OregonHerc
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Posts posted by OregonHerc
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6 hours ago, FLEA said:
Yeah, I'm personally worried about this myself. Been told you actually have better potential getting out as a CGO/NCO because companies see you more as a blank slate/moldable. Not that any of this isn't overcomeable but the consensus seems to be you need to take one step back to take two steps forward.
I tend to agree. It’s not always the case but usually it is beneficial to take a step back then move on from there. Not necessarily a bad thing.
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6 minutes ago, Sua Sponte said:
A lot of FGO/SNCOs eat humble pie when they realize they have delusions of grandeur of how much they’re “worth,” salary wise, when they get out .
Fact. And while we do/did get a lot of smoke blown our way about “moving directly into a leadership/middle management position”…that’s not necessarily the case for some.
That said, it’s a big time job seekers market which is quite nice. Decent signing bonuses are quite common with increased salaries (to be sure: inflation is one factor). In non tech roles, have routinely heard of 6 figure cash and stock signing bonuses in my side of the world.
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8 hours ago, LumberjackAxe said:
Anything else that you wish you would've done differently or started sooner? Not just with military paperwork, but like anything for dependents, resume/CV help, LinkedIn profile, anything that I wouldn't think of being out of the civ force for so long?
Definitely start de-militarizing your resume. Also figure out A: where you want to move, B: what you want to do and C network network network. I would personally recommend putting a civ picture/headshot on LinkedIn (if not going into a defense contractor type job).
I’m not sure the line of work you’re thinking but don’t be afraid to think outside the box or think of different jobs you’d like. Stereotypically you hear a lot of “project management” or similar. I started as a data analyst then shifted to supply chain/logistics in my civ career.
Also the difference in military and civilian salaries is one thing I wasn’t expecting. To make the same equivalent amount due to BAH, insurance etc, you actually have to make a fair bit more in civ world.
One last thing that took me the better part of four or five years to realize is don’t be afraid to negotiate salaries. Or move jobs.
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On 3/17/2022 at 10:25 AM, LumberjackAxe said:
I'm nearing the end of my MEB process and will be medically retired in the next few months. Unfortunately, I probably will never fly again (my MEB condition is Bipolar, and after the Germanwings incident in 2015, I don't think the FAA will grant a waiver). I applied for grad school this fall, doing a total career change in my thirties, and although my retirement paycheck is nice, it isn't enough to live on. So far I've gotten the following advice from a variety of folks:
- Use the VR&E program to pay for school since it has an expiration date and save the GI Bill for later
- Get the following three documents while still AD: Memo rating (done), civil service preference letter, VA Loan waiver letter
- I already have my VA ratings so I don't really have to do much there, although they whiffed a few of the ratings, so I'll be appealing those
- I'm using SkillBridge to get my foot in the door in my desired follow on industry
- I have digital copies of my flight records (MilKeep) and OPRs/TRs
- I currently don't have a job lined up, but if I get accepted to grad school, the BAH + pension will be enough to get by
- I don't plan on working in the military industry anymore, but I am up for reinvestigation for my TS/SCI clearance, so I'll at least have that for another 5 years.
Anything else I should try to do or obtain while I'm still active duty? Any other pointers or gouge for separating/retiring early?
Don’t worry as much about memo ratings, VA loan stuff etc. You can get that on ebenefits.
I highly recommend converting your SGLI to VGLI immediately upon retirement. No medical check if you do so within x days of retiring. If for some reason it’s not at $400k, do so before leaving. You can decrease it once out but not increase it.
I’ve been out for about 8 years working in non mil related careers (medically retired as an O3). Please feel free to reach out directly and I can pass on whatever knowledge I have.
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13 hours ago, FLEA said:
Ok so I thought I was set on the Airlines but something just came up and I'm just doing my due diligence to weigh it. I may have a pathway to an M7 MBA program (Booth). However, I would be finishing it at 38 years old. I'm not really sure it would be the "oompf" i'm looking for to take my career to the next level. Anyone not doing airlines care to weigh in? Would this be a huge opportunity for me? I've heard it both ways. 1.) By the time your in your late 30's you are much older than typical MBA candidates and employers expect you have already held the entry level positions an M7 MBA would grant you access to. 2.) For a transitioning vet an M7 MBA says you possess both the skills and the talent to function well in a high end corporate environment.
