Is Virginia Beach THE city to raise a family?? (day care, home)

[mommamia b]

You both have a lot of nerve talking about the "military folk" the way you do. They are the ones, be it here or overseas, that make it possible for you to live in this country freely. What they get paid and do with their money is not really any of anyone's business now is it. They deserve every red cent that comes their way. As far as making a ridiculous assumption that the military population is the reason that parents allow their kids to drink with them or whatever point was trying to be made is pure ignorance.

I am part of a military family, the CEO in fact.

[hurley89]

Originally Posted by mommamia b

You both have a lot of nerve talking about the "military folk" the way you do. They are the ones, be it here or overseas, that make it possible for you to live in this country freely. What they get paid and do with their money is not really any of anyone's business now is it. They deserve every red cent that comes their way. As far as making a ridiculous assumption that the military population is the reason that parents allow their kids to drink with them or whatever point was trying to be made is pure ignorance.

I am part of a military family, the CEO in fact.

I could be in the military too, but i didnt sign up. I think it's great that they serve the country, but from personal experiences and observations, military men are loud, obnoxious, alcoholics, and very very arrogant frat boy types. Don't think im putting the the military, my dad's retired navy and i have a military id. GREAT for discounts and on base benefits


telemonster, your absolutely right about the payday loans and the rim shops

[mommamia b]

not all of them are 18 and loaded with liquid courage and raging hormones...thats what you'll have in a military town.

[telemonster]

Originally Posted by mommamia b

You both have a lot of nerve talking about the "military folk" the way you do. They are the ones, be it here or overseas, that make it possible for you to live in this country freely. What they get paid and do with their money is not really any of anyone's business now is it. They deserve every red cent that comes their way. As far as making a ridiculous assumption that the military population is the reason that parents allow their kids to drink with them or whatever point was trying to be made is pure ignorance.

I am part of a military family, the CEO in fact.

I hear this, and used to go along with it. One of my parents is retired military.

I don't buy the line that the only reason I'm free and the country is not taken over is because of the military.

What they get paid is our business, since their paycheck comes from gov't spending, which comes from taxes. Their housing allowance has a direct impact on the cost of living in the region. Everytime it goes up, the slumloards move the rents up in step with it.

I don't make any assumptions about drinking or any of that. I've had quite a few military friends. I've worked in several gov't positions at military places, and with civil service folks. I've seen some very unworthy people making very high salaries for very little output (civil service). I've seen huge amounts of money wasted. I've seen people that work their butts off while being stuck with lots of other dead wood. I've seen people who's jobs it was to do nothing. My friend described working at his prior job (as a contractor for a large building of civil service people), "legitimized welfare. Baby momma sitting around filing nails for their checks, complaining they don't get paid enough for doing nothing."

There are plenty of other jobs that carry a huge risk, if not more of a risk, than the military. But because we live in a military town there is lots of pandering. It just gets old. When I see, "Military Discount" from a random business it says to me that they are overcharging me, the normal customer.

Thats cool that you decided to join the military. But it gets old having it thrown in everyones faces.

[mommamia b]

Very unworthy people make very high salaries everywhere...check out any professional sports team player. Money gets wasted in EVERY profession. I work in healthcare, enough said.

I'm not in the military...I'm married to it. There is a serious lack of respect for the troops in this country and it's usually from people who sit around bitching and complaining about how rough life is instead of doing anything about it. A choice, yes. A choice that keeps our family afloat.

You're right, there are many high risk jobs besides the military. Anyone who works for one of them made that choice to do so, too.

[GoPhils]

Originally Posted by mommamia b

Very unworthy people make very high salaries everywhere...check out any professional sports team player. Money gets wasted in EVERY profession. I work in healthcare, enough said.

I'm not really going to get into the argument about military people, but I wouldn't say that pro athletes are unworthy. Yeah, maybe their salaries are a little high, but they provide entertainment for millions of people. They get people to buy tickets, watch on tv (and advertisements), buy paraphanelia, etc. etc.

[chesapeakesim]

Originally Posted by GoPhils

Yeah, it seemed like the only aspect that article took into consideration was the percentage of annual income consumed by the budget. I think you guys already established that VB can be an expensive place to live considering the low salaries (on average). Although that would be an important consideration, I'd think there are much more criteria than that.

