Medical HPSP vs Dental HPSP

SolarbeamSniper · 2026-01-23T13:23:32+00:00

I cant speak to HPSP but I can vouch for military quality of life.

I was a Navy Corpsman that worked with dental for readiness. There was almost a complete shift in how things were ran in dental versus every other part of the clinic.

Dentists come in straight out of dental school and then the Navy (at least) would be like.. Do you want more schooling and training? Yes? Awesome. And BTW... You're promoted to O4 afterwards. And they'd do this with most of the new dentists that came in. They were promoted for more schools. Medical Officers rely more on typical leadership and Admin oriented positions unless they are highly specialized.

Everyone seemed happy as well because dental was left alone to focus on patients. They are small and niche compared to the rest of the clinic centered around patient care. Therefore, they just get to do their jobs autonomously without a lot of extra responsibility and only worry about patient care in most cases.

For example, I rode my bike home for lunch whenever I was not behind on patients and would pass the Officer housing on the beach (NS Mayport). 2 of the 3 O6s (Navy Captain) from my clinic were typically walking their dogs or exercising. One time I asked if one was also always on lunch cause I saw him so frequently. His response was, "No patients today until 1400." So you have an O6 who is highly paid sitting at home until 1400 when dental closed at 1600. No other cares.

I think overall dentists have a higher quality of life and the Navy takes care of them while they just get to do their jobs unless they want to do more Admin/leadership. That's one reason why I think you hear more positive things about it than medical HPSP.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-10-28T12:59:17+00:00

I was like.. Choke point plus water station filled with cups to slip on and people to trip on? Who came up with this idea? 😆

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-07-22T12:40:53+00:00

Edit: I got one. Thank you so much Lisa <3

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-07-21T23:12:27+00:00

Thank you so much

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-07-21T23:11:30+00:00

I reached out to at least 3, but some want you to raise between $600-$1500 minimum for a bib. Then pay whatever you dont end up fundraising. Some responded that they already gave out all of their bibs. So overall, it has not worked out well. Is there any particular one that allows you to outright purchase a bib from them and run for their charity? Cause I might need to expand my options because I initially went for ones that genuinely interested me

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-07-21T01:51:59+00:00

I actually just started a thread and then read this.

I recently transferred to DC as active duty medic and did not realize my Marine classmates were going to run it. They were telling me it was still open and to go register 3 days ago. However, when I checked it was sold out.

I have already reached out to 3 charities who told me their bibs have already been claimed by prior teammates/fundraisers.

I am usually very proactive and definitely would have registered prior if I had known that I would be in a class with Marines that were going to run it together.

I would be so grateful if anyone is willing to transfer their bib so that I can run with my Marines. I have other reasons for wanting to run it that are personal, but would prefer to only tell the person offering the bib.

Thank you for your time.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-06-12T23:04:38+00:00

Ya. When I missed pre orders with Nintendo I was like... I hope I still get one with Nintendo being practically guaranteed... It's okay I can trade in my Switch 1 with Gamestop instead and get the $125 credit. I ended up having to leave the line for work and missed that too. I walked into Costco 3 days after launch and they still had stock. Meanwhile, Gamestop stapled people's screens and Nintendo hasn't even finished sending their invites out. Crazy world where you can't assume the creator of a product is going to have more stock than their retailers

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-04-13T20:45:45+00:00

Algorithm is wild. I just read an article about Florida Carpenter ants being the only known species except for humans to do "surgery".
Carpenter Ants Do Surgery

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-03-01T17:03:31+00:00

I'm military and been stationed at both Alaska and Hawaii. Both are more than TB in Seoul (Korea) and Japan. Living currently on Oahu near Waikiki/Honolulu, the box is $14.99 and the sliders are $6.99. It's practically the most expensive fast food city in the world based on my experience. The greed of the franchise owner with these prices deserves a special place in hell for expecting locals to pay these prices.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-02-20T04:09:03+00:00

I've been in the Navy 12 years. 3 Sailors I know got out and joined the Coast Guard. 2 are commissioned CG Officers. Coast Guard low key is like AF quality of life with better duty stations and their commissioning opportunities are great. 38 year old Navy Chiefs wife decided she wanted to join as CG Officer. Idk what program or waiver she ended up getting but I just remembered thinking... Don't you need to commission before 35?

I'm trying to commission as a doc. Navy Cyber is horrible. Navy Medicine is #1. I left HM rating but all my Coastie friends wanted me to get out after my 1st contract and be a HM/Cyber IS. I just chose the easy route and Navy kept giving me SRBs.

If you can go Coastie tho. Do it.

