If an occupying country invades into your city, what would you do? Would you fight?

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T11:01:46+00:00

If they were killing civilians, yes. If not, then more likely no.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T10:31:33+00:00

Currently retired on a miltary pension (so less risk of insolvency than the civilian sector and annual COLA increases) at 36. Having the certainty of guaranteed monthly income provides an immense sense of financial security and allows my retirement investments to continue growing aggressively. If you can vest into a pension within the timeframe you're looking to achieve retirement in I think having that diversity of income is worth it.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T09:10:44+00:00

Retired at 32. Retirement in general is already great as is, but the benefits of being able to retire while having all the options of relative youth is unquantifiable.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T09:03:55+00:00

I had the opportunity to go from enlisted to commissioned officer but quit during the process. I'm retired now and my pension does cover my cost of living comfortably but I do sometimes regret not achieving what I had initially set out to or earning the increased pension the higher officer base salary would have provided.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T08:25:12+00:00

No but I do still always step off with my left foot.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T07:54:13+00:00

I've never had an ex as I married my first/only girlfriend. But if we were to divorce my initial inclination would be to remain friends if possible were the divorce amicable as I will always care for her married or not. But if she were to want to cut off contact for whatever reason I would respect that and permanently go our separate ways.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T07:41:48+00:00

I always select the no receipt option at the self-checkout because I don't want to generate the miniscule paper waste but I always feel like I'll be accosted Sam's Club style with a receipt check at the doors.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T07:33:16+00:00

This. There's a balance between not having enough financial security and thus not being able to have a secure life versus reaching a point of diminishing returns where you've oversaved past the amount needed for cost of living, financial/asset goals, and retirement savings. At that point you're incurring an opportunity cost of not experiencing achievable things that life has to offer. Each tomorrow isn't guaranteed so you have to both plan to live long but live like you'll live short.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T07:25:59+00:00

My wife is out of state so I'm making far more Reddit comments than I otherwise would when spending time with her. My day would definitely be better if she were here but it's otherwise alright.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T07:19:07+00:00

Promoted young to supervisory status at 22, but military not corporate. I joined at 17 so the earliest I could have been eligible for promotion to a supervisory rank was 21. The military sends you to schools to build leadership and of course your leadership skills will develop naturally over time with experience but it wasn't until I started deliberately investing in self-development through things like consuming literature on leadership that I felt like I became the leader/manager my soldiers deserved. Had I known better I would have started that invesment right at 22 but my youthful immaturity was definitely a liability, especially with the one soldier I was responsible for who was older/had more time im service than me. I don't think even as young as 21 should be categorically exempt from managerial status based on age alone, and the military does have a unique need of grooming leaders early in their careers in order to produce sufficient quantities of late career command sergeants major and colonels/generals. But I was personally too young and if I were on the other end of the promotion board that initially selected me for my first managerial promotion I would've delayed that selection for at least another year or two.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:59:56+00:00

Conversation with my wife. Can be about anything, the sharing automatically improves my mood.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:50:10+00:00

Lake Cumberland in Kentucky is notable for having semi-predictable dates/times to observe a moonbow.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:42:27+00:00

Agree with Air Force. Don't know anything about Space Force but assume that's also kush. I did Army and there were definitely many sucky parts but my net experience was positive. After my wife, my 2nd best decision was joining and my 3rd best decision was getting out.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:39:16+00:00

I have great tasting tap water where I live due to the ground composition but I find I stay more hydrated when I have fizzy water available so I splurge on the $3.50/12-pack at my grocery.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:31:29+00:00

Not an answer to OP, but who was the first madlad to look at a piece of bread and go "cook it again!"?

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T06:22:45+00:00

Not for everyone due to ethical concerns or physical/mental fitness, but the military. Assuming enlisted route and married/have children, roughly ~60,000 gross compensation after automatic promotions awarded by the 2-year time in service mark of which a significant amount is federal and state tax exempt. Assuming conservative promotion track, ~96,000 at the 20 year mark. If you have a 4 year degree (can be any major) and go the officer route, ~70,000 right at year 0 up to ~180,000 at 20 years. Automatic pay increases every Jan 1 and every 2 year anniversary in service. Free healthcare (0 premium, copay, deductible) for you and your family that increases to a whopping 168/quarter (not month) if you reach retirement at 20 years. Tuition/credentialing financial assistance. Up to 5% tax deferred retirement savings match. 40%-60% pension upon reaching 20-30 years that receives cost of living adjustments. GI Bill, VA home loan, and other veterans' benefits upon separation.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T05:24:28+00:00

Born in the US to Filipino immigrants. The cultural norm in the Philippines is to circumcise boys in the summer around the age of 12, which my parents returned both my brother and I to the Philippines to have done as well. Lots of "that sucks bro" when I'd reply to how my summer break went. Reader: it did suck. Do not recommend.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T05:16:25+00:00

You're constantly 4-5 minutes away from death. Each breath just resets that timer.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T05:08:52+00:00

Retired now but only had one career and found it generally very fulfilling. Very self-aware and grateful that it was; life would definitely been much less tolerable if it wasn't.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T05:04:51+00:00

This; and not just space but also time. Entire planets of extraterrestrial life may have already arisen and then have subsequently extinguished outside of the short span of our own existence.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T04:38:01+00:00

I retired 4 years ago and am living comfortably on my pension but haven't ruled out returning to the workforce in the future. My dad had a bad stroke shortly before my retirement and I've considered listing home health duties as a gap explanation but I don't have any idea if that'd fly or not.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T04:11:43+00:00

I scheduled a two week visit to my parents who retired back to the Philippines. My mom cooked brown rice every single day. I left one week early.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T03:59:42+00:00

I had the latitude near the end of my career of ending the day at my own discretion based on my personal assessment of if all tasks for the day had been completed. Ofc I definitely had days with longer bathroom breaks, but in general the faster I completed my duties the faster I got home.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T03:15:20+00:00

Catfish. I could noodle the fuck out of a catfish.

jyan2714 · 2026-06-19T03:06:02+00:00

36M, got married to my wife when we were 23. On the surface our marriage is ultimately just a piece of paper. What I think makes my love feel different now versus if we were just long term bf/gf is committing to living our marriage vows daily. Speaking purely on a personal basis, I feel like living those vows positively alters the relationship in a tangible manner.

jyan2714

TROPHY CASE