From my experience in the .civ world (both in large multi-national sportswear companies and a technology manufacturer), age doesn’t matter with regard to the “MBA entry level”.
At least in my side of the world, everyone has a different career path and isn’t completely pigeonholed.
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1 hour ago, pilotguy said:
Super newb question but if I get out after 12 years without ever using the VA loan on active duty, can I use it on my first home purchase as a civilian?
Yes.
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On 10/7/2017 at 7:23 AM, HU&W said:
It can, but it would have to change for everyone. I'll check with the design team to see how that design looks. Here's a photoshop rendering. Looking for feedback from those potentially interested.
Much better in my opinion. “Quiet professionals” seemed way too attention whore-ish.
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7 minutes ago, Flare said:
Anyone here re-fi (or maybe even just finance) a VA loan and now get 6-9 snail mail offers a day on more re-fi with cash options, etc? Anyone know how to stop them?
Allegedly, www.optoutprescreen.com is what you'd use. Only reason I say allegedly is that mine still haven't stopped. Hell, my wife still gets them and she passed away over a year ago.
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The forms are out there in PDF, I need the IBM forms format .xfdl
Oops my bad. Sorry about that.
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Google DD Form 1351-2. It's the first hit.
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I can't speak to the second part of this regarding the Guard, etc. That said, on the first part regarding the funding fee...my honest opinion is that I would be extremely surprised if a claim would be able to be finished in 60 days. It may happen, but it's really luck of the draw.
However, the VA will refund your funding fee (after you apply for it) as long as the claim date (i.e. the date you filed) is before the closing date on your house. If you pay the funding fee in cash, you will receive a check. If you roll it into part of the loan, then it will come off the principal amount (but you'll still have the higher payment as a result of the higher original loan amount).
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GREAT question. I hadn't researched that exact thing, but I don't think so. I found out the hard way that when using my AMEX blue for my 6% cash back, I don't get shit when I buy groceries at Wally World, Target, Costco, or any other places listed as "discounters." Basically, if you pay full price for groceries at regular name-brand grocery stores, it should show up in AMEX as eligible for the 6% cash back. Other than that, you won't get 6% for groceries bought at convienece stores, Walmart, or other places. Be wary.
For what it's worth, my AMEX did show the commissary as a grocery store always, not a "warehouse club" etc
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Anyone have some insight on what's happening with oil prices? Any good investments to be made from the volatility?
My opinion: there's a power struggle going on between large oil producers (Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, etc) and OPEC. Supplies have gone up due to increased drilling/new methods, but OPEC is not wanting to cut production (to try to raise prices), thinking that they can outlast the companies. Oil companies have reduced their exploration and production costs to a break even of around $45/barrel (according to some), which is much lower than OPEC's average (estimated at $55-60).
As far as investments, I'm not a CFA, but I would utilize put options on oil company's stocks. I'm thinking we're going to see a pull back in their share prices, due to a squeeze on their profits.
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I'm not saying you are wrong, but this is not how it was described in TAP.
No worries. For reference sake, it's in VA Pamphlet 26-7, chapter 8, pg 8-19.
If the veteran has a pending disability compensation claim at the time of loan closing, the funding fee must be remitted as if the borrower was not exempt.
Advise the veteran to contact the VA RLC to request a refund if it is later determined that the veteran is entitled to compensation retroactively to a date prior to loan closing.
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Just filed my partial ppm voucher for my separation move and tmo said gas and tolls are no longer an authorized expense to bring down the taxes on the payout and per diem is supposed to cover gas and tolls....is that true? And they said I don't even get a copy of my filed voucher to see how much I will be paid and they turn them in every Thursday to finance. Said the only way to find out how much I Will get paid is to call finance......when I pcsd last year I knew what I was getting before I left tmo and Gas/tolls were counted as moving expenses....has that much changed or are they jerking me around?
I used gas and tolls as an authorized expense recently (within a couple weeks). Couldn't tell you if there was a JFTR change though.
