And since you are smart and live well below your means, you can pay off the line of credit if an emergency arises.Lets say that you can in fact purchase 1 property every year for 5 years with 20k down.

Sometimes it takes a fat check like in your case.

Some of the regional banks and small credit unions can in fact deliver on speed, reliability, and rate, but of the ones I've looked at, they ALL list cross-selling as a basic job requirement to be a MLO.

And with all the money you saved from living there for free or almost free use it as a fat down payment on something nice and have that cash flow too.

I want to get as much practice as I can in before I begin to start making offers.

Cut the fat from the deal.

But you should know that retirement accounts can be self-directed, meaning that you now have the ability to invest in alternative investments such as real estate, tax-liens, trust deeds, private lending, etc. etc.I would argue with you that that one of the worse plans that the insurance industry has come up with is the cash-value insurance policies that some of the insurance agents sell who are interested in fat commissions checks when they sell such policy and disguise them as retirement plans. 

Upon return form this deployment I will be debt free and have significant capital to dive head first in my first investment. my goal during this final year on contract will be to establish as much of a real estate investing foundation as I can in order to enable full time attention once I separate from the Marine Corps.I would like to gage your opinions on how best to dive into this world of real estate investing upon my return from deployment.I'll have anywhere from 30-40k in capital devoted to starting this endeavor.

Being a new investor, I do not have much to barter with but I am willing to help you in anyway I can in return.Thanks in advance!

We are a renter nation now, so get the best property you can in all aspects