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SVOMike86

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Joined
Sep 9, 2009
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Location
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Happy Thanksgiving guys! I finally made it home from Afghanistan (well, 2 weeks ago, but have been super busy). The trip that was supposed to be 2 months ended up being 7. All in all it was a good trip, my Wife wasn't nearly as bad about it as I thought she would have been. The longest we had been apart before this trip was 3 weeks. We were able to pay off all debt, which is what was planned. It took a lot longer to do so than I thought it would, but it happened, and that's all that matters. The trip I was on was for the Army Corp of Engineers. We installed tactical communications in their vehicles so they could talk to the base. While I looked at it as just a job, apparently it was a pretty big deal, and the project was nominated for the Gold Award for BAE Worldwide. So, next Saturday, my Wife and I, along with a couple co-workers are going to London (BAE Headquarters) to represent all of North America at the awards ceremony. We'll be gone from the 3rd to the 8th, with the only obligation being 1 night for the ceremony. Sweet free vacation. Provided my Wifes passport get here in time [-o< . She has already planned out everything we are going to do every day. lol. Next step in our lives is buying a house. We are going to look at 5 or 6 tomorrow (black friday, wonder if they'll give us one for half off if we buy tomorrow?). My boat, which has not been touched since well before I left, still has not been touched. Kinda sucks. Just needs carpet, hardware and hinges to get on the water. Planning on going fishing in a friends boat Sunday morning for some Reds, Specks, and possibly Stripers. Wish me luck!
 
Welcome back!

Judging by your post, I assume you're a contractor of sorts.

My youngest uncle was an electrical contractor and would do 18 month stints overseas for the military. From what I understand, all monies made was tax free if he stayed for the contract period. He retired very young with a house in an exclusive area in Hawaii next to the ocean!

Wish you luck with the awards!
 
Yes, contractor. For tax free you have to be out of the country for 330 days out of 365. I was a hair shy. lol. If I was able to stay there for probably 5 years, was money saavy, and knew how and where to invest, I could easily retire at 35. Don't know what I'd do with my time off, but I'm sure I could think of something. On the other hand, I met/knew people that had been in country for 3 years, making $250,000/year, that still owe $80,000 on a $85,000 house, and had nothing else to show for it at all. Some people amaze me.
 
Welcome back and it's good to have you home safe and sound. I know what it's like to be out of the country for that long and what it's like to return. Ten years ago yesterday I was in the seventh of my eight months in Bosnia and had a Thanksgiving dinner of goat instead of turkey in Sarajevo. It just wasn't the same.
 
Welcome back. Got a call from my younger son yesterday from Afganistan (Army). He said that whatever it was they got served yesterday, they just decided to call it "turkey". :roll:
 
lbursell said:
Welcome back. Got a call from my younger son yesterday from Afganistan (Army). He said that whatever it was they got served yesterday, they just decided to call it "turkey". :roll:

In Bosnia we called it mystery meat. More often I just didn't want to know.
 
SVOMike86 said:
Yes, contractor. For tax free you have to be out of the country for 330 days out of 365. I was a hair shy. lol. If I was able to stay there for probably 5 years, was money saavy, and knew how and where to invest, I could easily retire at 35. Don't know what I'd do with my time off, but I'm sure I could think of something. On the other hand, I met/knew people that had been in country for 3 years, making $250,000/year, that still owe $80,000 on a $85,000 house, and had nothing else to show for it at all. Some people amaze me.
welcome back!
your quote comes under: A FOOL AND THEIR MONEY ARE SOON PARTED!
and PT barnum said: THERE'S A SUCKER BORN EVERY MINUTE!
watch "curse of the lottery" if you want to see how some people, who won milions and should be set for life, manage to end up bankrupt.
here's another quote I love, I believe by john wayne.
LIFE IS HARD, IT'S EVEN HARDER IF YOU'R STUPID!
 
Welcome back, Mike. And thanks for what you do. I worked in aviation when I was in the military, and sometimes without an engineer that was a contractor, we would've never gotten a helicopter fixed. Even though you guys get paid far more than us for the same job :roll: (haha) we need you guys to get the job done. Now that I'm a civilian, hopefully I can find one of those contractor jobs and roll in the big money!

Hope your wife gets her passport, and you guys have an awesome vacation! Happy Holidays!
 

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