Today, I am going to be talking about checkpoints. Whenever we were running our operations in Iraq, we always had to call into our command center to let them know whenever we crossed various checkpoints. The idea behind that was so when we were out away from base, if we called into our TOC (Tactical Operation Center), we would let them know, “Hey, we’ve just crossed checkpoint 1-4.” They could look on the map and know, “Okay, here’s where 2-2 Alpha team is at.” That was our call sign. That way whenever we had multiple operations going out, they could always keep track of where we were just in case we had to support another mission, another team that was out. It was very imperative that we always acknowledged to our command center where we were at so that they were always abreast of what was going on.
When it comes to your own financial life, when you cross various checkpoints you want to be able to record that and keep track of that. By hitting these various checkpoints, these are pivotal points in your life that you need to have documented, not only to have a record of it, but also to have momentum going forward. […]
How many times have you thought to yourself, “My car has XX,XXX miles on it, it’s time to get a new one before something major happens to it“? Yeah, I’m talking to you.
For those that have bought into that (crap), have you also settled on the notion it makes complete sense because your payment won’t go up if you trade it in. Now you know how I feel about “affording the payment” – if you don’t, go here now and report back here when you’re done.
Just because you can afford the payment DOES NOT mean you have to.
I’m tired of listening to people complain about not having enough saved for their retirement, yet they constantly sink thousands and thousands of dollars into a meaningless car payments that could be better served elsewhere. I had almost given up all hope until a recent meeting. […]
Today I am going to be talking about delegation and how to delegate for success. When I first joined the National Guard, through Basic Training and through all my National Guard career, I was always delegated to, meaning that I was the private who was tasked with cleaning the latrines, otherwise known as the bathrooms, or having to do all the little details that our squad leaders or platoon sergeants did not do. That was just the natural chain of command of how the military worked. That was the role that I was pretty much accustomed to. […]
Hey, this is Jeff Rose. Welcome to another field exercise edition of Solder of Finance. (See video below) Today I am going to be talking about battle drills. Prior to me being deployed to Iraq, we had to do our pre-deployment training at Fort Dix, New Jersey.
A lot of that training consisted of us riding around in Humvees doing various drills and just running through different scenarios. A lot of those drills consisted of us driving through the woods of New Jersey into where our cadre, which were our instructors, would pop us with smoke or mimic hand grenades, and then we had to simulate us being hit or trying to evaluate casualties. For a lot of that training, the primary goal was to see how we would react under pressure, how we would react under situations we were not used to. That was the whole point of these battles drills - to see how we would react and how we would operate as a team. […]
She was my pride and joy. A champagne colored, 4 door Chevy Lumina Sedan, that was suitable for a grandmother to drive. In fact, one did- mine.
In college, I was driving a ’96 red Pontiac Grand-Am. I bought the car when I first moved back to Illinois to attend junior college. It was my first car that I was responsible for paying for. I didn’t care- it was my mine.
I was lucky enough to have an awesome grandmother who, for my college graduation gift, loving enough to pay it off. Not having a car payment was huge for me. Although I constantly visioned myself driving something cooler-anything; it was still nice having extra cash to enjoy life. See, I was supporting myself all through college (with the help of the National Guard) and shelling out $350 a month for a car payment just didn’t sound or feel right. […]
This is Jeff Rose, SoldierOfFinance.com. Today’s title is “I Can Afford the Payment… So What?” This was an encounter I had near the beginning of my career. This was a gentleman who had come across some money and who had come into the office, looking to invest it. When we were meeting, I used my typical routine,
“Yes, we are going to invest these funds, but we also want to take a look at whatever else you have going on as far as your 401K, IRAs, college savings funds for the kids, making sure you have the right emergency funds, etc.”
My oldest son just recently turned 3 and I’m already concerned about the relationship he will have with money- hoping that it will be far different than the relationship my father had. I know that if I can give him the proper tools, there should be no issue into him becoming a financial stud. Recently, I had shared with my readers about my concerns and a reader shared their story how they were able to give their daughters the valuable training on “How to appreciate a dollar”. Here’s their story. […]
Among the military community, the VA home loan is known as the best lending option for veteran and active duty service members. In addition to providing affordable homeownership, the program has also streamlined its lending process to make buying a home faster and easier – which is sometimes necessary for military members, especially active duty service members.
For those interested in securing a VA home loan, understanding the steps for obtaining the loan can sometimes be the best way to expedite the process. A veteran or active duty service member can expect the following when completing the VA home loan process:
Obtain Your Certificate of Eligibility
Your Certificate of Eligibility, or DD214, must be submitted in order for you to become eligible for a VA loan. If you do not have your DD214, you can either submit a request via mail or a VA loan specialist may be able to help you obtain it through their online database. […]
My name is Jeff Rose and in my life I've trained with the U.S. Army to be an Infantry soldier. In my professional career I've trained to be a financial planner. The recent financial catastrophe brings to light how so many people have become victims of their poor financial management. I combine the discipline of my army training with the rigors of my financial planning experience to help people do something about it. I want to help you become a Soldier of Finance and take control of your life and personal finance today. To read more about me, please check out my