Bid Boston, live in base, and bid reserve. Create a budget that stays under 75 hrs per month and be smart on how you save or spend the rest.

In other words, live well under your means. Don’t buy so much house, car, wife, or boat that you need to upgrade just to afford college or vacations.

Pay off your house as soon as you can and put enough money away that you can walk away from this career any time you want.

In this job, nobody’s crystal ball sees more than a couple years into the future. Whatever you do, don’t make 10-year financial decisions based on a 1-year job outlook. Spend the money you already have, not the money you might have depending on the next contract or projected upgrade times.