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  • 6 Causes of Paranoia in Aging & What to Do

    6 Causes of Paranoia in Aging & What to Do

    Q: My mother is 80.  She is very active (despite breaking her hip 2 years ago), she still attends water therapy 3 times a week at the YMCA, she drives to the base (which is 20 miles away) and pays her bills on time.  She is a retired Psych nurse and has shown signs in the past of paranoia. 

    Lately, she has “heard” voices of her grandchildren in her home and called my sister. She also has difficulty with getting the right words to say out and has her sleep pattern out of whack and will call people at odd times of the night.  With her independence comes the fact she won’t share any medical information because she thinks we are out to get her committed.  

    How can I test her/question her to find out the level of decline she may be in to make sure she is safe? — K

    A: Great question. As you may know, it’s fairly common for aging adults to develop problems like the ones you are describing. Some older adults will also start leveling a lot of false accusations. Understandably, these problems are frustrating and worrying for adult children.

    You are absolutely right to be concerned about your mom’s safety. I do have some ideas for how you can get started assessing her, which I share below.

    But first I want to explain the most common causes of this type of behavior in older adults. That’s because one of the things you must do is help your mother and the doctors figure out why she’s developed these behavior changes and other symptoms.

    A fair number of people don’t get around to the medical evaluation because they assume that these crazy behaviors are either normal aging (definitely false) or dementia such as Alzheimer’s (true about 40% of the time).

    Furthermore, it’s often hard to get a resistant older parent medically evaluated.

    Still, it’s worth persisting in this, because many causes of paranoia or other odd behavior in older people can be treated.

    Paranoia, false accusations and psychosis

    Paranoid symptoms (e.g. believing that someone is out to get you, or is taking your stuff, or is in the house at night) falls into a category of mental symptoms that is technically called “psychosis.”

    Symptoms of psychosis can include:

    • Delusions, which means believing things that aren’t true or real (which can include false accusations)
    • Hallucinations, which means seeing or hearing things that aren’t there.
    • Disorganized thoughts or speech, meaning saying or thinking things that seem illogical or bizarre to others.

    Psychosis is uncommon in younger people but becomes much more common as people get older. That’s because any of these symptoms can emerge when people’s brains aren’t working properly for some reason.

    A 2015 review article on “late-life psychosis” estimates that 23% of people will develop symptoms of psychosis in late life.

    6 causes of paranoia and psychosis in aging

    In the above review article, the authors organize the causes of late-life psychosis into six “Ds”:

    • Delirium (10 %).
      • This is a very common condition of “worse-than-usual” mental function, often brought on by the stress of severe illness, surgery, or hospitalization. See 10 Things to Know About Delirium for more.
    • Drugs, alcohol, and other toxins (11%)
      • Medication side-effects can cause delusions, hallucinations, or other forms of psychosis. Pay special attention to medications known to affect memory and thinking. Abuse of — or withdrawal from — alcohol or other substances can also cause psychosis symptoms.
    • Disease (10%)
      • Many physical health problems can interfere with brain function. These include electrolyte problems such as abnormal levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium in the blood, low levels of vitamin B12 or folate, thyroid problems, severe liver or kidney dysfunction, infections, and neurological diseases. Brain damage from minor strokes can also cause psychosis symptoms.
      • Urinary tract infections can cause psychosis, but in my experience, they are almost never the cause of paranoia or other symptoms that have been going on for weeks, months, or longer. (A positive urine culture in an older person who has been having psychosis symptoms for a while probably reflects a colonized bladder.)
    • Depression (33%) and other “mood disorders,” including bipolar disease (5%)
      • About 15% of people with major depression may experience psychotic symptoms. Delusions of guilt or deserved punishment are especially common.
    • Dementia (40%), including Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy-Body dementia, and others
      • Delusions are extremely common in dementia, especially delusions of theft, spousal infidelity, abandonment, and persecution. Hallucinations (especially visual hallucinations) are also common, especially in Lewy-Body dementia. For more on how dementia is diagnosed, see How We Diagnose Dementia: The Practical Basics to Know.
    • Delusional disorder (2%) and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (1%)
      • These two conditions have many symptoms that overlap with those of dementia, delirium, or other conditions affecting thinking. Doctors must exclude these more common conditions before diagnosing a person with schizophrenia or delusional disorder. Schizophrenia affects an estimated 0.1-0.5% of people over age 65. Many were diagnosed earlier in life but some people can develop the condition later in life. Delusional disorder affects an estimated 0.03% of older adults.

