yeah, didn't take long for the GOP to go on the attack against federal employees. Because clearly THEY are the biggest problem this country faces! I'm so fucking cynical about politics these days I can't stand it.
But to your original question -- I plan to retire at 54 (but in the year of my 55th birthday). I'm Fed LEO, so I'll get my full pension (with COLAs) right away (well, once OPM gets to it in the backlog, anyway), and I'll get my SRS -- which, from what I've heard will not be eliminated for FF/LEO, etc. retirees who have a mandatory 57-y.o. retirement age. SRS is free and clear until 57, at which point it gets means tested after about $15k of earned income or so. I'm planning to do some part-time "fun work," but have calculated that I can cover my shortfall (i.e., pre-retirement salary vs. post-retirement) with a less than 2% withdrawal rate from my TSP. I'm planning to go out with about 2 years' leave saved up, and will probably use that check in Year One in lieu of TSP withdrawals (just to give my full TSP balance another year to grow), and then take those withdrawals from Year Two onward (depending on how the pt fun work pans out). Whatever money I don't need from those withdrawals, I'll use to build my cash buffer. As for Social Security, I'm planning to hold on til at least 67. Reason #1 is my wife is 7 years younger than me, and hasn't earned the money I have, so waiting will give her a much larger check down the road when she gets old. Second reason is, even with the SRS going away at 62, I should be able to make up for it with a higher TSP withdrawal rate that should still be south of 4%. I'll take that 8% guarantee on the SS money.
The thing for me is timing/planning my wife's retirement given the age gap and her not having a pension.