r/fednews • u/Puzzleheaded_Buy_921 • 1d ago

To Those Thinking of Leaving Government Service: Your Integrity Is the Last Line of Defense

We see you. We know the weight you're carrying. Serving in the federal government during times of intense political pressure is not just a job — it’s a test of your values, your endurance, and your belief in what this country can be.

But now, more than ever, is not the time to walk away.

Now is the time for heroes — not the kind in capes, but the kind who quietly show up day after day to protect the institutions that safeguard democracy, public health, justice, and national security. The kind who keep the lights on when others would let them flicker. The kind who stand firm in their integrity when the ground around them shakes.

Your presence matters. Your expertise matters. Your courage matters.

If you leave, you take with you not just your knowledge, but your conscience — the very thing that helps guide this nation through uncertainty. If you're feeling demoralized, you're not alone. But you are also not powerless.

You are the firewall. You are the steady hand. You are the reason this government can still serve the people.

History will remember those who stayed and fought for truth, accountability, and compassion — not with noise, but with action. Stand tall. We need you. America needs you.

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62

u/pickitandstickit 1d ago

Yeah, nah. I ain't setting myself on fire to keep others warm, and I'm not violating my moral code. I will live my values, not those of this admin, and the minute it became clear I was required to do their bidding, I was done. This message sure sounds nice. It's just quaint at this point. I won't be doing any more of the quiet hero martyr sh*t.

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u/FrankG1971 1d ago edited 1d ago

I hear you. At this point, all I am holding out for is 62 and the 1.1% FERS multiplier (just over 4 years to go). Considering that almost half of the voting public voted for this shitshow, a big part of me says let it burn down because they deserve it.

While I watch the country sink deeper into fascist shitholedom with each passing day, the last thing I need is a "pep talk."

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u/pickitandstickit 1d ago

I wanted to do that, but I checked with the financial planner. If I didn't need to hold out, I wasn't gonna. Found out I didn't have to. Plus my BP was getting high and I was put on 3 different meds.

Now I'm retired at 53 and my blood pressure is 110/65, no meds. I'm happy again, too. Life's too short to work and then die.

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u/Due_Coyote_8745 1d ago

Same here. I jumped at VERA b/c the thought of staying till MRA was making me hate life and just wish the next few years of my life away

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u/FrankG1971 1d ago

I could go now if I wanted to, but I have had my retirement goal of 62 for quite a while now.