However, that article lost a lot of credibility to me when it named Detroit as one of the most family-friendly.

It also had a link to another article about the cities where homeowners are losing equity the fastest, and VB was #1. I guess that's a good thing for people looking to buy? But it again seems in contrast to some on here that say that home prices in VB are not declining as much as the rest of the country.

LOL, I didn't even see that Detroit was one of the MOST family-friendly. I think it is safe to say that most people would disagree with that. That article seemed to rank VA Beach as #1 in terms of most 2008 buyers that are now underwater. I think a lof of that has to do with the fact that people here bought with little or no down payment or in some cases took out more of a loan then their house was worth, not the fact that prices here have plunged. Sure prices have come down a little, but we have yet to see the 50% type drop that places like CA, FL, or NV have experienced. I don't think we will see 50% drops, but I still think we have a ways to go. I remember seeing the cnnmoney.com biggest price gains stats and VA Beach was posting 17%+ gains as much of the rest of the country was starting to go down hill. We were late to the party and we will be late with our hangover.

[telemonster]

Originally Posted by mommamia b

I'm not in the military...I'm married to it. There is a serious lack of respect for the troops in this country and it's usually from people who sit around bitching and complaining about how rough life is instead of doing anything about it. A choice, yes. A choice that keeps our family afloat.

You're right, there are many high risk jobs besides the military. Anyone who works for one of them made that choice to do so, too.

Lack of respect? How do you figure? Decent salary, retirement (most employers don't have this), educational benefits (most employers don't have this), housing allowance (most employers don't have this), tax free groceries (most employers don't have this).

When I look around I see little yellow ribbons all over the place. I see people giving props to the military everywhere. Discounts on stuff.

What else could you possibly want?

Yes, people criticize. We messed up a foreign country without them attacking us, for unknown reason. Perhaps to use up military hardware to drive profits at private companies, or to Christianize them. This was not a good move, but was in the plans since before 9/11 happened (it provided a good excuse).

[GeorgiaTransplant]

Obvious troll is obvious, but I’ll bite:

Originally Posted by telemonster

Decent salary,

Base pay only:
2009 Military Basic Pay Charts -- Enlisted Members


*Total* compensation (including all benefits):


2009 Annual Salary Chart for U.S. Military Enlisted Members

Originally Posted by telemonster

retirement (most employers don't have this)

If you do 20 (most service members don’t do this).



Many civilian employers have a match on the 401K so you don't have to stay 20 straight years to get a benefit.

Originally Posted by telemonster

housing allowance (most employers don't have this)

We call this the ‘golden handcuffs.’ If you decide to start a family, you begin to depend on the housing allowance to make up for the low salary...and can't make the transition out. Civilian employers simply give you a salary and let *you* decide how to spend it (uniformed services don't have this)

Originally Posted by telemonster

When I look around I see little yellow ribbons all over the place. I see people giving props to the military everywhere. Discounts on stuff.

What else could you possibly want?

To not have to leave my family for a year at a time every other year, and get shot at when I get there.



Now, can we get back to whether Virginia Beach is THE city to raise a family?

[Spazkat9696]

Originally Posted by telemonster

I hear this, and used to go along with it. One of my parents is retired military.

I don't buy the line that the only reason I'm free and the country is not taken over is because of the military.

What they get paid is our business, since their paycheck comes from gov't spending, which comes from taxes. Their housing allowance has a direct impact on the cost of living in the region. Everytime it goes up, the slumloards move the rents up in step with it.

I don't make any assumptions about drinking or any of that. I've had quite a few military friends. I've worked in several gov't positions at military places, and with civil service folks. I've seen some very unworthy people making very high salaries for very little output (civil service). I've seen huge amounts of money wasted. I've seen people that work their butts off while being stuck with lots of other dead wood. I've seen people who's jobs it was to do nothing. My friend described working at his prior job (as a contractor for a large building of civil service people), "legitimized welfare. Baby momma sitting around filing nails for their checks, complaining they don't get paid enough for doing nothing."

There are plenty of other jobs that carry a huge risk, if not more of a risk, than the military. But because we live in a military town there is lots of pandering. It just gets old. When I see, "Military Discount" from a random business it says to me that they are overcharging me, the normal customer.

Thats cool that you decided to join the military. But it gets old having it thrown in everyones faces.

The taxes they pay. Basically the military pays their own salary.