    The authors of this review article also note that it’s common for older adults to have vision and hearing problems, both of which can trigger or worsen delusions and hallucinations.

    So as you can see, when older adults experience delusions, hallucinations, and paranoid thoughts, there is almost always something more going on with their health. Figuring out what is beneath the “crazy” or “irrational” or “paranoid” behavior is key.

    Hence, I recommend you keep these six causes of paranoid symptoms in mind, as you try to find out more about how your mom has been doing.

    I also recommend you check for other signs of problems with thinking or memory; you can learn about 21 signs I recommend checking for in the video below.

    How to check on “levels of decline” and safety

    It’s great for you to be proactive and want to help check on your mother safety and situation. Ultimately you’ll need to work with professionals, but you can speed the process along by checking for common red flags, and bringing them to the attention of your mother’s doctor.

    As a geriatrician, I generally try to assess an older person in the following five domains:

    • Ability to manage key life tasks
      • These include the ability to manage Activities of Daily Living (key tasks we usually learn as young children, such as walking, dressing, feeding ourselves, and toileting) and also Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (key tasks we learn as teenagers, such as managing finances, transportation, meal preparation, home maintenance, etc).
    • Safety red flags
      • This includes signs of financial vulnerability or exploitation, risky driving, leaving the stove on, wandering, or signs of elder abuse.
    • Physical health red flags
      • These include weight loss, declines in strength or physical abilities, falls, frequent ER visits, and complaints of pain.
    • Mood and brain health red flags
      • These include common signs of depression (especially sadness and/or loss of interest in activities), signs of loneliness or isolation, new or excessive worrying, as well as other signs of memory and thinking problems
    • Medication management red flags
      • These include signs of difficulty taking prescriptions as directed, checking on possible medication side-effects, and identifying medications that are on the Beer’s list of medications that older people should avoid or use with caution.

    Because concerned family members often ask me about checking on an older parent, I’ve written a book, “When Your Aging Parent Needs Help,” that walks families through how to do this; it includes checklists based on the five sections above.

    You can use the book and checklists to spot these red flags that often represent serious safety or health problems.

    Now, no book is going to enable you to diagnose your parent. And no book can guarantee that you’ve identified and addressed the most important safety issues. You’ll need to work in person with professionals to do that.

    But by being methodical in observing your mom and in documenting your observations, you will make it much easier for professionals to figure out why your mother has developed these behaviors you are concerned about.

    Also, by identifying specific red flags or problem areas, you’ll be better equipped to work with your mom and other family members on addressing safety concerns. That’s because it’s much more effective to focus on issues that are specific and concrete (“I noticed that you seem to be having trouble with your grocery shopping”), rather than simply telling an aging parent that you are worried about their safety.

    Tips on following up on safety issues and memory problems

    Once you’ve identified safety issues and signs of underlying health problems, you’ll want to follow up. You’ll need health professionals to help evaluate and manage any underlying health problems, and you may find you need help from other types of experts as well.

    If your older parent is paranoid and resisting your involvement, this often becomes a stuck spot for families.

    How to get unstuck depends on the situation. Here are some ideas that often help:

