By Kristin Davis

This was a good day for retired Coast Guard Cmdr. Mike McCoy. He’d spent several hours at the Air Force Retiree Activities Office at the U.S. Air Force Academy, a volunteer-led office that helps military retirees and their families with benefits guidance and access to services. A medically retired Marine who’d already reached out to other veterans’ groups without success came in for help. Through a connection with another organization, McCoy facilitated a satisfactory resolution.

“Every once in a while, you get a call where you know you made a difference,” McCoy said. “There are a lot of widows and retirees who are having problems getting hold of someone, who don’t have access to the internet, and everything is on the internet now. How do I solve this problem?”

Much of his 21-year military career was about problem solving, and McCoy was good at it. When he retired from the civilian sector for a final time in 2020, McCoy knew how he wanted to spend his time.

“My whole focus was doing anything my wife asked me to do because she sacrificed so much during my time on active duty — and on giving back,” he said. “MOAA helps me do that.”

In addition to spending several hours a week at the Air Force Academy, McCoy serves as vice president of communications for the Pikes Peak (Colo.) Chapter of MOAA. He’s been editor of the chapter newsletter for several years, earning the a Col. Marvin J. Harris Communications Award from national MOAA. He’s also been the primary interface with the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center and is the primary fundraiser for Retiree Appreciation Day, where the chapter teams up with the Southern Colorado Retiree Activities Office to host an annual event that attracts more than 500 military retirees.

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After losing his father at a young age, McCoy, who grew up on the California coast, was somewhat adrift. Though his mother worked hard to provide for the family, “I didn’t have a lot of choices as far as colleges,” he said.

When a chance arose to attend the California Maritime Academy, McCoy took it. He earned a degree in nautical science in 1974 and became a deck officer in the U.S. Merchant Marine. He sailed on his third mate’s license with Chevron Shipping and was the master on purse-seine fishing vessels operating in waters from Hawaii to the west coast of Africa.

His Coast Guard career began in 1979. It has been on his bucket list. It was also more conducive to married life; McCoy had fallen in love. His military career included roles in marine safety and investigations, port security, law enforcement, and intelligence analysis from tactical to strategic levels.

Having long been self-conscious about being a mediocre student in high school, he earned three master’s degrees over the course of his career and, in 2008, a doctorate.

“I’ve had a very blessed career,” McCoy said. “A lot of people who are retired military — that’s why they do volunteer work. One of the things you can do when you’re able to help others is to give back.”

Kristin Davis is a writer in Virginia.