How did you financially plan for your transition from the military?

2019-01-18T13:16:44-05:00

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Response by LTC Stephan Porter made Jan 18 at 2019 7:44 PM

2019-01-18T19:44:29-05:00

Though they weren’t bad, I did not find them better than RBFCU!

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Jan 27 at 2019 11:11 AM

2019-01-27T11:11:25-05:00

I had funds set aside every pay day.. bought Savings Bonds Treasure notes... ever since I first entered the AF. Actually since I entered AF Reserve... so I had a nice nest egg.. when I got to acertain amount I put a bunch in Reserve.. like a #2 account . Just couldn’t call it that. Some guys thought I was in the money..
I just knew how to manage and not live paycheck to paycheck.. I lined up job
as Chef 6 mo. before exiting AF... and retiring. They had State unemployment service people from Va. at base processing and I took care of transfer to Mi. Worked in Va. at NCO club and O club.. When I got to Mi., I started at new job.., checked in at Mi Works.. they gave me hullabaloo about getting a job so quick. “So what’s the prob, ... you want me scraping around soon as I get home?
I lined up job before I returned at a hotel chain.. geez ! Gal said I stole a position before someone else could apply for it...
tough cookies ! .. “early bird gets the worm !” “How you get Food Handler Card so fast?”... I have a Special Certificate.. and got copy of my Fed card and they forwarded to Hotel and got my County card for me using that.. Some people at state not happy with me side-
stepping and getting stuff done to start
work earlier.. oh well !..

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2019 10:18 PM

2019-01-28T22:18:47-05:00

I didn't have a plan, I came to basic with only $20 in my pocket, that my father's retired ship mate gave to me. He said to take the $20 and spend it in a whore house, which I did in San Francisco 1972.
My father a retired Naval CPO told me before I left, the Army will provide everything I would need, and the Army did.

Getting out, I had $1200 the Army gave to me because, they had to pay my way home to Guam from North Carolina, and ship my POV. The company clerk's mistake, I should have been sent to Hawaii to ETS.

So, with all that said, I brought with me after getting out of the army, the skills to do a good complete job, and see things through as needed, and that's all I needed to enter civilian life.

Most will say you need money to survive, but in "Essence", it's was the 'Can Do Attitude" that the Army embedded into my skill sets to survive in my travels in life. Amen!

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Feb 11 at 2019 5:40 PM

2019-02-11T17:40:48-05:00

Ask a lot of questions from professionals -- that's a great way to learn. I've had a few chats with Navy Federal people on various personal finance topics, like "How does this work, or how does that work?" -- and they explained things to me patiently without trying to sell me on stuff. I appreciated that.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2019 6:47 PM

2019-02-11T18:47:48-05:00

I made sure that I had enough bus fare to get off the base and to the airport. I couldn’t think any further than that at one time!!!