Havent been on here in along time, how is everyone doing since things slowed down?
Im doin TERRIFIC Joker. I just found out My family is moving from Indiana to Alabama next week. I hope its nice down there 
Havent been really posting much on here within the last 2 months, although i still read every post.
What part of 'bama? My wife is from Tuscaloosa and lived in Mobile for awhile.
Somewhere close to Birmingham I believe. Im joining the millitary after HS ( 1 year left ). Hopefully that doesnt keep me from doing any REI investing!!!
Haven’t done much in B’ham except fly in/out of there. Understand there’s nothing as important in AL as Alabama football. They’re crazy about it there…unless someone is an Auburn fan.
I’m in the military (currently deployed) and doing REI. If it wasn’t for my parents being so wonderful, it would be difficult for me to invest. There are lots of people on here who invest successfully out of state. I’m just glad my family lives near my property and can help take care of the little things that come up. I hire bigger things out if they happen. Understand that it is possible to establish yourself in a certain location while being in the military. It depends on what your job is. It can be done, but it’s definitely more difficult than owning property down the street. I’m strongly taking local real estate markets into consideration when negotiating for my next set of orders.
Indiana University ALL THE WAY!!! 5 National Titles BABY!!!
www.myspace.com/hoosierluv add me if you got myspace.
Anyway, Just wonderin, Justin, what are you in? What places have you been sent to? (navy, army, AF, NG)??
Im really close to picking the Army, but i havent completly decided yet.
My parents are pretty cool, even though they dont anything about investing, they say I can stay with them until the day I die if I want, so I figure ill save my money for a few years with no home payment.
Hoo Rah!
Keith
I’m a Navy guy. On my fourth deployment right now (I’ve got 11 years in).
First deployment - Went to Dubai for 4 days. Spent 5 days each in Perth, Australia and Hobart, Tasmania. That was it for the 6 month deployment
Second - Spent a few days each in Sasebo, Japan; Hong Kong; Singapore; Bahrain.
First two deployments were on an aircraft carrier. Last two have been in a land based squadron.
Third - Spent 4.5 months in “southwest Asia” building sandcastles. Spent two months in Misawa, Japan. Got to party…I mean travel to Diego Garcia, Singapore, Phattya Beach Thailand, and Kadena, Japan.
Fourth - Just started building sandcastles in Africa and will likely go back to SW Asia sometime. This deployment will be all stuck on bases in this area. Can’t go out and see things here…seems they don’t think we’re swell people.
Each service has their pros/cons in my opinion. I joined the Navy because of family tradition and a lack of desire to tote a gun around in the sand. Ironically in my branch of the Armed Forces, we hardly get to shoot guns. Standard Navy deployments are about 6 months with anywhere from 12-18 months at home doing work-ups in between deployments. Seems standard Air Force is a 4 month rotation with about 8 months back (although I have a cousin who flies for the AF with national air defense so he doesn’t deploy). Army is about 12 month deployments…don’t know about time home, but I don’t think it’s much. Marines also have longer deployments. I don’t know much about their rotation. Air Force BY FAR spends the most money on its bases and people. AF bases are awesome compared to others. Most Navy bases are pretty nice. I think Army is next and Marines just deal with the left-overs, but still kick-a$$ with what they have.
There is no way to give some over-arching statement about how your experience will be in a branch of service. Some people’s experiences are great; others hate it. I was pretty content with the way things were going for me until the past year. Now I’ve hit a road block with some things (job related) and it has given me a ton of determination to make REI work for my family.
My advice is for you to find a job/rating/specialty/MOS that you want to do. If you hate what you’re doing, you will close your mind to the many benefits of being in the military. There are many; both intrinsic and extrinsic. The pay was garbage for junior enlisted when I joined in '97. I could’ve made more at McD’s serving Propertymanager his chicken nuggets, but I finished my degree and crossed over into the officer ranks. Though it’s not everything I’d hoped for, it provides well for my family and the medical coverage is awesome. It’s also cool to realize you’re part of something bigger than yourself. There are many things going on in the world that we are part of that just don’t get media coverage because it’s too easy to get ratings by slamming the Iraq war. Regardless of how people feel, we’re here to do what we’re told and make a difference. Even if you don’t want to make it a career, just doing a tour will be good too. You’ll get to see places and meet people you wouldn’t have otherwise. Being able to collect a retirement check after 20 years will be pretty sweet too, but it’s a lot of sacrifice. It’s very tough to leave my family. I’ll be gone from them about 9 months this year. I’ve got 3 girls, a boy, and a wonderful wife hoping I’ll make it back in one piece.
