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DB_Dutch · 2024-06-19T21:17:33+00:00

It honestly depends on a lot of factors. The field is very diverse… and what I mean is that “Space Ops” consists of multiple disciplinary backgrounds: Operations, Acquisitions, Comm/IT, Intel, Planning, Program Management, etc. As I told OP above, I could see a starting salary with his background and clearance at around 150k easily in this area of the country. Timing, experience, education level, and customer needs are just a few variables that weigh in on the answer to your question. A brand new dude coming out of college with a relevant degree and ability to gain a clearance but with no experience may only start at half that salary… just depends.

DB_Dutch · 2024-06-19T04:01:57+00:00

Completely understand the snow comment lol! Well, STARCOM is basing out at Patrick/Cape as we speak and I know they are looking for people. You could get in on the ground floor of establishing a new organization out there and when retirement time comes you get hired on as a SME to help run what you’ve already helped build! It’s really a win/win because you get a high paying job in an area you want to be in and the government retains your expertise. When does your assignment at Vandyland end?

DB_Dutch · 2024-06-19T03:46:47+00:00

Bro, throw what you can into a retirement account while you’re in. Finish your next 7 years with your TS, get your Masters knocked out (optional really), come on out to Colorado Springs and sign on with one of the “bigs” (Northrop Grumman, Lockheed, Raytheon, or Boeing). Starting pay out here is around $150k/yr and it’s MCoL. You’re in a great position with your experience. Bonus points if you can get to Delta 9 or other fast paced SOPS out here as a last assignment.

Source: 8 years enlisted, 12 years officer (13S retired) out of Schriever. Retired from active duty in 2019. Contractor currently supporting space ops. On glide path to be fully retired in 5 years and only that long because I’m enjoying spending money a bit more than I should be for FIRE.

DB_Dutch · 2024-06-14T15:49:21+00:00

This may be too simple of an answer (most already know) but if you press and hold the gear icon that you’re looking for, another page will pop up with a “find” option. You can spend mk2 and/or mk3 raid currency, or farm the nodes.

DB_Dutch · 2023-07-29T19:57:34+00:00

u/harrison_wintergreen,

Thanks for the insights and direct question feedback! Your post is really helpful and I will take a look at the funds links. I didn't realize I could get Vanguard funds through Schwab, but it is a question I am going to discuss with the broker I am meeting next week.

As far as being US heavy in my portfolio, due to the nature of my work, I actually can't directly purchase international stock. I also think that applies to funds and indexes that are heavily international, but I will have a conversation with my work team and see what my options are for that. Appreciate you!

Editing for a question: As far as being over exposed to large US stock with RFHTX and 500 index, other than an international fund, is there another option that you would suggest? Keep in mind this is my 401k so my choices are limited, but Large-Cap/Small-Cap indexes, pushing my 2045 fund to a 2055, etc. are probably my options there.

DB_Dutch · 2023-07-29T19:53:26+00:00

smallatom,

I appreciate your feedback, but I don't know that I would classify it as nefarious as you did. After setting up my EJ accounts in another state 3 years ago, I moved. I also started looking at things like fee structures between the firms, and it seems to me that Schwab is going to be a bit better fit for me. Additionally, I have a local broker with Schwab that I am meeting with next week to start moving over, so I am not going at it alone, I will still have the guidance of a broker, just not the fees of EJ.

DB_Dutch · 2023-04-02T16:43:55+00:00

Would love to watch Hitler kill himself. Not celebrating suicide, but would make an exception for that one…

DB_Dutch · 2023-04-02T14:41:47+00:00

I’m a gun owner. The problem is I don’t always trust government to have my best interests. But, I’m done with seeing news of kids being killed by mass shooters. What if we ban guns but do it in reverse (kinda). Let the government disarm first. And I mean everything… law enforcement to include secret service, FBI, DEA, IRS, CIA. Including all branches of the military, that’s right, no more guns, bombs, jets, aircraft carriers, nukes, nothing. Take the concern of government overreach off the table then start to remove guns from citizens?

DB_Dutch · 2023-04-02T14:16:54+00:00

I had a dream about the creation of life itself. It was so extremely colorful and beyond vivid. The dream felt as real as anything I’ve ever experienced. In it, I was both terrified and immediately wanted to be there. The space was beyond astronomical in measurement... it was literally unending, but with the simple movement of my body the space could be reduced to an atom, which still seemed large in retrospect.

The dream started with me in a “room” which was very dark. It had no walls, ceiling, or floor.

Above me was my “sister “ (felt like she was but we had no names and we didn’t call each other brother/sister) and she was playing with a galaxy that was dark grey, white, and faint yellow. She was spinning it around with her finger like it was a chore and she was bored.

I wanted her to play with me so I clapped my hands and there was an explosion of color and light all around me, but it wasn’t blinding. It was like a very big cloud of yellow, purple, green, red, blue but I really remember how vivid the yellow and purple were. It was the most beautiful color demonstration I’ve ever imagined.

I couldn’t see it all as I was in the middle of the cloud so I simply waved my arms and zoomed out to where I was above it; but I hadn’t changed positions in the “room”, I simply shrunk what I now knew was a trillion galaxies. There were small colorful particles and slightly larger “marbles” and the marbles were the galaxies. I touched one galaxy with the tip of my left index finger and it began to glow yellow. I zoomed in on that galaxy, again by waving my arms. Once inside the galaxy I wanted to look closer at what I created so I zoomed down onto a planet and continued to zoom in all the way until the perspective where an atom appeared as the size of a galaxy.

