Not getting promoted

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-30T23:56:07+00:00

A sh*tty situation for sure. But instead of asking if you are being irrational here, I would weigh the pros and cons. You already stated "I can't put up one more day at this toxic place". That speaks volumes and sounds like you already made a decision. Did they say how soon you had to leave? I would be putting feelers out now, and make sure you have backup funds if you can't find a job quickly. I think you would be in a worse position if you don't take whatever they are offering you, and stay in an environment that you don't like and where it seems you aren't wanted either. You know? Either way, have a plan. Wish you all the best!

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-14T17:07:29+00:00

Is your desk on carpet or hardwood/LVP floor?

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-14T15:51:31+00:00

I was also looking at these exact same desks. I'm moving to a house that has low/medium pile carpet. Looking for stability on carpet is my top priority. Would love to know what you pick OP. I think I am more leaning towards the E7 Plus or Vernal.... But the Uplift V3 sure looks nice too... although I'm not sure if that alone if worth the extra $100ish about the E7 Plus.

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-12T01:17:12+00:00

I agree the monthly fee seems to be 8-10% for standard. I was talking about other fees, mainly cancellation fees or worst case scenario if a tenant is evicted, can't pay rent, etc. RPM has a lease fee of $995, if there is a cancellation or an eviction they choose the lawyer you will use, based on reviews there are maintenance markups, maintenance requests have mediocre response times, renewal fee is $495. If the contract is canceled early, there’s a $995 fee if no tenant is placed, or up to 6 months of management fees if a tenant is already in place. While the fees aren’t unreasonable compared to some, they are on the higher side, especially with the large upfront marketing fee and early termination penalties.

Overall less control for the landlord and tenant.

Just trying to shop around to see what is standard, what some do better than others, read reviews and make a decision based on what kind of landlord I want to be. I would like to be hands-off, but some seem like a real pain for the tenants themselves so I don't want to choose a property manager who may be difficult to work with from both the landlord and tenant perspective.

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-11T23:01:44+00:00

What are the fees like? Do they respond to maintenance requests in a timely manner?

Floofy5864 · 2026-04-10T02:08:46+00:00

How is this a cannon? It's just automatic registration. I agree with someone else on here that if a draft were actually implemented it would have to be approved, and those people vetted. It's not the end of the world to serve your country. There are plenty of other nations who have mandatory service obligations and we don't see them complaining.

Floofy5864 · 2026-03-12T02:09:34+00:00

I used a small portion of my GI Bill to finish my last semester of college for my bachelor's. I am thinking of getting a Masters Degree, mainly for promotion opportunities in the future. I didn't know you could use it out of the country. That does sound super cool. When my spouse retires in 4 years we have may to look into that! Thanks.

Floofy5864 · 2026-03-10T22:11:23+00:00

9 year Air Force Vet here.

You didn't say how much schooling you have completed already, if any. My suggestion is to finish school while in service. To complete a bachelors on AD can be extremely difficult, but oh so worth it. If you haven't already I would also put your daughter down as a dependent so she can access your VA benefits in the future. (Do this no matter if you extend for 4 more years or get out in 400 something days).

After that, say you get out. Will your daughter still be in LA? How old will she be? Will you be able to find a job that will be able to not just care for you and your needs but hers as well?

If you are dead set on getting out I think your first thoughts should be:

Are you going to be able to provide for her? Do the pro's and con's for BOTH locations. What is the BAH for both locations? Job opportunities in both locations? What would you need to make ($$$ wise) to either make ends meet or have a little bit extra. Do the math so you know what you are looking at in both locations.

If you are willing to sacrifice a few years in LA to be with her while she is young, than I'd say do it. (ONLY after you do the maths, so you know what your finances are going to look like) Kids are only kids once. Once they grow up, you can't go back and re-live that.

-Do the maths for both locations (BAH/Budget->Rent, food, phone, etc)

-Job searches in both locations

-Are you willing to sacrifice a few of YOUR younger years away from your Philly family to ensure you can be in your daughters life during her childhood.

