Cautionary advice for owning a house while in the military

Certainly owning a house is one of most everyone's dream. But military members are unique. They travel. They get transferred. Career military personnel can move quite a bit. Buying a home is a big step, and an even bigger one if done while on active duty.

First, your home is a huge investment. And it might not pay off. If you move in a couple of years, your house probably will not have increased that much. You could have little equity. The costs of selling your house might strip away any gains. If you can't sell it before you have to move, you will still owe payments. Trying to rent might be an iffy proposition. Will you get enough to cover the costs? How will you manage the place while you are overseas, or at best, a domestic base? It's hard being a landlord as it is. You could end up with a big headache. A house left alone without occupants is ripe for vandalism.

Military pay can be supplemented by housing and combat pay, along with other allowances. Those are tax free, so any tax break of owning a home might not be there. Just using the standard deductions, a military family might not owe any tax to begin with. Don't get snookered into buying a home because of some big tax break that might not be there.

On-base housing, if you get it, is the best way. Local rentals are the next option.

If you are in your last years and know for a fact that you have reached your final duty station at home, you might consider buying. But there is a great benefit for veterans. VA home loans.

The best advice perhaps is to just wait.

Pentagon "Jumps the Shark" on new pension plan

The military has been making some very suspect decisions lately, from top to bottom. From ISIS to Iraq, Bergdahl, and everything in between. We can't keep up with the contradictions and questionable actions. Of course it does come from the Commander in Chief, who has been pretty clueless on the world stage anyway. But we digress. Now they propose a radical change in the military retirement system. Now, after 20 years, you retire at 50% of your base pay. In the scheme of things, that's not bad, but not great. Since a lot of military members are young, after 20 years they are still relatively young. So getting another job and retirement gives them a chance at a second career if they need it. Now it's not great, but getting 50% after only 20 years is pretty good. We have to admit that upfront. No, you won't get rich, but it is a carrot dangled in front of you to stick it out for 20 years. Or more. And that's a good thing. We should reward those that stick their necks out for our country. Now the new plan. We'll call it the beginning of the privatization of the military. That's dangerous. It's the first step to treating the military as if it were just another federal agency or private company. The people that work their must probably pay into their own retirement with a contribution from the company. And that is what is being proposed. Having military members contribute from their already meager checks into a retirement system. This will undoubtedly be mandatory. Instead of retiring after 20 years at half pay, a member will now draw on some screw ball annuity, dropping that 50% to 40%. Okay. Perhaps you say still not bad. But we are forgetting the forfeiture of pay for those 20 years. Not only will retired service members get a smaller paycheck while serving, they get a smaller check when retiring. This is a screw ball idea. Of course higher ups think this will be great! Sure. Why would anyone make the military a career, when a private job would probably offer a better retirement? If you force people to pay who have never paid before, at least give them more! But, no. The Pentagon says they will match up to 5% contribution from military paychecks. Now we ask you, can you see military members wanting to give up 5% of their income? How many stories do you read about how military families are struggling? Members who leave early will indeed be able to withdraw it, maybe, but e bet their will be a penalty. And just when you thought it could not get worse, check this detail out. After 20 years, military members will be offered some sort of higher pay IF they stay 8 more years...why? It is hoped that this would help offset the reduced retirement. So now you must stay for 28 years... We fully recognize those that do serve longer than 20 years now. The incentive is that they will get a bigger retirement. But this is without paying one dime. This should scare a lot of people. Can you imagine the steps we would be taking to privatize the military? No more military rules. We'd probably get a union and see a strike. Write your congressmen and women. Tell them to vote no.

Bergdahl Charged With Military Crimes

Remember Bowe Bergdahl? The person who President Obama celebrated the release of at The White House? The moment that Obama and others in the administration were championing this as some great feat of diplomacy? Turns out it was as everyone with half of a brain knew: It was a great feat of lunacy.

Make no mistake. This was not about leaving nobody behind. That phrase makes no sense. Every war has deserters, instances of AWOL, being friendly with the enemy, and many stay near the battle theaters. For many reasons, good and bad. We do not risk American lives to bring them back.

We did risk American lives to find Bergdahl. Even at that time the military knew he walked away under questionable circumstances. So why did we trade high level Gitmo detainees? Because it was all about negotiating with terrorists on the premise of emptying Gitmo. Terrific idea, right?