    • Relay your concerns to your parent’s doctor. The doctor needs to know about the symptoms and problems. The doctor may also be able to persuade your older parent to accept some help, or even the presence of another family member during medical visits.
      • Patient privacy laws (e.g. HIPAA) do not prevent families from providing information to a person’s doctor over that person’s objections.
      • The doctor will probably not disclose health information to you but may do so under certain circumstances. That’s because when a patient is “incapacitated”, doctors are allowed to disclose relevant health information to family members, if they feel it’s in the best interest of the patient. For more on when health providers may disclose information to family members, see 10 Things to Know About HIPAA & Access to a Relative’s Health Information.
      • If you send your concerns in writing, they will probably be scanned into the medical record.
      • Also ask if any social work services are available through your parent’s health provider.
    • Contact organizations that support older adults and families, for assistance and for referrals. Some good ones to try include:
      • Your local Area Agency on Aging; find it using the locator here.
      • Family Caregiver Alliance. The navigator showing state-by-state services is especially nice.
      • Local non-profits serving seniors and families. Try using Google to find these.
    • Get help from a geriatric care manager (now known as aging life care professionals) or other “senior problems” expert. This usually requires paying out-of-pocket, but can enable more hands-on assistance than is usually available through social workers and non-profits.
      • The ideal person will be good at difficult conversations with older adults, will be able to help you communicate with doctors if necessary, and will know what local resources are available to address any safety or living issues you detect.
    • Get advice from other adult children who have faced similar situations. You can find caregiving forums and message boards online, where people share ideas on getting through these challenges.
      • There are active forums of people caring for older relatives on Reddit and Facebook.  You can find a lot of ideas and support there. However, most such forums have minimal moderation from professionals, so you should double-check on any medical, legal, or financial advice you get.
    • Consider contacting Adult Protective Services if you think this might qualify as self-neglect. Self-neglect means an older person is living in a way that puts his or her health, safety, or well-being at risk. It’s not uncommon for older adults with memory or thinking problems to self-neglect.
      • This is considered a form of elder abuse and can be reported to Adult Protective Services (APS).
      • For a good overview of self-neglect and how APS can get involved, see here.
      • In most states, health providers and certain other professionals are “mandated reporters” for elder abuse and self-neglect, which means they are supposed to report any such suspected cases to APS.

    When it comes to contacting the doctor and hiring an expert to help, it’s best if you can get your mom’s agreement before proceeding. (Or at least, not have her explicitly forbid you from doing these things). Here are some tips to help with your conversations:

    • Use “I” statements as much as possible. “I’ve noticed you’ve been calling people during the night. I’ve noticed you sometimes have difficulty with your words. I’m concerned and I’ve heard it’s important to have such symptoms evaluated by a doctor, because they can be due to treatable medical problems.”
    • Frame any suggestions you make as a way to help your mother achieve her goals. For most older adults, these include living at home for as long as possible, maintaining good brain function and physical function, and otherwise remaining as independent as possible.
    • Avoid relying on logic. Logic never works well when it comes to emotionally-charged subjects. And it especially doesn’t work if people are experiencing any difficulties with memory or thinking. So don’t expect your mom to be logical and don’t rely on logical arguments to convince her.

    For more on approaching a parent who is resistant to help, I explain how to do this in my free online training for families:

    Now, if you find it causes your mother intense anxiety or agitation to discuss your concerns and your suggestions for helping her, it may be reasonable to just proceed. After all, you do have reasons to believe that some kind of health issue is affecting her thinking.

    So especially if you’ve identified any safety problems, it’s reasonable to move ahead despite her preference that you not intervene.

    In closing, I’ll reiterate that this is a very tough situation to navigate, and it usually takes time and persistence for families to make headway. Do try to take care of yourself as you work through this. Connecting with others facing similar challenges is a great way to get support and practical ideas on what to do next.

    Good luck!

    This article was last reviewed and updates were made in July 2026.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • The new Marine Scout career field is officially here

    The new Marine Scout career field is officially here

    This post was originally published on this site.

    The Marine Corps is creating a new primary military occupational specialty for scouts starting on Oct. 1, Corps officials announced on Tuesday.

    The new Marine Scout field, which will have a military occupational speciality, or MOS, code of 0315, will make up a “26-Marine Scout Platoon” within infantry battalions, with “Scout Teams” being added to light armored reconnaissance battalions, reads a Marine Corps news release. 

    Scout platoons are equipped with advanced optics, communications equipment, and drones for reconnaissance and surveillance missions, the release says. Each team within the platoon includes a Joint Fires Observer to coordinate air and artillery strikes. 

    “This professional, purpose-built force will provide commanders with the organic reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities essential for success on the future battlefield,” Lt. Gen. Jay M. Bargeron, deputy commandant for plans, policies, and operations, said in the release. “These scouts will be our eyes and ears, extending our sensing capabilities and enabling commanders to make faster, more effective decisions to win our nation’s battles.”

    Marine Maj. Gen. Michael A. Brooks, who leads Training Command, told reporters in May that Corps leaders were considering making scouts a primary military occupational specialty, or PMOS, similar to machine gunners and mortarmen.