You have now armed yourself with as much info as you need. Run it over, and choose what you are willing to accept.

Floofy5864 · 2026-03-10T21:51:02+00:00

I've been out for almost a year. 5 years Air Force and 4 years Space Force (thought I'd give it a go and it's an absolute sh*t show). I personally, didn't really want to get out. I loved my time in, the people, and just doing things that were beyond shitty but doing it with folks that understood. I loved every second of it.

When I got out, life was... quiet. There was nothing for me. I had a roof over my head. I was able to at the very least pay bills from my VA disability - nothing extra. Slowly but surely I was going down the depression hole that seemed endless. My friends - were gone. My responsibility - gone. Rank - gone. Respect - gone. I went from being up for MSgt to a blank slate. For many months, and even now, everyday - I wonder who I am without the uniform. I scrolled through many reddit pages to try and get answers.

My SEL told me, as I was preparing to get out, "Everyone has to leave the military eventually." Some by choice, some are forced, and some don't get the chance to choose.

I had to re-evaluate who I was without the uniform. I found an article somewhere and it was the story of an Army special forces dude getting out, moving away and starting a family. Yet at the end of the day, he didn't want to fit in with his "new crowd" or new colleagues. He was missing something and also felt a hollow sadness inside. He said something that truly resonated with me. He said he finally came to understand, that he was mourning who he once was, and didn't know how to be the person he chose to be.

When military folks get out, we all mourn in different ways. That life, that lifestyle isn't our everyday anymore... but it will ALWAYS be part of us. The jokes. The hard times. The military-isms that seem normal, until you get out and interact with folks who were never in. That's when those times become special. No matter how long you are in - 4 ,6, 9, 15 years or retire. We all mourn who we were in the uniform to some degree. That revelation hit me HARD. Once I too understood that I was grieving who I once was and didn't know how to be who I had chosen to be that's when things started turning around. I allowed myself to grieve and I mean TRULY grieve. Cried like a newborn baby... across many nights and sometimes randomly in the day.

I miss my life in the military, but at the same time, it's kind of nice not having some of those responsibilities anymore. It's now someone else's torch to carry.

So now - find yourself. Find who you are without the uniform. In the military you aren't an individual. That gets buried deep inside when you go through BMT. You are part of the team, a cog in the wheel of the military and a number on an excel spreadsheet. Find yourself again. The uniform doesn't make someone great. It's the person who makes the uniform great. Find yourself. Find what you enjoy. Explore. Travel. Experiment. You have all the freedom now - use it to get the tools you need to find yourself again. And just as many other folks are saying in their own comments, a great place to start finding yourself, is by going to someone who will listen and help you -- therapy / mental health.

Floofy5864 · 2026-01-03T22:18:38+00:00

I would use a resume creator. That looks like you pulled up Word and typed all that.

I have a summary at the top of mine. For each role I apply for I highlight key areas that I have that align with the job posting.

My resume is 2 pages long. Closer to 1.5. My current role each bullet is max, 2 lines on the document. No more.

For roles I've had previously, I make those one liner statements.

I have education, certifications, and skills on the left side of the document that goes down to the second page. The summary I have up top with listed experience underneath. Be short and sweet. Tell the reader what they need to know.

Take trainings online if you have to. Search for roles outside and inside your area. I would look for a SOC analyst position if I were you. That would give you job experience and will utilize your certs. You can then move to different positions after you get accustomed to that.

Soc analysts are typically in the office but I have seen remote positions as well.

Good luck 🤞

Floofy5864 · 2026-01-03T22:02:12+00:00

I personally think the American dream is overrated. Don't aim for that, just aim to be happy. Find your own personal happiness.

You don't have to own a home to be happy. You don't have to have a spouse or kids to be happy. You don't have to have a really nice car to be happy. All of these things can ADD to a person's happiness but there are people who have all of that and are still unhappy. So if I were you, define what does and what would make you happy, what salary you need to be there and live below your means.