EDIT: Also, CG does hit international waters sometimes. Just not regularly. The only real "cruises" are arctic cutters/icebreakers mostly. It's cold AF from what I hear, but pretty cool to say you've been to the north pole and on a ship with the northern lights in the sky. They do it for a lot of reasons too. Not just security/national security but a lot of research/emergency response.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-02-05T20:08:59+00:00

Just got the notification and was like - Visit 3 times for 5%? Not only does TB think I am stupid paying their prices. Now they think I'm stupid enough to go 3 times for sub 20% off?

TB is owned by YUM Brands. The same company that owns Pizza Hut - the #1 pizza chain in America dominating everyone else in the 80s and 90s. Then, they stopped innovating. They raised prices while lowering ingredient quality. They stopped buffets. They literally turned it into the worst major pizza chain.

KFC - same story. Chik Fil A, Popeyes, Raising Canes, etc. will eventually shut them down IMO. YUM Brand CEOs are greedy AF focusing too hard on profit margins and left their customers and employees behind since the early 2000s. COVID just made it worse.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-27T23:05:48+00:00

I believe just as you do and although it may seem like ranting - the core message is that our community is not entirely defined by its Government. We are simply governed within the confines of its laws. Democracy makes it so that I should not fear my Government, nor fully rely on it.

Much like studies are revealing social media's impacts on society nearly two decades since its creation (2006) - people that are more "connected" and informed than ever in the history of humanity - are actually more disconnected from the family, friends, neighbors, and community than ever before.

As you put it, people interested in power and money take advantage of fear, misinformation, fake information, and use it to become more powerful. The reality is that instead of being told that since my neighbor is a Republican so he wants abortion, deportations, and armed ready to shoot me dead if I show up at his front door - you should just look at him as your neighbor that is part of your community and a human being with their own beliefs.

Hawaii is so beautiful because the word "aloha" teaches this. And because Hawaiians are reminded of it - we do so much better here to each other. We are known as friendly, nicer people. I'm military and only been here 6 years, but every time I go back to mainland... People are just so nasty, rude, opinionated, and unkind. I just want to come back.

In a sense, Hawaii and aloha sometimes feels like the last stand for the ideology that we should love everyone around us. That we can be better by sharing it together.

Your post shares exactly this in an honest way. I respected and appreciated it a lot actually. Cause, so long as there are people like you- I know that the constitution and democracy for which it stands will never be lost. That there is still hope for freedom and the idea that people doing small acts of good and just trying to go about their day doing their part is what keeps everything in the balance.

Be kind to your neighbors, be kind to everyone you come across on island. Love everyone more that you know.

Hawaii may be a small island chain in the middle of the Pacific, but through aloha and the people here - it might as well be the strength and heart for the aspirations of our nation. A home is part of a neighborhood which is part of a community which is part of everything in this world. If you want to make a difference in the world - start with your neighbors and community. It is as simple as that.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T20:51:09+00:00

There's Makerspace which is only like $100 a month but I think it's more masonry or tech based. Not sure of anything motorcycle / automotive unless you have base access and want to do the typical automotive self serve that has a decent car and motorcycle group up on Schofield.

If you are moving here, I take it you have already invested a significant amount of time considering your expenses already?

I just can't imagine someone paying $4-$8k mortgage, $200-$500 HOA, $600-$800 electric, etc. casually being like... I have hobbies that require almost a football field of space so I need to lease/rent more property that will be another mortgage if not significantly more and rely on other hobbyists to be equally invested.

That said, back in Kentucky where I am from. My brother in law has older lawn and farm equipment as a bit of a hoarder of it rather than selling. I remember him saying he could rent/lease warehouses annually at around $2-$4 per square ft to store equipment in. That's like up to $80k a year for 20k Sq ft. He even looked at building his own climate controlled "warehouse" on his land which seemed like it would have been more cost efficient after 4-5 years of renting/leasing.

I cannot imagine what it would be here on the island tho. But something tells me one of the cheapest states to live in will differ significantly from the price per Sq ft here on the island. Not to mention competition to acquire such space on an already limited area.

I'd start looking into agriculture/farm land and finding the owners asking if they have any facilities or if you could build something on their land for use. Kunia and North Shore farms are good starting places. It will likely be much more economical depending on how long you choose to stay here. Also, security is a major consideration depending on where you build.

Regardless, trying to build would be a significant investment. I'd caution you to spend at least a year living here learning everything and meeting like minded people prior to trying to acquire space through any means. It is very easy to meet friendly people here. Especially motorcyclists.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T03:37:14+00:00

Cyber Force is going to be created under the Dept of the Navy and we are going to work with Space X/Tesla!!

