A friend of ours is getting out of the airforce (not retiring), moving, getting a divorce, and starting a new career. I would like to make a cake for him to "send" him off - but have no idea what a cool cake would be for this. Any ideas? I know you're creative out there!!

which career field?

electronics/communications (ET)

This is the first thing that popped into my head and really has nothing at all to do with any of the things that you mentioned. But I thought all these major life things,,,, clean slate. How about a cake made to look like a chalkboard, either green or black, with an eraser - you now, those gray brick looking ones. The eraser could be sitting on the chalk board and there could be a smear running across like the eraser had just been used to erase something.