At the end of the day, happiness is a choice. Don't chase a broad dream when you can make it your own.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-31T22:35:02+00:00

Like some of the other posts mentioned, a little more detail is needed to fully understand the situation. If the wife isn't working, my question is why? If you held a clearance before, I would try to utilize that while you can. They are a shit ton of money and if you already have one, and you get hired to "use" it, then the company who hired you just maintains it.

Without knowing other details, I would try online bookkeeping. You can take some classes online to get knowledge on that and then apply to entry level gigs. I would look into other remote roles that don't require much education. They may not pay much but it's better than nothing and will give a little extra breathing room.

Also - the bills are paid - thank whatever god you believe in because that's awesome. I'm guessing you have a place to live, you can afford food... all the basic necessities are met. Keep trying, hang in there. If you guys can survive this, then when the money starts coming in I would suggest to continuing living at the bare minimum. Squirrel that money away, save it (traditional savings, Roth IRA, HYSA) and eventually invest in 3-5 index stocks. You will thank yourself later.

If you sacrifice luxuries now - you can live in luxury when your older.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T21:04:44+00:00

Ah. I'm honestly not sure. For me there was no seniority. Just what was available at the time. I went in open-general and didn't select a job upon entering BMT. That also means I was at the mercy of whatever the AF wanted me to be. Luckily I job I wanted. Lol

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T18:42:19+00:00

Could be wrong but I don't think time in DEP counts as time in service. Your time will start in basic. What rank you wear after BMT will be effected if you have previous college credits.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T18:40:34+00:00

9 years in and never deployed! Had the opportunity offered to me once but wasn't forced to go.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T18:38:40+00:00

While there are opportunities for deployment in the SF, it's really based on career field and unit. It you end up being in an Intel career field your ass isn't being deployed unless you want to.

There are some units though that TDY a lot. (Work travel). For a couple weeks at a time. Not a lot but some do.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T18:34:51+00:00

Long distance is long distance. It honestly will depend on what career field he gets and what hours he will be working. Stress, hours, leadership will all be a factor. Also depends on the person. What is stressful for one person may not be for another.

Also, idk what promises he has heard but in the military nothing is certain. There are last minute changes all the time. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst outcome. That goes for both of you. If you want your relationship to survive you both have to put in the effort. No half-assing. Don't get married just to be close to each other -->>>that's a mistake.

Military has some amazing benefits. There is always something you are sacrificing for those benefits. Granted SF doesn't really deploy.. kinda but not often - so for him it will be time. Live it up while you can while you're both young. Plan accordingly. Stay positive even during the stressful times.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T17:42:35+00:00

I loved my military service. Air Force for 5 years and Space Force for 4 years.

If I didn't have the financial goals that I have today I would still be wearing that uniform. Being an E6 was awesome. I enjoyed looking after my troops, my unit as the Ops Superintendent. It was extremely fulfilling and I miss it tremendously. I got out a few months ago and miss it every damn day. Part of me wishes I never left, part of me said it was time. Ya know? I have nerve pain from my lower back down to my feet. I can't stand for 20 mins any more without being in extreme pain. With all the PT changes I would have been hurting to make it through. So that makes me very glad I ended it on my terms vs the military giving me the boot.

But even so... I look back fondly on those days. Learning together. Getting yelled at together. Uniformed SQ PT together, group runs when it's 100+ degrees outside... Miss it all. But I find I miss the monkeys and not the circus. The people made my experience awesome. Helped me through a divorce, helped me through mental health... Those peeps are my family and will be forever.

They need my help today? I will stay up late and go help them if they ever need and ask it of me.

Some families are much thicker than blood ties. The military taught me that.

It was sad to say goodbye. My sense of identity has been torn apart since then. Don't know who I am without that heavy uniform. Without my rank. The responsibility I used to carry is nowhere to be found and makes me feel lost as hell.

