It’s official! I’m incredibly proud to share that I’ve been selected for promotion to Colonel of Marines! From Private to Staff Sergeant. Second Lieutenant to Colonel select. It’s been one hell of a ride. Semper Fi!

Okay, hear me out… What do y’all think? Me. @sophaller . The Marine Corps Ball this year…

I needed to move a sofa. I mentioned this to an American. He said, "You know anybody with a truck?" I did not know anybody with a truck. He looked at me with real concern. Not pity. Concern. The way you look at a man who has told you he does not have a name. "You gotta know somebody with a truck." I asked how one acquires such a person. He said, "You just do." This is the third time I have received that answer in this country. It is the answer to everything here. You just do. There is no process. There is only the eventual fact of having. He said, "Ask Kevin." I do not know a Kevin. He said Kevin like I should. He said it the way you say a shared uncle. I met Kevin four days later. Kevin owns a truck. Kevin does not own a truck for himself. Nobody owns a truck for themselves. Kevin owns a truck for a fifteen mile radius. Inside I said: THIS MAN HAS TAKEN A VOW. HE DID NOT ANNOUNCE IT. HE SIMPLY PURCHASED A BED AND ACCEPTED THE CONSEQUENCES. Kevin arrived on Saturday. He brought the truck. He also brought a second man. I had not asked for a second man. The second man's name is Tony. Tony came because Kevin came. Tony did not know me. Tony did not ask what we were moving. Tony brought gloves. They moved the sofa in eleven minutes. I offered them money. Both of them laughed at the same time, which felt rehearsed and was not. I asked what I owed them. Kevin said, "Buy the pizza." That is the price. That is the entire economy. The truck costs one pizza and the pizza is not negotiable and the pizza is also not expensive and everyone knows what size. Inside I said: THE FEE IS FIXED ACROSS THE ENTIRE NATION AND WAS SET BY NO ONE. We ate on the floor because the sofa was against the wall and none of us wanted to be the first to sit on it. Tony told me his daughter plays soccer. I asked if she is good. He said, "She's aggressive." I still think about that. Three weeks later, Kevin texted me. "You free Sunday? Helping Tony move a fridge." He did not ask if I wanted to. He informed me of a fridge. Inside I said: I HAVE BEEN CALLED UP. I DID NOT ENLIST. THE PAPERS WERE FILED ON MY BEHALF. I went. I moved the fridge. I have no truck. I contributed only arms. Afterward, a man I had never met asked me if I knew anybody with a truck. I said, "Yeah, I got a guy." I have a guy. I am somebody's guy now, too. Tony has told two people about me. He describes me as "the guy who's strong for his size." I have never been prouder of a sentence in my life.

Happy Birthday to Corporal JD Vance. 🎉 Proof the E-4 Mafia can accomplish anything. One day you’re a lance coolie dodging working parties. The next, you’re Vice President of the United States. You make your fellow Marines proud.🫡

Marines who serve or have served under @TheLtColUSMC: I’m looking to personally help one or two Marines put together a financial plan aimed at retiring as millionaires. If you’re interested, message me.

Please consider filing your taxes yourself. It is not as difficult as they make it out to be.

To those that have served under @TheLtColUSMC and are transitioning to civilian life, message me on X. I’m here to help with resumes, interviews, and financial planning guidance.

I made an attempt to “catch the falling knife” last week. Not very successful, but I did learn a few things.

I find the response to the silver and gold prices entertaining. They shoot up with arguable rationality, behaving like a meme stock. People have responses from every angle imaginable, and some points of view I wouldn’t have ever imagined.

UPS and GM report earnings tomorrow. Those results matter, but I’m far more focused on their execution over the next couple of years.

Another family wanted to do hibachi dinner us. We decided to make the dinner at home. What would’ve cost us over $500 was less than $100. Daily financial decisions make significant differences in the long run. Heck, I could argue this dinner alone paid for the @blackstone!

Yesterday a few people started to get all excited about “a crash… “ then we look at today. If less than 3% drop in your portfolio gets you excited, it may be wise to get a financial advisor and let them handle your retirement and investment portfolio.

Market is taking a little dip today, reviewed my portfolio. Nothing is screaming sell/buy. Maybe some of my my silver coins, but then I wouldn’t know what to invest that cash into. Plus it’s just cool to have physical silver coins.

As tax season approaches, I must emphasize that for the vast majority of people, filing your own taxes is extremely easy. Please save yourself $300 or whatever the side of the road tax places charge and do it yourself.

After my mother passed away, I found that she had saved my name badges from my first jobs as a teenager. I keep them now as a reminder of the lessons those roles taught me and the importance of respecting people no matter where they are in their careers.

One of the few things that makes me cringe more than hearing about someone who is paying the minimum payments on a credit card is when I hear about someone who is using a check-in-to-cash service.

In 02, the military TSP retirement plan started. Talking to another Marine in the smoke pit, I said I was going to stop putting $$ into my Roth and start the TSP plan. Another Marine same rank same income to the penny, tried to tell me we didn’t make enough $$ to invest…

Rebalanced a little of my portfolio today. Sold some gains and picked up a little $GIL. They purchased Hanesbrands not too long and that is what initially put them on my radar.

I purchased this coin in 2005 for around $30. I have a few other collectors coins along with a number of silver eagles. I never imagined the coins would be worth $90 each. I am not sure what to think about the current silver and gold prices.

Looking at the House of Representatives financial disclosures is interesting. One thing I see is that in the last few months Rep’s Smith, Gill, Greene, and Donald’s have purchased $BTC, or $IBIT.