Received a giant retirement certificate from the Marine Corps this past weekend. The package also contained an official “U.S. Marine Corps – Retired” lapel pin. Turns out this is the same certificate even retiring generals receive. Photos:

Received a certified letter last week from Bethesda. On July 15th, a Marine Corps Colonel and two Navy officers met in Washington, DC and determined that my “disposition be changed from temporary to permanent disability retirement.” I sent in my acceptance yesterday, and sometime in the next 12 weeks I will be permanently retired!

Reported to Bethesda Naval Hospital as ordered for my the temporary disability retired list (TDRL) periodic physical examination (PPE) today. I was told to arrive at 7:15AM. As soon as I got there, I was checked in, and sent to the orthopedic department. After they took my vitals and a few x-rays of my hip, [...]

Been doing some research into hip surgeries and found a site that has some good explanations and pictures of various hip surgeries. From the site: A metal cup with a polyethylene liner that is inserted into the acetabulum during a total hip replacement. Link: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gec/series/fixing_hip_fractures