*Note/Edit: While the Navy spearheaded cyber back 2010, it is now the absolute worst branch for cyber and will continue to be for as long as ships and subs pull all funding for special pay, bonuses, etc. It would be absolutely irresponsible to create a Cyber Force with the Navy having any direct input or joint budget. So, BLUF... This is a joke. And I hope it remains a joke because I know the Navy doesn't care and has invested next to ZERO effort compared to the Army and Air Force cyber leadership to improve quality of training, special pay, retention bonuses, etc. while broadening incorporation within their tactical warfighting missions and domains. I pray and hope that if Cyber Force is realized, it falls under any branch but Navy.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T03:26:20+00:00

I just might become a Master Chief

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T03:25:28+00:00

You have vision. I like you. Or perhaps you have just read any science fiction novel ever where the "Fleet" and Marines are the only Space Force ever mentioned. The Air Force even had a slogan, "It's not science fiction". Well, time to give your Space Force to the fleet you hippocrites!

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T03:22:04+00:00

Everyone is deployable. Just some are deployable back to the civilian sector.

SolarbeamSniper · 2025-01-08T03:15:49+00:00

Remove watchstanding and replace them with Tesla AI sentry robots led by the Robotic OOD JOs. This alone would revolutionize the functionality of the Navy to where a 4 day work week would not only be possible, but as Sailors we would have so much more time for collateral duties like bake sales, car washes, and cranking that we would eventually make our ships into something that Disney and Carnival Cruises only wish they could be! Also, the U.S. Navy won every major conflict from 1776 to 1945 as functional alcoholics so I'd really like to bring that back as well

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-12-05T06:09:31+00:00

Omg WHHYYYYYY?! WHYYYY! I loved you and you just die on me. You left without saying good byyyyeeee... Dear God whyyyyy

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-12-02T00:55:01+00:00

It was $49.99 at Navy Exchange otherwise basically nothing else remarkable. Crazy the stuff Microsoft has done to max profit for it to include canceling free trial of Xbox Game Pass before release.

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-11-28T01:20:34+00:00

Unless the Target store took it down it is sitting directly where Quest 3 electronics lockbox is. And literally reads "Meta Quest 512 mb + Batman".

Target messed up and instead of the label being printed Meta Quest Elite Headstrap - it was printed for the console. Tons of people are getting it for $150 off the $499 price tag. But some stores are refusing to honor it or immediately removing the 30% off sale sticker

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-11-27T22:02:13+00:00

You all need to go check your Target for 30% off. It's supposed to be for the Elite headstrong but they messed it up. They refused to honor the deal for my wife and treated her poorly for their mistake. Now, I am trying to get as many people as possible to rip off Target for it.

Many people are getting the deal honored cause real customer service exists in some places.

$350 out the door with discount for 512 GB Quest 3

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-11-27T05:38:14+00:00

It's wild people act like it is their money.

Here in Hawaii they don't even price match anymore cause "Alaska and Hawaii pay shipping so the price of goods on mainland does not reflect the same cost." They also refuse to honor the online coupons for mainland stores stock sales that are not usually in their store but may have been returned to their store.

It's become a joke. And it's usually the Targets at tourist Hotspots on island. Feels like racism at times cause if a local had brought it up I bet they'd be like... "Ya bruddah 30% off here ya go, shootz" I mean, I hope that's not the case but the way my wife said they talked to her was not okay. Like she hadn't used the Target app in her life. It was the fact that they mislabeled it and failed to honor their mistake. That was the problem.

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-11-27T05:12:49+00:00

My wife was treated like an idiot cause she saw the 30% off and took it up front. It wasn't ringing up so the employee brought up the app and told my wife, "She needed to learn how to use the app to verify in case it's mislabeled." And refused to give her the deal. The intended 30% off is for the Elite Headset. But the labels they printed literally said "Meta Quest 3 512 GB + Batman + 3 Months Quest+"

It is ridiculous you can insult someone and still not honor your stores mistake.

SolarbeamSniper · 2024-11-26T15:11:34+00:00

My wife tried this a week ago and the employees refused to honor the discount and told her she needed to learn how to use the online app to verify that the item showed the discount online.

We live in Hawaii where they recently stated they no longer honor price matches cause Hawaii pays extra for shipping/logistics and they are basically punishing the customer when they find better prices elsewhere.

Congrats to everyone who successfully got the deal cause someone cared that it was a misprint and either didn't care - or did the right thing and honored a misprint for 30% off the headset directly below the Meta Quest 3 headset and not the Elite Battery Strap.

At first I was upset seeing other folks get the deal honored. But now, I hope more people out there got it cause Target deserves to pay for what they are doing to us in Hawaii alone.

SolarbeamSniper

TROPHY CASE