I have no ax to grind with Alan West. It is wrong to address him as Colonel or Lt. Colonel, though. After military retirement, the only rank that gets to use rank (ret) is General (or Admiral for the Navy). Makes no difference to me, though.

He is a flash in the Teaparty pan who got voted in because of anti-Muslim talk of the Teaparty bigots. He will be out of office fairly soon - and with that lifetime pension all of the conservatives gripe about politicians having.