David Blackman

Advance Pay: The Payday Loan That Isn’t

Your PCS orders have finally arrived! Look out! Here comes your “friend” to give you the inside track on how to make a little money at the government’s expense. “Advance pay, man! It’s an interest-free loan from Uncle Sam! Invest it, dude, or get that computer you’ve been looking for. ...
Read more...
The Thrift Savings Plan: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?

What is Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)? TSP is an account similar to a 401(k). Federal employees (including those in uniform) may participate in the TSP. Military members put pre-tax money into an account, and have the right to take the money out of the account at a certain point in...
Read more...
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) – Four Reasons it Can Work for You

Americans are, taken as a whole, among the most charitable people on earth. Every year, Americans give of their time, talent, and money to thousands of charitable causes. In fact, the Charities Aid Foundation’s World Giving Index, 2010, ranks the United States as fifth in the world in charitable giving....
Read more...
Veterans Day Reflections

One sunny Saturday many years ago, I had duty during a port visit to Liverpool, England. It was a “visit ship” day, and as part of Standing Naval Forces, Atlantic, we were obliged to take visit ship day very seriously. In my whites and my combination cover that I always...
Read more...
Field Guide to the Commissary Shopper

According to a recent press release, the Defense Commissary Agency recorded “more than 96 million transactions in fiscal 2011.” As a militaryfamily.com reader, chances are you were at least one of these transactions. But what kind of commissary shopper are you? This handy list can help you decide. The “Speed...
Read more...
It’s 11 o’clock, Do You Know Where Your Veteran’s Organization Is?

Veterans are a deserving group. Perhaps I have a bias, as you cannot swing a stick in my family without hitting a veteran (and I am a veteran myself), but I doubt even in the depths of the Liberal Arts department at Brown or Berkeley will you find an American...
Read more...