    “There is interest in turning our scout MOS, which is 0315, into a primary MOS,” Brooks said during a media roundtable.  “So, it would be like, you know, machine gunner, or 0331; or mortarman, 0341. You’d have an 0315 scout as a primary MOS. We don’t do that right now. It’s an additional MOS.”

    If the Marine Corps made such a move, scouts would likely attend a new Ground Reconnaissance Course to receive their PMOS, Brooks said at the time.

    Lt. Col. Worth Parker, a retired ground reconnaissance and special operations officer, told Task & Purpose in May that scouts and Reconnaissance Marines both provide commanders with intelligence, but Reconnaissance Marines typically operate at greater distances beyond the forward edge of the battle area than scouts.

    “Let’s say a rifle company is going to assault an objective,” Parker said at the time. “You might use the scouts to find a route to the objective and then bring them back to link up with the company commander to take that company on to where they have to go.”

    The post The new Marine Scout career field is officially here appeared first on Task & Purpose.

  • This Line Offers Short River Cruises; Here’s Whether or Not They’re Worth It

    This Line Offers Short River Cruises; Here’s Whether or Not They’re Worth It

    Just four years ago, Riverside Luxury Cruises was an unknown name in the river cruise industry. In 2022, the line began as a cruise offshoot of the luxury Seaside Collection hotel and resort brand, operating high-end river ships it purchased from then-defunct Crystal Cruises. Now, it’s making a name for itself by offering flexibility, from pricing that lets you pay for only what you need to short river cruises with build-your-own itineraries.

    Despite its luxury hardware and elegant onboard ambiance, Riverside is anything but rigid. The brand’s shorter itineraries, which start at only three days, are great for anyone who is on a tighter budget, looking to try river cruising without committing to a full weeklong voyage or travelers wanting to tack a few extra days onto a vacation without adding another full week. (Other river cruise lines like A-ROSA and Viva Cruises also have three-night itineraries, but Riverside is the only one to cater mainly to a North American demographic.)

    We recently sailed the Lower Danube for six nights – a combination of two three-night itineraries – on the line’s Riverside Debussy ship. Onboard, we learned a bit more about what short sailings have to offer. To help you determine whether short river cruises are worth a try, we dive into the pros and cons, share what we learned from a couple who booked a three-night sailing and give you a rundown of the line’s pricing so you can be better informed.

    Pros of Short River Cruises

    Less of a Time Commitment

    If you’re short on vacation time, can’t be away from home for too long or simply don’t know if you can handle a longer sailing, Riverside’s short river cruises are a great way to test the waters. If you book a three-night voyage and you find that it’s not for you, you haven’t invested as much in the way of time.

    Less Expense

    Riverside is a high-end cruise line, but you’ll pay less for a short sailing – especially if you opt for the line’s base fare, which doesn’t include alcohol or shore excursions. Even if you do pony up for those add-ons, you’ll still end up paying less than if you book a week or longer onboard, making it a great option for would-be river cruisers who have more limited funds.

    A Great Add-On

    If you’re already doing a land-based trip in Europe and want to explore the Rhine Gorge or some of the lesser-traveled towns along the Danube, three nights on a short river cruise is easy to add on. One booking easily takes care of your accommodations, meals and transportation between ports for the duration of the sailing, and you only have to unpack once.

    Three-night options are also great as add-ons for people who are already booking a week or two onboard and want a bit more time. Ultimately, they allow for easier customization for travelers wanting longer cruise itineraries that are more flexible than what river cruise lines usually provide.

    Cons of Short River Cruises

    Too Short for a Standalone Trip

    If you’re traveling from North America, Europe is a long way to go for just three nights on a river cruise. These sailings might be better suited for people who are already planning to be in Europe for other reasons and are looking for something different to do while they’re visiting.

    You’ll Likely Want to Extend

    If you book a short river cruise and decide you love it, you’ll likely wish you had booked a full week or more. But, because these sailings are super flexible, it’s possible to add nights as you go, as was the case with one couple on our sailing.

    Opinions From Cruisers Who’ve Tried a Short River Cruise

    During a port talk on the third night of our voyage, the cruise director was giving us a rundown of the following day’s activities. At the end of the chat, she shouted out a young couple set to disembark the following morning. We approached them to ask if they had done a three-night sailing, which they had.