Remember, do something that interests you. The recruiters will offer you “what’s available” based on your ASVAB scores, but they also have slots to fill and will steer you to those slots. If you don’t like what someone offers, go next door to the other branch and see what they’ll give you. Oh and if you think you may like the Army, but aren’t quite sure…the Navy has this relatively new program called Individual Augmentee that will allow you (willing or not) to go play Army in the sand for a year at a time.
Watch out for those 'bama girls…they’re irresistable.
Thanks Justin, ill check out the Navy. My original plan was to go into nursing(non millitary), but now im thinking about being a medic or something like that. I love the Idea of traveling, people who major in medical travel on the boats too ofcourse right?
The only thing im scared is that my 3 years of slacking off my hurt my chances on actually going to a GOOD college that is acceptable by the millitary. My GPA after 3 years is a whopping 4.6 on a 12 point scale(which is roughly a C).
I can go to a school called Ivy Tech that is about 10 mins away from where I live, and they dont check ur GPA or anything, but Ivy Tech probably isnt acceptable for training by the millitary.
I dont know, but I just really hope this millitary stuff wont get me away from RE investing.
Navy medics are referred to as corpsmen. They are both land based and sea based. There was a pilot in our squadron who used to be a corpsman and was just stationed at Naval Hospitals in the states…never deployed. I’m not sure how he got that deal or if it was what he wanted, but there are also corpsmen on the ships too. That should allow you to see some of the world. I’m not sure what the medical contingent would be on a “small boy” (not an aircraft carrier) since I was never on one. There were plenty of them on the carrier and the squadrons have them too. The Navy would send you to a medical school and then send you out to the fleet. You would be enlisted for that. The corpsmen also have a program that allows them to be part of the “Fleet Marine Force” where you are a medic for the Marines. You get fully integrated into a Marine unit and serve with them. The guys I know who have done this loved it. If you chose to get your degree first before joining, you could join the Nurse Corps as an officer. Better pay and benefits that route obviously, but you would have to get your degree first. There are different ways you can go about it. If you’re going to do college and you think you want to join the military, at least go ROTC so they’ll pay for your schooling. ROTC covers your costs and requires you to serve a minimum commitment (length depends on what program you choose). There’s also the military academies too, but that’s just 4 years of silly reindeer games. You could also enlist straight out of high school and then use your GI bill and a program called Tuition Assistance to cover all of your college expenses except books while serving on active duty. That’s how I finished up. If you choose to just go to college on your own (and maybe not serving), I STRONGLY recommend you look at attending a local community college and living at home. Your costs will be miniscule compared to a state or private university. Realize that a 4 year degree takes about 120 or so credit hours. Generally the first 60 are all of your common classes and will be pretty much the same for any degree you want. You can save money by knocking these out at a junior college. Then you can transfer later to a larger university. I didn’t do that and regret not going that route.
The military and its many moves around the country make REI significantly more difficult than for the common person who stays in one place and can build their business. Some options as I see them:
Wholesaling, bird dogging, flipping, rehabbing…all completely doable while you’re at a location for a few years.
Long term rentals…You’ll need either hired property management or you can do what I do and invest where your family is located if they’re willing to help you. If you establish a good team and your parents can show your rentals when you have vacancies, it works out pretty well. When I go home to see my family, I spend some time over at our building working on things. My dad is retired and likes having things to do from time to time. He never expects money, but I throw some his way every once in a while. (my parents are just really awesome, loving people)
You will likely move more frequently while you are getting your training, so in the beginning you won’t really be settled. Once you’re done with that, you can expect about three years or more at a location. As I said before, there are sometimes ways you can do extra tours in the same location depending on your training and job availability. No two military careers or experiences are the same so no one can tell you “this is how it will be.” REI is still possible. There are just some extra things to deal with that most civilians don’t have to worry about.
As far as colleges go…the military doesn’t really care a whole lot about where you go. You just have to have the degree to become an officer (there are exceptions to that rule as well). There may be a GPA requirement for certain programs. You could probably look that up on the internet for nursing or talk to a recruiter.