Sua Sponte

After watching this invasion, filtering out the trolls that are on Reddit/Twitter misinformation, I’m convinced that absent help from China and not lobbing nukes, Russia would severely get their asses beat by the U.S. in a conventional war. Their training is obviously shit and it sends a message that Russian commanders have such little faith in their conscript troops that they follow them around with mobile crematoriums once they’re killed.

Also, since your’e at 100%, I believe your dependents (if you have any) are entitled to VA educational benefits as well.

Yeah, that’s the track I did (which was just called education when I went through ). The way VR&E works through that track is you have to tell the VA what type of employment you want to attain that won’t aggravate your disabilities, which being medically retired at 100% will be pretty wide open. When I got out in 2017 I was halfway through my bachelors degree. I went back to a state school for a political science degree. I wanted to go to law school, where 98% of political science majors go, however the VA was suspect about going to law school due to the terrible ROI it has ($150K cost to make $60Kish). My other option was getting a PhD to teach political science, which is something I didn’t want to do. The VA had a compromise of paying for a masters, so I picked the most expensive cybersecurity masters I could find, which at the time was Georgetown, which they agreed to pay for. The goal was is to get me a job into cybersecurity, but this was 2021 and the economy was getting spun back up and companies had hiring freezes. I ended up getting a job as a military aerospace contractor writing courseware and making a lot more than I would’ve as an attorney, however the education level and school reputation, has unlocked a lot of opportunities for me. I graduated from my masters program this summer and since I’m in a different job sector, the VA just closed out VR&E program as graduated from education. I’m currently working my doctorates (EdD) using my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, because I want to teach as an online adjunct professor. One thing I found out is you cannot have an active VR&E case file opened (in Chapter 31) and then use your G.I. Bill benefits simultaneously. You have to make sure one of them is closed out first, then use the other benefit. The worst, and sometimes the best, part of VR&E is the counselor you’re assigned. They have a lot of leeway to interpret if they’re going to “pay” for a educational program for employment. Counselors themselves can only approve up to $25K per year in tuition payments, however the district supervisors can approve much higher. That’s how people have gone to law school, medical school, etc. on VR&E. Unlike the G.I. Bill the VA monitors your grades every quarter/semester. You’ll have to send them to your counselor so they can authorize payment. As long as you’re passing your classes, it’s not a big deal. The counselors are also the ones who authorize the housing stipend. The counselors are like any government employee though, monitor their actions and follow up with them, because they are going to make mistakes. When I moved from Washington State to Colorado, my counselor erroneously updated my housing stipend to Denver’s zip code, though I was an online student. That caused a $2,600 overpayment, which was 100% her fault, but I obviously had to pay back. Overall, it a great little known program. It does require a lot more following up and monitoring than just using your G.I. Bill. However, by using VR&E to obtain education/employment, then using your G.I. Bill for any follow on education, you’re maximizing your benefits.

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44446/russian-forces-have-captured-the-worlds-biggest-cargo-jet-in-ukraine

No, the original pay into the MGIB for active duty was $1,200 ($100 a month the first year).

If you were eligible for both, you have to pick one. You can’t use both. I personally used the VA’s Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) program (Chapter 31, formerly known as Voc Rehab). They paid for my bachelors and masters. I’m currently using the remainder of my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill for my doctorates. To qualify for VR&E have to have a disability rating of at least 10%. The program covered all tuition (even Georgetown for my masters, which was $4K a class), paid for new laptop, printer, great parking pass for the state school I went for my undergrad, etc. It also pays you a “Subsistence Allowance” which is pretty much BAH. https://www.benefits.va.gov/vocrehab/ If you contributed the original $1,200 into the MGIB and convert to the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, as long as you’re receiving housing allowance once your Post 9/11 runs out, then you’ll receive that $1,200 back.

https://www.reddit.com/r/awfuleverything/comments/t0fgk9/first_russian_casualties_a_large_invading_russian/

This is spot on one thing I would add to #4 is the Ukrainian people have made it very clear that they prefer western democracy to Russian authoritarianism, hence the invasion. There are, however, pockets of ethnic Russians in Ukraine who prefer to live under Russian rule. Personally, I think Crimea was one of those areas.

They plan their invasions like women pick wedding dates.

The DAV was terrible for me as well. The VFW was great. I’ve a few claims myself. I started at 30% when I got out in 2017 and now I’m at 90%.

That’s what I never understood, how did the CEO of MD become the Boeing CEO after the merger when his company was the one that was acquired?

The merger with MD was the worst thing that happened to Boeing which has caused a negative cascading effect. With MCAS, they already had it in the KC-46, which is dual source input from both AOAs and allows the pilots to disengage it with yoke input. Since the technology already existed, why put a poorly designed version of it in the the 737 MAX?

I move to Navy Federal in 2019. They've been awesome, much like USAA was 20 years ago. Only items I have left with USAA is a credit card and insurance.

Worst MPRS jet of all time is Triple Cripple, 333.

Watched it last night. Those Boeing execs should've went to prison, however as to be expected the CEO received that $65M golden parachute when he was told to resign by the board. I see a lot of the same quality control problems that Boeing has with their commercial aircraft in the KC-46 (which also has a version of MCAS, but not like the shit design of the original MAX).

I had removed when I was at Altus. I think the DNIF was a week? This was back in 2013, so I don't know if it's changed.

Any KC-135 crewmember knows the stories, or flew on, 58-0050 aka Spook 50. I once convinced an MCT student to make sure the ghost of Spook was annotated on the Form F when we flew on her. https://www.reddit.com/r/ChilluminatiPod/comments/hi50qs/the_time_i_flew_on_spook_50_the_haunted_kc135/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf https://www.macdill.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2002055952/ Spook even has a book on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Spook-Short-Story-David-Joseph-ebook/dp/B00EK3443W/ref=nodl_

However, if you apply for an increase, that disability could be reduced if the VA determines you’ve improved.

The VA also announced today they're proposing amending the rating disabilities for mental health, tinnitus, and sleep apnea. Looks like being rated for sleep apnea and requiring a CPAP is not going to be an automatic 50% anymore. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/15/2022-02051/schedule-for-rating-disabilities-mental-disorders https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/02/15/2022-02049/schedule-for-rating-disabilities-ear-nose-throat-and-audiology-disabilities-special-provisions

There is, however you cannot be "concurrently paid" by the VA and AFRC. If you're entitled to VA compensation, then you have to make a decision to only take one of the pays (obviously the higher one).

I wouldn’t say most counties. Most states waive a percentage of property tax, even at 100%. It’s rare to find one that waives all of it. This is especially a good deal in TX since their property tax rate is one of the highest in the US.

Texas waives all property tax for 100% disabled veterans FYI https://tax-office.traviscountytx.gov/properties/taxes/tax-breaks/disabled-vet-exempt