    “We were very much not cruise people,” said Emily Visnjic, who was sailing on Riverside Debussy with her husband, Marko. The couple had been married two years prior, and as a belated honeymoon, they planned a trip to Europe. Because Marko’s family is from Serbia, they were looking for a mode of transportation that would take them from Budapest (to which they found affordable flights from their home in Colorado) to Belgrade. Because there was no train route that made sense, Riverside was an unexpected choice for them.

    And they weren’t the only ones. We heard several other passengers mention that they weren’t “cruise people.” They booked the voyage as a means to get from one place to another in comfort or because they were drawn in by the customizable pricing that didn’t force them to pay for drinks or shore excursions they didn’t think they’d use. (After all, a lot of river cruisers are well-traveled and prefer to strike out on their own in port.)

    “We like the opportunity to go off and explore,” Marko Visnjic added. “This [the ship] is a very comfortable basecamp for people who like to choose their own adventure.”

    It was so comfortable, in fact, that, on night three, he and his wife ended up adding a fourth night onto their cruise.

    Riverside’s Inclusion Tiers

    Also unlike other river cruise operators, Riverside allows for more customizable pricing. Passengers can decide just how many inclusions they’d like for their voyage. Tiers are as follows:

    • Full Board: Includes airport transfers, a cabin with a king-size bed (or two twins), butler service, Wi-Fi, meals, basic drinks (coffee, tea and water) and crew gratuities
    • Full Board With Excursions: Includes everything listed under Full Board, as well as most shore excursions and tips for guides
    • Premium All-Inclusive: Includes everything listed under Full Board, plus soda, juices and alcohol throughout the day (not just at mealtimes, as is the case with some other river lines)
    • Premium All-Inclusive With Shore Excursions: Includes everything from all tiers listed above

    Regardless of the cruise fare selected, all passengers must pay extra for premium excursions, top-shelf liquor, spa services, dry-cleaning and the line’s Vintage Room chef’s table experience.

    The line sees luxury river cruise line Uniworld as its biggest competition. But, because Uniworld doesn’t offer a tiered fare structure, doesn’t run three-night voyages and doesn’t currently have any Lower Danube cruises listed on its website, it’s difficult to do an apples-to-apples price comparison. In general, though, Riverside is a bit pricier, with fares for Danube, Rhine and Main River voyages running from about $600 to $1,000 per person, per night.

    Riverside’s Pricing for Short River Cruises

    Unlike other river cruise lines, which sometimes charge more for adding two short voyages together than if you just book the longer one in the first place, Riverside charges the same for a six-night voyage as it does if you book the same itinerary as two three-night segments.

    For example, looking at the same itinerary we sailed on Riverside Debussy, departing this fall in the least expensive cabin (a Melody Suite with a French balcony):

    Lower Danube With Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania: full six-night sailing, Sept. 16-22, 2026, from $5,808 per person for full board, $6,288 for premium all-inclusive, $6,468 for full board with excursions and $6,948 for premium all-inclusive with excursions

    Into the Lower Danube: Budapest to Belgrade: three-night voyage, Sept. 16-19, 2026, from $2,904 per person for full board, $3,144 for premium all-inclusive, $3,234 for full board with excursions and $3,474 for premium all-inclusive with excursions

    Lower Danube Wanderlust With Iron Gates: three-night cruise, Sept. 19-22, 2026, from $2,904 per person for full board, $3,144 for full board with excursions, $3,234 for all-inclusive and $3,474 for all-inclusive with excursions

    What Else Sets Riverside Apart

    During our sailing on Riverside Debussy, we found that, in addition to the customizable cruise fares and itineraries, there were plenty of other amenities that help to distinguish Riverside from its competitors.

    For starters, there’s food available around the clock, which is rare in the world of river cruises. Not only are there finger foods available between dining room meals – check out the charcuterie at the Atelier bistro, and don’t miss daily waffles and ice cream at the Botanist Bar – but chefs use Big Green Eggs to grill up a delicious spread at least once per cruise on the sun deck. There’s also an exclusive chef’s table option that’s open to just a handful of people per voyage and 24-hour room service that’s available to everyone (not just passengers booked in the highest-level suites).

