Fud

I got my MBA online at a degree mill and there were no issues on the civilian side of the house when it came to looking for work. I'm looking at getting a Doctor of Business Administration at a brick and mortar school, and the source of my MBA was not put into question. If you want to work in a high paying job in NY, Chicago, LA, etc...it would probably help to have gone to Harvard, NYU, Stanford, etc. The true answer in my mind is "it depends", and each case is different. I hated the job hunt, and am fortunate to have landed something 6 months after separating.

I got two 1095s off of DFAS (Federal Employment and TAMP), and one physically mailed to my residence. I paid for three months Humana in between there as well. Wish I had done more research about the penalties as I would have only had two months without coverage.

I got my VSP W-2 on Friday and used turbo tax to e-file again this year. I recently moved to a different state that has state income tax. Make sure that you file paperwork that shows you only lived in the state part of the year if you received your VSP payment in a state that does not have income tax. Additionally, you do not have to show your 1095 in turbotax, but you need to keep the paperwork for your records to avoid penalties. I ended up having three 1095s sent to me because I didn't have federal employee insurance until September of 2015. I was going to use an H&R Block type of service, but found e-filing very intuitive.

I just looked and it seems like it will come out on 24 Jan 2016. I would also suspect that a notification will be sent to a civilian email address (member provided previously) once the document is available. I will post again on 25 Jan 2016 if I get mine. I'm very curious how the taxes will work out as I was unemployed most of the year and moved to a new state during the third quarter.

This is the best piece of advice that anyone can follow in investing. I invest in TSP in the C fund at 100% and have never looked at it except once a year. I max out a Roth IRA every year as well, until I hit the top of the salary limit (next 10 years, maybe). Everyone's financial decisions will be different, and it is a good thing to have a somewhat diversified strategy. My investment rules: 1. Max out whatever your company/service is matching 2. Live below your means 3. Read "Millionaire Next Door" 4. Stay the fuck away from whole live insurance scam investments

I'm about to close on my first home purchase this upcoming Friday. I have been working with Jackie Runk from NKOBC. Her direct number is (913) 383-6455. We utilized a 15 year, fixed, VA loan with an interest rate of 2.75%. Jackie has been great to work with and is incredibly responsive to any questions I had in navigating the process. PM me with any questions.

I'm always surprised at how polarizing this subject can be, but I understand what you are trying to say. A lot of people complain about sleep apnea being at 50%, but never look at the reasoning behind why it is rated so highly. If one cannot get adequate sleep because they cannot breathe, then it causes numerous health problems down the line (high blood pressure, weight gain, etc...). The VA is taking measures to combat people defrauding the government by equipping patients with CPAP devices with memory cards. I have no doubt, and have no problem with people being audited on a frequent basis for the rest of their lives if they are not actually using the machine. As far as the VASRD being revamped, I'm not sure if it needs to be done, but have no problem if the percentages change in some instances. However, there will always be people who complain that percentages are too high, and that others are gaming the system. I liken this argument to people complaining about professional athlete's salaries or those of a CEO of a major company. What should the amount be, and what amount will stop you from complaining? Even if the VASRD is changed, my understanding is that Veterans with a VA rating are exempt from their percentage changing. On a personal note, the VA healthcare I was provided literally saved my life. I was unemployed for 6+ months and my medications were, and still will be provided by the VA for the rest of my life. I'm thankful that the government offers this to people with service connected disabilities and will never complain about the process that others choose to go through if it is lawful, and they follow the rules. There is a similar box one can check when filing their VA claim to let the VA decide the claim based on what you've submitted so far. My DAV rep did not recommend that option at all. I asked so many questions during the process, but am inquisitive like that.

Robo, The two processes are similar, yet very different from what I've been told. I would not check any box without consulting with an attorney. From what I remember, there are lawyers that are paid by the VA (not you) to get you through the MEB process. It may have changed, but I'm not sure. Good luck.

My last assignment was in a very cush US location, and people still hated it. Never understood that.

Not sure on this question as I'm not a pilot for any of the airlines.

2 on this one as it was a really fun film. I took my oldest son to see it and he loved it. I'm really looking forward to this one and I hope they do it well. I've always been curious what the real story is though.

Look up the first link in section seven above, and you'll see that each scenario is different for every Veteran. Just because you might have two disabilities that add up to 100% (50% and 50%) you will not have a 100% rating. This is where you will look at the combined rating tables. Basically, you'll file the claim, have exams with the VA, get a rating, argue the rating (through your VSO), and then get a final rating. As I understand it, you will not pay taxes on the compensation you receive for the rest of your life as it does not count as income. Not a bad deal for a lot of paperwork, some exams, and some wait time. Edit to add this...the DAV provides lawyers who will fight your claim for you if needed, and it is provided at no cost to the Veteran. Get it done early on and don't wait too long after your discharge.

