Former Army sergeant enjoys constantly calling retired Colonel by his first name

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. …