    Further, all cabins have French balconies and butler service, and there’s an onboard self-service laundry room that’s complimentary for passengers to use. The line even provides free soap pods. Rounding out the plethora of extras are an indoor pool and a top-deck pop-up bar that lowers when the ship sails under low bridges.

    Our Experience

    Because we were onboard for a week and still wanted more, we feel comfortable saying that three days likely won’t be enough if you’re someone who already enjoys river cruises.

    What we experienced onboard was a comfortable cabin with bed-facing river views; high-end cuisine that was more colorful and flavorful than we’ve had on any other river ship we’ve tried; and unforgettable excursions that took us to a 300-year-old family-owned winery in Hungary, a Serbian farm that produces Pule (the world’s most expensive cheese, made from donkey milk) and a local Bulgarian home, where we learned to make banitsa (a traditional dish that’s a bit similar to kugel).

    The expertly trained crew went above and beyond to help with luggage, answer questions about the ship and the ports we visited, and cater to special requests (like in-cabin dining on the first night when we were just too exhausted for a sit-down meal in the dining room).

    The only downside we found was that, because Serbia is not part of the Schengen region, passengers had to report for disruptive “face checks,” sometimes at odd hours, when the ship passed from Hungary into Serbia and then from Serbia to Bulgaria. Sometimes we had to do them twice – once prior to leaving one country and again prior to entering the other. Because these checks are mandated by the government, they aren’t the cruise line’s fault, but they’re still an annoyance that’s worth noting before you book.

    Bottom Line

    This luxury river cruise line certainly sets itself apart from the more household names like Viking or AmaWaterways. In addition to stunningly elegant ships and what is already an impressive array of differentiators like 24-hour room service, butlers and French balconies for everyone, Riverside Luxury Cruises also offers an indoor pool, free laundry and a top-deck bar and grill area for alfresco dining and drinks. Although other river lines also have beautiful ships, Riverside’s inclusions are impressive, even for passengers who have booked the most basic fares.

    But perhaps its biggest selling point is its flexibility. From fares that let you choose exactly the inclusions you want to short itineraries that make for a wonderful European vacation add-on or a taster for travelers curious about river cruising, passengers truly can make their voyages their own. Regardless of whether or not one of Riverside’s short river cruises is for you, we were impressed enough by the brand that we think it’s worth trying, even if it’s for a longer voyage.

    Comments

    Would you consider booking a short river cruise? Have you sailed with Riverside Luxury Cruises? Drop us an anchor below to share your river cruise experiences.

    The post This Line Offers Short River Cruises; Here’s Whether or Not They’re Worth It appeared first on EatSleepCruise.com.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • In a first, Trump will travel aboard Qatari-donated Air Force One

    In a first, Trump will travel aboard Qatari-donated Air Force One

    President Donald Trump will travel for the first time on the new Air Force One aircraft Wednesday, according to the White House.

    Trump will be traveling to North Dakota to visit the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library as part of the country’s 250th anniversary celebrations, marking it the inaugural use of the Qatari-donated aircraft over a week after the U.S. Air Force began its commissioning flights.

    The aircraft had to undergo significant renovations to deem it suitable for presidential use, and after the modifications “final exam,” it must complete an unknown amount of commissioning flights that allow the White House to confirm mission-capability and finalize protocols for the president’s safety.

    After the flights are completed, the aircraft will be officially “commissioned” into the active executive airlift fleet and available for presidential use alongside the VC-25A and C-32 fleets.

    The commissioning flights have yet to be completed, and a timeline has not been made clear.

    One of the original VC-35As previously used by Trump took its last flight a day prior to the aircraft’s commissioning flights commencing.

    Initially, plans to replace the aging VC-35A with two new VC-25B were slated for 2024, but supply chain issues and a lack of properly cleared workers delayed Boeing’s plans until 2028, causing the president to use the luxury jet Qatar donated to the U.S. in 2025.

    The new Air Force One Boeing 747-8i sports the red, white and blue livery that Trump initially sought during his first presidential term in 2018.

    In addition to taking the new Air Force One to North Dakota, the president also confirmed during the aircraft’s unveiling at Joint Base Andrews its use for the early July NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara, Turkey.

    He also hinted that “at some point” this year, the administration will be traveling to China using the plane.