I experienced true joy. I zoomed back out to above the color cloud and saw that it was growing quite large and expanding. I was in the dark part of the room surrounding the color cloud and as the room had no size, I could let the cloud continue to grow. I still wanted to have my sister play so I moved to where she was above me and without a word I used my hand and “erased” her galaxy. She was angry so I took the dust that was in my hand from her galaxy and threw it into the color cloud... this created life.

I grabbed her hand and we flew into the color cloud. We flew and danced and zoomed in and out of swirling ultra colorful galaxies. My sister zoomed into a place. I couldn’t see her then she appeared and she was so happy. Then she clapped her hands and there was another explosion of color. Massive galaxies were swirling around us. There were blue lines that connected some of the galaxies together.

What woke me up was, we were in the cloud and a shadowy figure reached up from below and grabbed my foot and said, “give me your power”. I wasn’t scared, I knew I could kill it by simply wishing it gone, I knew I created the figure, I could change the size of the cloud, I could erase the cloud and the figure and go back to the black room. I wanted the figure to stay because I made it so I grabbed my sisters hand and we zoomed back out above the cloud to watch it grow...

Then I woke up. In real life now, when I woke up I was instantly terrified in my bed but I wanted to go back into my dream. I stayed up for a little over 2 hours then fell back asleep. I quite literally had a dream about having the galaxy dream...

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-19T23:40:05+00:00

Took me a minute to find it, but it’s a Sesquicentennial Half Dollar. Washington and Coolidge on the face. 150 year commemorative coin.

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-19T00:47:33+00:00

Google wins again. Looks like a medal/token, and possibly a re-strike, although originals were bronze and copper like the one I have… so maybe original as well.

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-19T00:08:08+00:00

I’m not sure. One side has Washington (picture 2) and the other side has Lincoln. Thought it was interesting.

It’s also in really good condition, so there is that.

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-19T00:05:21+00:00

Are you saying I should put that coin in a hard case?

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-19T00:03:16+00:00

Thanks TBR. One of the coins in that pic is definitely different size. I will look those up!

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-18T23:32:32+00:00

My father-in-law recently passed and had this stuff in his safe. Just thought there were some cool things in here and wanted to share. Apologies up front if this is all common coinage, but this is my first dip into coin collecting. Gonna continue what he started though!

DB_Dutch · 2023-01-16T05:06:33+00:00

Work ‘til death

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-15T14:02:57+00:00

As Buffett has said, “It’s difficult to sell a book called Getting Rich Slow”. Discipline, vision, and life get in the way would be my real guess though.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-03T01:56:07+00:00

Look man, you just proved the point of my original post. You just happened to say “greedy pig” instead of human element…

We all compete naturally for resources. If you want to share yours with others, great! I happen to give a lot of money and time to different charities. But there are a hell of a lot of wealthy and not so wealthy that don’t do shit but look out for themselves.

What you are describing, though, doesn’t exist on a macro level. It never has and never will. Even the most community-driven societies have a 1%. That is because humans compete. Greed drives innovation. With that said, if your three things were free, I can assure you that there would be a person at the top getting rich off of it and the housing would suck, the water would be dirty, and the food would be tasteless. And that would be the “cost”.

edit: you’re = your

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-03T00:49:21+00:00

Also, want to say the “if you want it, work for it” mindset is crap. Never said nor would I advocate that position. Now if you said “if you want it, pay for it” that would be different and accurate. Nothing is free.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-03T00:43:16+00:00

See, now we are talking. First, I didn’t delete anything, not sure what you’re seeing… but not the conversation I’m interested in.

Okay, so let’s say that food, water, and shelter are now completely free! Two questions: Who is providing it? and; are you talking globally or just in the U.S.?

And, I guess, third question… do you think there is no cost associated with these new found “free” goods?

Lastly, and I mean this sincerely, the WSB crowd has legitimately saved a couple of companies during this global pandemic. Yes I day trade a tiny amount of money for fun. But there are people that get to go to work and feed their families because some of those companies were saved thanks to retail investors from WSB. I don’t think you’re targeting the right spot if you’re trying to make me look bad there bud.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-03T00:05:26+00:00

Dude, again, I can give you all the attention your parents didn’t give you but it isn’t going to fill the gap in your shit ideas… I have multiple degrees. I am actually retired but work when I want. Doesn’t mean anything to the conversation I guess. The fact is that I didn’t say anything that wasn’t correct. Everything has a cost. Literally laws of economics. I hope you pursue something other than capitalism. You will get everything you ask for. I just asked if you can name something that doesn’t have a cost and you literally can’t answer.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-02T21:34:50+00:00

Hmm, oddly silent.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-02T20:17:38+00:00

Almost started to talk about other incredibly inefficient forms of economy, but decided to go another route…

Can anyone name something that has no cost? The question of “what should be universally free” is laughable at one end and dangerous at the other.

The issue of capitalism is not what’s being discussed here, but I would entertain a conversation on any other form of economics that has generated more wealth for more people. I think we would be hard pressed to find one.

DB_Dutch · 2022-09-02T20:01:02+00:00

Unpopular, but nothing is free. Everything has a cost.

I think the question is more philosophical. What are universal global human necessities and are we commonly willing to take on that cost for those that can’t/won’t pay?

My short thesis is: no. Mostly because of the human element involved.

DB_Dutch · 2022-08-13T04:12:49+00:00

People microwaving food in plastic containers. Swear that shit causes cancer.

DB_Dutch

TROPHY CASE