SHARON SPRINGS, Kan. – Former Army Sgt. Charlie Pinker has only been out of the Army four months, but he is already enjoying transition to civilian life, especially now that he can repeatedly call a full-bird colonel by his first name.

“Nothing is better than calling him Joe, without even making eye contact," said Pinker, a shift supervisor at Wal-Mart. "He keeps telling me his name is Jack, so it makes it all the better."

Pinker is one of only two known veterans at the local Wal-Mart. The other is Jack Davis, a retired colonel who took a job as a greeter and back up shopping cart attendant.