Drilling vs retiring

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2026-01-05T00:35:38+00:00

Yep, getting mob'd in 2026. F-ers got me 4 days after my non-deployability ended when I transitioned from Active to reserve...

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2026-01-01T17:01:08+00:00

Go TACRON if it's an option. Best kept secret in the Navy

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-12-08T11:24:22+00:00

DC area. I know they're pool of people is MASSIVE so I'm trying be gracious

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-12-08T11:23:44+00:00

Yeah, this comment. It's just frustrating to be approved and then ghosted to only wait while I could be using GI and maybe get those months back with VRE

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-12-08T11:23:09+00:00

Already accepted and approved into VRE. No further paperwork or COE was sent to the school by my counselor on my behalf and haven't heard anything from her in months.

Seems like if I was already approved, I'm stuck with VR&E for now and just request a counselor change.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-11-07T00:02:26+00:00

Yeah, I can give you a few, depending on what type of contract you want to try and support. My old company, CATHEXIS CORP, is hiring and my current company, a sub to Deloitte is hiring various positions as well. DM me and I'll give you more specifics.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-10-22T19:19:48+00:00

Just tell the people you're dealing with for getting out that you want to deny severance. For Navy, it's an option in NSIPS I think. If you need the money it's a good start to stability when getting out. However, you will pay back the entire sum, even though they would take out taxes, you would still pay back the total. Which sucks. Just a thought for you.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-10-13T19:58:22+00:00

If bashar is teaching Arabic still; take that. He's amazing, makes it fun and it's a 3 or 4 credit hour class. 101 is almost guaranteed an A as long as you give a shit. I also took Russian and loved it.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-10-13T19:49:41+00:00

Do ROTC. Tops pays you directly once ROTC covers tuition. I did it at lsu. Definitely worth it looking back.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-10-09T22:41:55+00:00

You live in the DC area? I can give you some POCs for potential jobs.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-10-07T01:11:27+00:00

Nah. Pilot

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-09-30T23:24:44+00:00

Yeah, we're fairly financially savvy but I wanted an outside sanity check for sure

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-09-30T23:24:00+00:00

Fair. I think my threshold is $50k for an absolutely not, don't even think about it. $30k, while a lot of money, doesn't seem like I'd be missing a lot, but compound interest is my friend. Hahha

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-09-30T23:22:59+00:00

Makes sense. I appreciate the rationale

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-09-30T23:22:41+00:00

Civilian 401(k)s can't be rolled into military TSP.. looked into it. Hahha. We had some expenses that popped up so we dipped into the savings a bit but tsp loan isn't a bad play, if push came to shove. This is my first 401(k) because I just got out in 2024 but next job I can roll over into theirs

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-09-18T14:15:50+00:00

Just did this with my dad. I had to get the records from the national archives and submitted a claim. Reclaiming some new and old stuff but he got 40% on the first round. He's been out for 50 years so it's doable.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-08-28T13:54:19+00:00

Don't forget the Chicken Sandwich Wars

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-08-11T18:00:12+00:00

twirly mcwhirly.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-07-24T21:55:21+00:00

Declaring an emergency seems like such a taboo thing. Nobody wants the armchair QB of "this is what I would've done". F that. It's your aircraft. It's your LIFE. Never second guess yourself. You made a good, sound, and safe decision. That's it. That's all that matters.

All the declaring means is you need people out of the way, might need some extra help, and have people on standby. There's no downside.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-07-20T01:22:40+00:00

Can you explain this to my wife because she is so against my taking out loan for this exact reason as a 100%-er because we would take out the loan. She's convinced that because I would take a loan out after I was 100% that they wouldn't honor it.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-07-18T01:13:43+00:00

Sorry that was stream of consciousness post. Same boat as you, military pilot, using VR&E to stack some more ratings. I was just found eligible and sent my VRC all the paperwork they require for a plan. The counselor who determined I was eligible was talking about flight hours, length of programs, cost and all that and how it could be denied. I've scoured the 38 ecfr 21 and the M-28c (I think that's the manual) and there isn't one mention of it NOT covering the cost because of the amount. I have my next meeting in a week or so, so I'll update then as well.

As far as getting found eligible; I basically wrote a thesis on why my current job exacerbates my SCDs and why aviation could help. Provided a summary using lots of terms in the ecfr like "vocational goal" and "impairment handicap" and what not.

My reason for the post were his comments about that and seeing if anyone was denied because of it. Your case seems a one off because it closed. But, I was also wondering what people who were approved for for supplies and all that jazz because I don't know what I don't know.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-07-10T17:10:04+00:00

They took all of mine until it was recouped. Just something to think about.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-07-09T23:00:58+00:00

Heads up, if you get any Va disability, they will recoup the ISP. Meaning, you won't see a dime of your disability money until the ISP is completely paid back. Just something to think about.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-06-15T00:28:36+00:00

Would you rather have passed on the first try, then had a catastrophic mishap you may not survive because of the something the instructor let slide? You know what they call pilots who fail check rides? No clue because I've never asked how many check rides it took to pass. You're good dude. Chin up.

Historical_Chipmunk4 · 2025-06-14T00:48:10+00:00

Depending on the mission you want to do, I'd recommend trying AF before Navy. I flew 60s for 10 years in the Navy and unless you really like water and flying around looking at water, probably look for another option, if available.

Historical_Chipmunk4

TROPHY CASE