It sounds like you have a great start for planning on how to achieve your goals.

I am able to achieve 12% cash on cash return with a vacancy rate of 15% ,maintenance reserve and repairs at 10% with PM at 8%. 

That 30 day clock is ticking and you are not achieving anything by holding on to their deposit for the full 30 days.  

Considering I'm in the industry myself and having a first hand look on the amount of time it takes to work/prepare our clients for the process, I will suggest you searching for lender now, once you find one, ask them to help you prepare, start working with them, and if at all possible stick to them as they will be working to help you. 

I've been managing property for nearly 20 years and my philosophy has always been to work together to achieve the common goal.

And, congratulations on that over-achiever family of yours. 

Once complete switch units and rent the unit with the TLC at market rate.If you get deployed to a different location, rent the unit that you are vacating.I know the cash flow ratio is required for 80% LTV to achieve some cash flow but I do not know what the cash flow ratio needs to be at the high LTV of a VA loan.  

I wouldn’t know first hand since I am mainly doing rehabs.

If the tenant and lease terms are acceptable, then financing 60% of appraised value should be achievable, even if that loan amount represents a higher percentage of your cost.

Depending on how quickly you hope to achieve financial independence (FI), leveraging will put you into a position to get there faster.