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I've used Mary Bennett at NBOKC for two loans now and like most on this thread, I can't recommend her enough. She even was able, after I locked at 3.75, to decrease my rate to 3.5% 2 days before closing on my latest loan (closed last week).
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www.pebforum.com is a very good and thorough resource for folks going through an MEB. Also, please feel free to PM me with any questions about the process (as I've reached the end of my MEB).
Mods, if it's a foul to post a link to another forum, I apologize in advance.
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Does anyone know where (or have) a copy of the quality of air/particle letter that they gave us out there for our medical records?
Posted from the NEW Baseops.net App!
PM me your NIPR and I'll send it to you on Wednesday when I get back to the office.
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Thanks, much appreciated.
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The Air Force offers a free PMP program. You can find it on the portal if so interested.
Where is it located on portal? I tried searching for PMP under the career section but no joy.
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We had 3-4 DOR when I was there four years ago. 1 more (that I can remember) failed.
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Would they bother with an MEB for someone who already has a separation date?
Yes they will, and they'll hold you indefinitely after your DOS until the conclusion.
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Yawn....
(Article found at http://tinyurl.com/l772duc, shortened from military.com)
All-Female Crew Breaks Longest Flight RecordLast weekend, a Global Hawk from Grand Forks Air Force Base flew back and forth over North Dakota for 34.3 hours without stopping.
The base said this week that that was the longest flight by a military aircraft without aerial refueling and it was the longest flight by an all-female crew.
Lt. Col. Amanda Brandt, commander of the 348th Reconnaissance Squadron stationed at the base, said she was inspired by Women's History Month and the growing number of women joining her unit.
"When I came into the Air Force 17 years ago, there were only two pilots in my wing," she said, so it would've been impossible to have an all-female flight.
In fact, it took a crew of more than 50 women, including six pilots, to pull off what's been dubbed the "Flight of the Lady Hawk."
The old record for an all-female crew was 18 hours, but members had to be pulled from different squadrons because there weren't enough women in one single squadron, according to Brandt. The old record for a crew of any gender was 33.1 hours, which was also made in a Global Hawk, a large unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.Brandt said the advertised endurance of a Global Hawk is about 28 hours, but her crew landed Saturday with "plenty of gas left in the tank." They wanted to encourage other all-female crews to attempt to break their record, she said.
North Dakota skies
While crews at the Grand Forks base fly missions around the globe, Brandt said the record-breaking mission was done in North Dakota to avoid any potential problems during an actual mission in support of troops on the ground.
Flying in commercial air space poses a small challenge of its own, though.
Between one end of the state and another are four zones, and moving from one to the other normally would require pilots to switch from one set of air-traffic controllers to another, according to Brandt. Having the Global Hawk turn constantly within one zone would consume too much fuel, but flying it straight would require a lot of handoffs.
But Brandt said the Federal Aviation Administration was more than happy to accommodate the record-breaking flight by not requiring the hand-off, and the agency went as far as putting female controllers on duty during the flight.
Though the Global Hawk normally flies high above the altitude that commercial jets usually fly at, Brandt said it was still important for the FAA to keep an eye on the aircraft to ensure there is no possible conflict with the jets.
It took a crew of more than 50 to make the Flight of the Lady Hawk possible because that's normally how a Global Hawk operates.
According to Brandt, a single pilot could push a button to make it take off and another to make it land, but its capabilities are so great that more crew members are needed to take advantage. For example, it flies for so long that multiple shifts are needed, in this case six eight-hour shifts. It also has various sensors that require specially trained operators.
Women aviators
Brandt said she's heartened to see more women entering the aviation field. The field of unmanned aircraft in particular is family-friendly because it allows women, as well as men, to conduct missions around the globe and still go home to read their children to sleep at night.
She said the point of the Flight of the Lady Hawk wasn't really to break records but to celebrate women in aviation. "I'm happy to say it's not earth-shattering news. It's becoming the norm," she said, referring to how common it is now to see women in aviation.
She looks forward to the day her 4-year-old daughter, named Amelia after Amelia Earhart, and other girls can be the first person to do something and not just the first woman.
Medical Retirement Gouge?
in General Discussion
Posted
Love it. Sounds about right.