We are supposed to be a country that does not negotiate with terrorists, and members of Congress are supposed to be briefed on matters like this before it happens. But hey, nobody cares much about following all laws in DC, do they? A president seems to be able to pick and choose how and when to follow the laws.

It's a sad day, but on the other hand, it's justice for those who knew this trade was a sham. It shows the brain-dead people working in The White House had no clue this would happen. We can't figure that one out.

Susan Rice just showed that "Susan Rice" should become a verb. The art of speaking stupidly on Sunday news shows.....She championed false statements about Bowe Bergdahl: He served with honor and distinction.

False statements just seem to flow like water.

Here's the saddest part. Members of the military died looking for this fool Bergdahl.

How ironic. Just think about this as you talk around your friends and family on this Bergdahl nonsense. Bowe Bergdahl hopefully will be locked away for a long time, at the same moment that five terrorists are going free.

And America should not be happy.

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How you can support the troops

Supporting the troops, honoring a veteran, is one of the most patriotic things you can do. Many people would love to just make each and every military service member feel like they are much appreciated. Of course it is impossible to thank everyone, but if you do a few things, you can spread love, support, and goodwill among our military members. Below are just simple few ways to show your appreciation for our troops and veterans. Make it a point to show your support for our troops!

 When you show patriotism, you show you care about our military personnel as well. Patriotism is perhaps the number one way you can show your appreciation for our men and women in uniform.

 Whenever I see an American flag on a house, business, or even a lapel pin, it makes me instantly think that the person doing that supports service members. So, if you can display the American Flag outside your house or business, or wear that lapel pin, do it.

 Purchase a whole bunch of small American flags, and put them on the graves of soldiers. When visiting a cemetery, find out what the rules are and when they mow the grass. Do your deed the day after so they stay up longer.

 Attend veteran's events like parades. Stand and cheer for the veterans who come by and are participating.

 Stand up and be reverent to the national anthem at sporting events.

 If you see a service member in their uniform, go up to them and thank them personally. But remember, a Thank You is never enough.

 Contact a local military base and ask them how you can show your appreciation to the men and women in uniform who are stationed there.

 Find a website that allows you to donate items and care packages to military personnel overseas.

 Ask your family and friends if they have any relatives in the military. You can honor them personally by writing them or sending them packages or gift cards.

 Do you own a business? Give a military discount and ADVERTISE it! Make it a decent discount that really counts! Get other members of your community to give discounts as well.

 Teachers, find out if any of your students have relatives in the military. Your class can adopt this soldier or sailor and write letters, send cards, and more. This can lead to a greater appreciation instilled in our young people for military service. Perhaps get them to visit your class!

 Visit a veteran's hospital and spread a little cheer to the sick and disabled veterans. Find out how you can volunteer and how you can help.

 Encourage young people who are wondering what do with their lives to consider the military. Not every job gets combat. The Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, Air Force are HUGE operations. They need personnel in every aspect, from desk jobs to health care, from build up, to tear down, from mechanics to pilots. The military IS an honorable career choice.

 Almost every town has a military recruiter. So, if your town does not have a military base, the recruiting office will have military personnel to meet, greet, and support. They may also know how you are able to help other military members. Find out if they have a meeting of new recruits before sending them off, and see if you can visit and tell them, "Thank You!"

>> Veterans make good teachers! 

Brian Williams is what's wrong with American journalism

Brian Williams is the epitome of the mainstream newsmedia. Forget about facts. It's all about what could be facts, should be facts, and reported as facts. A la Dan Rather on George W. Bush: Well, it could be true.... Here's some more that is being reported as just plain lies. This is not making a mistake.

Being robbed at gunpoint as a kid.

Seeing a body floating by in New Orleans.

Being at the Berlin Wall when it fell.

Flying with SEAL Team 6 at start of Iraq war.

Getting a piece of the helicopter from a SEAL Team 6 member that was used in the bin laden raid.
Getting a knife sent to him by a SEAL.

That's not misremembering. That's making up the news, and yes, stealing valor. But Brian Williams is just the tip of the ice burg. We've got the commander in chief doing selfies in a mirror while the world burns, including our "success" in.

We have checked out of reality. It's about entertainment, not doing the right thing.

Our military men and women deserve better.

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