000 and 50,000 employees in the Department of Treasury.

I have been in some type of administrative support role ever since I started with the IRS in September of 1994 in Laguna Niguel, California. From a clerk there to a group secretary in Santa Ana, California to starting as a territory secretary in moving back to St. Louis, Missouri, I have seen where my strengths were. I am great with multi-tasking, administrative functions, knowing my programs and sharing my knowledge. All these talents led to my most legacy role as an Administrative Officer (AO). AOs must multitask like no other. They are office managers of areas including subject matter experts in many things. I was an emergency management expert, a weather man, a pull crap out of my ass problem solver, and an all-around nice guy (or not) during my time as an AO. I also learned how to teach and instruct in the things I believed I knew what I was talking about. I also learned how to counsel my fellow employees no matter what level they are at and that led to a lot of friends and sometimes makeshift families depending on the situation. I have fancy certifications that say I can teach, I know my emergency management skills and I know how to write in many formats. But what am I taking with me? Relationships. All of them. There were some bad ones, some you must know the whole story to know it was a good one, and then there were the ones who became family in some way shape or form. Lyn and I were the second ones in the delivery room of a friend of mine. We went to a funeral of a young baby. We were invited to their weddings and had friends at our wedding. We built their pool and helped them move. I have witnessed my friends going through divorces, problems with their kids, and losing their parents.

After I had a manager announce their retirement, they passed away a few days later. You think this would be followed by sadness and yes there was some. This, however, was followed by a group of four of us becoming close. We only knew that we were there together (I knew by the Grace of God). We survived COVID and daily meetings together. Three of us are all leaving the IRS currently.  I have two squids that I still call family in some way from that group.

We brought in a new boss, a new sister and two new folks that I have bonded with personally. Being able to do my job at home allowed me to speak more freely on calls and not worrying about if things got heated, we made each other cry. I have other friends that I have made including a most recent one that I call ‘my little birdie’ to others. I really hope that the ones I have mentioned, and others understand how much they mean to me and therefore how much they mean to my family.

I recently had the opportunity to take a program and make it great. I brought it from the mess it was in before we had it, surviving an investigative audit, to the wackiness of today’s IRS. My son recently said he saw how happy I was seeing that program growing. I truly enjoyed my job.

Well, that was until I had to go back into the office every day and realize the toll it took on me. I had not gotten my work in the office legs back yet when the ‘Fork in the road’ was offered. I took what they call the Treasury Designated Resignation Program 2.0. I was also eligible to get voluntary early retirement with it since I was over 50 and had so many years of service in. I am posting this right after I came home from turning my equipment in and I am on Administrative Leave until September 30, 2025. That will give me a step increase and over 35 years of Government Service. I will get paid for my unused annual leave and my sick leave will be added onto my retirement. Let’s say I am better off than some people who also took this same route and not as good as others. Staying until 62 would have been much better for me. The door for me to return to work if the pendulum swings back does not close until September 30^th so never say never.

I will be looking for additional work. I have a friend that has already reached out to me, and let’s say I will at least have a substitute teaching certificate. All I know is I have a passion for people; I want to share my knowledge and the glory of God and goodness of God along with all that I have experienced with others. Do I know how? Not yet, but God has at least opened this door for me to see where it goes.

If everything goes well, I will also be writing more blogs in the future…