Mods, I performed a search, but did not see any topics covering the above process, and I wanted to give my $.02 on how my claim process worked. 1. I separated from AD in late 2014, and had attended TAP classes in September of that year. When asked by the briefer if any of us planned on filing a disability compensation claim, almost none of the 40 of us raised our hands. He offered to look at each of our medical records if we made an appointment with him and encouraged us to do so. 2. I ordered copies of my medical records from my base's clinic immediately after the TAP class was over for the day. In the AF, your medical records will typically take 6-8 weeks to be copied or put on a CD in PDF format. I recommend doing this as early as possible in the process, and I will explain why in paragraph 5. 3. There are many Veteran's Service Organizations (VSOs) out there, and they all have a common goal to fight for Veterans. I chose the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) because after careful research, they give back the most to Veterans, and are a powerful lobbying organization. 4. When I made my appointment with the representative who briefed at my TAP class, he went through my records and helped me fill out all of the proper forms. I remember needing my marriage certificate, birth certificates for my family, SSN cards, and finally, a bank account number as well as the routing number of your bank. 5. I filed my claim in early December before I separated at the end of the calendar month in 2014. This was incredibly important because you will either file under the Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) or the QuickStart Program. If I had gotten my medical records earlier, I would have been able to have my VA rating (if anything in my records warranted it) on my discharge date. Unfortunately, I was not eligible for this program as there was not enough time to get my VA exams completed. Fortunately, my claim decision was made in April 2015, which was only four months after filing under the QuickStart Program. If you wait months or years later, then your claim could take anywhere between 1-2 years just for an initial decision to be made. 6. I had a handful of people who I really admired and respected while in the AF. One common theme every single one of them said to me was to make sure everything was documented in my medical records. I'm thankful to this day that I took their advice. 7. Some helpful websites: https://militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/index.html https://www.benefits.va.gov/warms/bookc.asp#a https://www.dav.org

TreeA10...huge 2 on this. One of the podcast's I listen to is voiced by a man named Mike Cernovich. He is a former defense attorney turned author who talks about all sorts of various subjects. The two podcasts I just listened to are called "False Rape Accusations Are Common" and "How to Avoid a False Rape Accusation". The last one sounds like a recipe for committing a crime and getting away with it, but it is far from that. It basically states "never, ever, under any circumstances talk to a cop (investigator) without a lawyer present on your behalf". Interesting listening, but I doubt this side will ever be preached in a SARC yearly stand down.

I showed this poster to my wife and she just shook her head...glad I got one of the good ones. Glad to be out of the AF and away from this buffoonery, but it is being taught heavily in college campuses. I hate this line of thinking and am not sure it is simply restricted to Millennials. In today's day and age where a bad tweet will dethrone just about any celebrity, social justice warriors want to see offenders literally destroyed. I'm glad I don't recognize most of the people on magazine covers at the store anymore.

One thing that caught my eye in this post was being prepared for a week. I'm not a "prepper" (not sure if I'm spelling that correctly) but I would follow what my Mormon AF brethren are already doing. Most of them I knew had plenty of guns and at least a year's supply of food. There are numerous companies who cater to this market and they have food that will last a very long time. I don't think the economy will get that bad, but if it did, I'd head to my family's land as soon as possible should the need arise.

It's easy to fly and has an auto land feature so you don't have to do it manually unless you want to. I'd recommend shelling out the extra cash for an extra battery and the hard shell back pack. I worry on occasion but as long as you're flying with a full battery, you're ok.

Private pilot (PPL) and recent drone purchaser here. I bought a DJI Phantom 3 with the 4K camera, and I must say it is badass. Very short learning curve, and it lands incredibly well compared to the previous models. I love it, and will probably not do much manned-civilian flying from now on as it has gotten quite pricey. My understanding of the rules is this...no flying above 500 feet AGL, no flying over people, and no flying within 5NM of any other type of airspace. I typically use my drone for nature shots, and recently got HD footage and pictures for my brother over his new land. He is in real estate, and is thinking about getting one himself. I thoroughly enjoy my drone, but understand the following. If one uses these to fly for any other purpose than recreational or for a licensed business, then there is a problem. You better believe I'd take out my 12 gauge if I saw one hovering over my property and taking footage of my house. It makes people nervous, and it isn't something one should do IMO.

