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A Roth IRA isn't an actual fund. It is a category of investment, think of it like an umbrella. Every dollar you put under the umbrella gets to grow tax free. You can invest in anything you want under that umbrella, you could even stick it into a money market account if you really wanted to and get tax free interest. The catch is you can only put $5,000 in each year. To answer your question, look at broad market funds. I really like their mid-cap fund VIMSX. You could also look at VTSMX for a total market fund. People talk about the Dow and S&P all the time but there are literally thousands of other stocks out there that aren't covered on either of those indeces. For some added safety you could look at their Dividend Yield fund, VHDYX.

Uh, do the numbers 3, 7 and 9 mean anything to you?

If curtailing retirement is the crux of the savings plan, then not only would DoD cut away at retirement liabilities directly, but the plan would affect everyone, not just pilots-good luck recruiting. A plan that tosses people after 15 years with no pension or benefits is sustainable for, maybe, a week. Got it. So when UPT, IFF and FTU standards are relaxed to accommodate the diminished talent attracted with lower pay and benefits, how many jets will we need to put in the dirt before the cost savings is moot. This isn't Colgan or Great Lakes. This is the USAF, where mission success has national security implications. Tell me, does your plan also include replacing Spec Ops with highly motivated CAP cadets? While Congress can be shortsighted, they won't hurt their reelection chances. Congressmen need support from defense lobbyists, including defense contractors and retiree groups, and therefore, any cuts or drastic changes to military compensation will be generally inconsequential to vested stakeholders. When Gates, et al, talk about changes in compensation, my opinion is that a realistic timeline goes well beyond anyone already vested in the system.

Hahaha. You sir are a fucking retard. 600 of us filled out the paperwork and packed our bags...how did that turn out for us.

You don't really think the gov't side of the table has some higher altruistic motive at heart? It's the same motivator that keeps teachers in the classroom with sub-poverty level pay (although requiring some graduate education to qualify at even the entry level). A sense of Service will be the motivator for those who lead us through the next 10 years. The politicians are banking on it.

I'd be interested to see what our retirement costs the gov't per retiree and again per member. For the retiree, sure, you've got your flag officers, and you've got some retirees that live to be 100+. But for survivor benefits there is a signifigant contribution from the member; a sort of insurance premium. Per member, I think the gov't is doing quite well for itself given the percentage of those who get out before 20, and members that pass with only a few retirement years without survivor benefits. I for one would be happy to trade in our FERS system for the pension. Unfortunately when the math is done, I think we're going to get a significantly watered down result when the benefits are spread over all members, not just the 20+ crowd. Nearly every "adjustment" in benefits I've seen in my lifetime: Champus-->TRICARE, Final Pay-->High-3-->Choice/REDUX, (notable exception: MGIB-->P911GIB), has been [gov't savings driven]-->[member net benefit reduction]. Right thing to do? Maybe. We can all passionately argue why these are deserved benefits. But has the quality of our force survived previous reductions? I think so. It will again if this latest idea gains traction.

Ah...now we get to the real motivation for the repeal of DADT.

Yeah, and if you only squeeze the front brakes, the plane flips over.

I reserve my best salute(s) for the kid at the front gate and the kid blocking me out after busting his ass to get us fixed and out safely. The rest are queep. SC

You can find many examples in the -1 of certain aircraft. But ye of narrow mind and quick anger probably would have a cranial explosion if you were to actually read it in print.

By AMC you mean only airlifters, sure.

If Congress does reduce the overall benefit package for military service personnel, this is the perfect time. With the draw down of forces in the Middle East and the state of the American economy, Congress knows the economy will not have a strong recovery for at least 5-6 years. Retention is at an all time high. I doubt if there will be a mass exodus of personnel. And even if there is, you can always create bonus incentives which will not effect retirement cost. More than likely there will be a grandfather clause for those serving. Anyway, the New hires have no choice. This is done in industry all the time. The major airlines created the regional system that we have today in keeping ticket prices down in being more competitive. The regionals fly approx 52% of the flying public. And guess what, REGIONAL PILOTS fly for PEANUTS. The regionals never have a problem of hiring pilots just in retainability. But as long as the regional planes do not continually fall out of the sky, their PILOTS will continue on being financially UNDER compensated in THEIR EYES. Not in the company's EYES of course. In fact, you can look at the AF Res & ANG as a way of keeping defense cost down. For all the pilots that think they're irreplacable, review Air Force OTS.com and see how many wantabe pilots are standing in line to replace you in a heartbeat. In fact, they will help you pack your bags and assist you in filling out your paper work. Experience levels will suffer but that is why you wear safety belts. President Ike warned of the industrial defense complex and it's breaking the piggy bank. In fact, there's no money in the piggy bank, it's all borrowed. It doesn't help when an EXPERIENCED pilot crashes a C-17 in Alaska costing over $200M. My wife's step-father retired in 1960 and is still collecting retirement for the last 51 years. As a WWII vet, I say he deserves it, but the gov't is saying when is this old man going to die. If you think the new PT standards are the pits, wait until they dig into your pocket book and it is coming. You just never knew how good you had it. Just ask Congress.