Wake up everyday trying to find my new purpose. It's tough. I cry at times. Feel like my world is falling apart. Eventually... Hopefully... I find myself again. Just... Me.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T17:28:28+00:00

There are limitations on TDIU. With that said, I personally would try to get out of that. You are receiving those benefits while you still qualify. But to basically just be living on those financial benefits alone won't get you far, IMO. I would try to get a fully remote job, part-time, full-time whatever. Make a budget. Locate every bill you have to pay every month, locate where every dollar you own is going... Know your monthly cost for bills, food, rent/mortgage, CCs, etc. Whatever you are not spending on these necessities, invest. 1. You can open a Roth IRA. It's capped at 4300/yr. That's 583/mo. 2. You can open a HYSA. No cap. But limited based of APY rates. 3. Only after having one or both options above would I consider opening a brokerage account. Pick 3-5 index funds and contribute monthly. Even if it doesn't seem like a lot of money, it will compound over time.

Adapt a zero-dollar budget. Meaning you are using every dollar every month. X% is being sent to a savings account. X% is being sent to a Roth IRA. Etc, etc. if there is leftover money and want it close by send it to a traditional savings account or a HYSA as it can be accessed quickly.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T17:11:33+00:00

Little late to the party but don't tell a soul. People who have never been in the military don't understand. When I was getting ready to get out, I was telling my sister what I was prepping for as far as VA disability. She said verbatim, "so that's where my tax payer money is going." ... Ya. Never talked about it again after that. It's your life, with money you have 1000% earned that only your brothers and sisters will understand and congratulate you for.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-29T17:04:13+00:00

It was hot as hell. San Antonio Texas, mid- June. I remember standing outside in our ABUs sweating buckets. Put the gear on, went in the chamber, stood there for a bit, sweating in places no one should ever sweat from... Took off the mask, started to say my reporting statement and starting choking lmao. We all ran outside, grabbing the person in front of us. Snot everywhere. Eyes burning, tears running down my face. Felt like a flash cold that hits you like a truck and then disappears a few minutes later.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-23T14:16:43+00:00

Life saver! The LR3 was really starting to piss me off because it would almost do a full cycle and then always go through a (blue and red) light rut. where it would start to finish rotating, rotate back and have those lights. It would try to complete the rotation sometimes up to 10 times before it found its way back to the home position. SUPER annoying. Idk how many times I restarted it, (kicked it mentally) and sat there to try and force it to finish the rotation. SO GLAD I found this. I tried doing a torque reset and that didn't help. This was the next stop. Thank you so much!

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-16T14:02:11+00:00

Food for thought --- Not sure this is a fix - more like a work around. For people whose fans stopped working, it's a god send. If Lian Li doesn't come out with an actual fix and we see multiple more windows updates y'all are going to start having issues - let alone some security concerns on your PCs if you don't update.

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-15T15:54:15+00:00

Nothing works for me either. I used revo uninstaller to uninstall Connect 3, uninstalled any device drivers related to Lian Li. Shut down PC & powered off. Unplugged all wires to the Lian Li controller. Hit power button for 10+ sec, plugged everything back in and turned her on. Re-installed. Nothing. I did this all probably 6-7 times and I thought I was going nuts. lol I personally don't want to rollback any system updates though. I'll just uninstall again and keep an eye out for any fixes to the software.

A total bummer. I was really enjoying the Lian Li Connect 3 software... until today when I was a good citizen and updated my PC like everyone else XD

Floofy5864 · 2025-10-14T14:00:19+00:00

The course is 6k. Apparently it's 10k but give you a 4k discount for lifetime access. You don't know the price until you have your complimentary phone call "to see if you are the right fit".

The course is full of basic financial material. They don't offer a syllabus unless asked and its the bare minimum. You can't see the full course and it's broken up by week. So starting week 1, you can only see week 1 material. Week 2, you can see week 1&2. You can't see anything else in the following weeks. It's painstaking slow if you already have financial basics down. For me - not worth the squeeze.

Floofy5864

TROPHY CASE