I haven't seen the JMO program offered on USAA's website for a few months, but wanted to share my experience. A little about me...I chose to take VSP about this time last year an applied, got accepted, and separated on 31 Dec 2014. I filed my VA disability claim early in Dec 2014 so my claim was decided and finalized in four months (unheard of, but getting better). I only mention this to say that anyone separating should immediately request records from their medical clinic on base, because it takes three months for them to copy them down for you. I had an immediate job after separation with an investment company and life seemed to be good. I was moving back to my home state and was going to spend the rest of my days in one place. Needless to say, this "great deal" ended up being a big steaming pile and I walked away immediately. Due to legal implications, I will not mention the firm's name, but I recommend everyone read the following website if you are offered an investment position with any of the firms. https://​https://www.financialindustryscam.com/index.htm I moved back to my home state with no job, and a family to feed, but we have made it work in a phenomenal manner. I applied to over 30-50 jobs a week on various sites, but never used any of the headhunter firms mentioned above. I also applied to USAA as well, but found they typically only hire from within and will move you up from the bottom. This is not uncommon at every military and Veteran's recruiting fair that I have attended. Most companies are looking for you to start at a beginner's level and a beginners salary. While this is not a bad thing necessarily, I was fortunate to be much more picky when the right job came along. I got a telephone call out of the blue asking if I'd be interested in a GS job out of my home state, and I said yes. Three interviews later, I got the job and will be moving again shortly. I share my side of this because the unemployment to employment process sucks very badly if you are not prepared. I believe my TAP program was phenomenal at my previous base. I would not have applied for VA compensation if the DAV rep had not been there, and I'm very thankful I did in the end. A few rules I've learned in the process. 1. Never underestimate the power of a referral from a friend. I received two interviews this way that turned into opportunities I eventually turned down for the GS job. 2. If you simply submit a resume and don't follow up afterward, don't expect to get the job. 3. Don't get discouraged if at all possible. 4. Start early finding a job. The USAF will run itself long after you are gone. My last boss tried to tell me not to take any PTDY or terminal leave because I already had something lined up. I took what I'd earned and was allowed to and I don't regret it at all. 5. The job search takes a long time. Although I have to move out of my home state, I am very happy to be given a government position that will allow me to retire in less than ten years if I deem necessary. Also, once you are in, you have a better possibility of transferring to a state of your choosing later on. 6. Get all of the civilian certifications you can while on Active Duty (Six Sigma, PMP, MBA, etc...). It's a very competitive world out there, and certifications can get your foot in the door. ***Bonus - I wrote a letter of recommendation for a close friend to teach English as a second language (ESL) in Japan. He made a little over 30K per year, but loved his experience over there and he had two months off a year. I'd have done that in a heartbeat if I hadn't chosen a family first. Maybe when I retire from government work***

Any word if he and CZ have the same retirement date?

Please read the following article, and any links necessary if you are interested. I find it interesting that CMSAF would answer questions based on an Reddit.com AMA, but I'm glad this might actually be looked at through the appropriate light. https://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/06/02/air-force-reviewing-if-airmen-overlooked-for-medal-of-honor/28371279/ I ran into this type of mindset throughout my time in the military and I was always dumbfounded when leadership would squash a medal nomination for one of my guys. The leadership's misguided logic was that if someone received an achievement medal, then it would look bad if they received another one or something less when they PCS'd from their current duty station. One of the linked articles talks about Senior Airman Dustin Temple's lack of a nomination by saying: Recently, a classmate of mine also received an award for valor for saving a bunch of marines in Afghanistan...albeit eight years after the fact, and only when the marines nominated him for the award. A similar story occurred when Army officials "lost" Army Captain Will Swenson's paperwork for the MoH, but the Marines again answered the call. I know that we aren't supposed to do what we do just for medals and other devices, but I think Air Force leadership does not have a proper grasp on this process.

Is this a rule at some bases now? According to Reddit.com and other websites "Stare Rape" is a real thing. I kid you not.

It has always been a goal of mine to help out neighbors in a time of need and they usually return the favor. I'm out of the service now, and I live next to someone who is gone quite a bit. I've met him a few times, and will take out his trash can on trash days, and pull it in at the end of the day. What goes around comes around. I never help anyone out financially, except for my wife and my kids, because I have seen the pitfalls of that in my family (i.e. financial despot keeps asking for more money long after and shows up with a new BMW at a family event).

Same here on all counts. I seemed to grow out of it all as well. Just started going back to church with my wife and kids but my questions will always be there. There are numerous documentaries on Netflix that talk about the disconnects in the Bible which are interesting to say the least.