    Trump is scheduled to appear in South Dakota on Friday for a fireworks show, but it is not clear which aircraft Trump will use to attend the demonstration.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • Easy Strawberry Pie

    Easy Strawberry Pie

    Our House Favorite Strawberry Pie!

    A text I got from my neighbor last week:

    Text messages about strawberry pie.

    I asked my husband and kids to vote on several desserts that I’ve been making lately – “which one of these should be the July Family Dessert Night recipe?”

    This strawberry pie was the unanimous winner.

    Lindsay Ostrom headshot.

    Everyone in our house LOVES this pie.

    It’s basically a bountiful platter of fresh strawberries, cold and juicy and sweet, held together inside a salty-sweet graham cracker pie crust, and dolloped with a cream cheese whipped cream. My mom and my grandma have been making this pie for years, so it’s my turn to get in on it!

    I’m one of those people who thinks a homemade graham cracker crust is one of the best tasting things on the whole planet Earth (like, the BEST thing), so that’s what I use for mine! If you find yourself really wanting a regular pie crust – make it exactly the same, using a fully baked pie shell!

    A noteworthy thing I love about this pie: it’s the PERFECT hands-on recipe for kids to help with. I set up an assembly line for my girls and put them to work on the berries, and then had them help me whisk and pour in the filling. A+ for kid participation on this one!

    Steps for making strawberry pie.

    Happy summer-ing! Wishing you a really joyful moment of walking this cold, juicy, towering pie out to the table for your people. Best feeling ever!

    P.S. More of my favorite summer desserts are here!

    Lindsay signature.

    Print

    Strawberry pie.

    Easy Strawberry Pie

    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 3 reviews


    • Author:       Lindsay


    • Total Time:       6 hours 5 minutes


    • Yield:       8 large slices 1x


    Print

    Description

    The easiest homemade strawberry pie with a graham cracker crust and dolloped with a cream cheese whipped cream! Perfect summer dessert!

    Ingredients


    Units

    Crust:

    • 12 full sheets graham crackers, crushed (1 1/2 cups of crumbs)
    • 5 tablespoons sugar
    • 7 tablespoons salted butter, melted

    Filling:

    • 1/2 cup sugar (use 3/4 cup if your berries are less sweet)
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • 1 1/2 cups cold water
    • 3 ounces dry strawberry Jell-O powder (half a box, or 5-6 tablespoons)
    • 4–5 cups fresh strawberries

    Whipped Cream Cheese:

    • 3/4 cup heavy cream
    • 4 ounce cream cheese, softened
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup

    Instructions

    1. Graham Cracker Crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix crust ingredients and press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.Pressing graham crackers into a crust.
    2. Prep Strawberries: Wash the strawberries well and blot them dry with a paper towel. Cut off the tops. If they are large, cut them all in half. If they are small, you can leave them as-is or just cut some of them in half.Slicing strawberries on a cutting board.
    3. Make Jell-O: In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and cold water. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until it begins to thicken. Once it starts bubbling, cook it for another two minutes. Add Jell-O and stir till dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.Whisking strawberry jello.
    4. Assemble Pie: Arrange half of the berries in your prepared pie crust. Pour some of the cornstarch mixture over the berries and jiggle it around a bit to make sure the mixture goes in and around all the berries. Repeat with the remaining berries on top, and cover with just enough of the cornstarch mixture to coat the berries and hold them in (you’ll have a bit of cornstarch mixture left over). Press the berries in so they are real cozy with each other, and brush the top with the cornstarch mixture to make the top glossy.Pouring jello onto strawberries and pie crust.
    5. Refrigerate Pie: Refrigerate for 4-6 hours. (I refrigerate uncovered until it’s mostly set, then cover with plastic. This is best served within 24 hours, because the strawberries will start to soften and release juices.)Strawberry pie before being set.
    6. Cream Cheese Whipped Cream: Using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Slowly beat in the maple syrup with the cream cheese until it is loose and creamy. Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream.Making cream cheese whipped cream.
    7. Serve: Serve the pie slices cold, with a dollop of the whipped cream cheese on top!Finished pie slice.

    • Prep Time: 6 hours
    • Cook Time: 5 minutes
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: No-Bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: strawberry pie, easy pie recipe, summer pie, summer dessert

    Did you make this recipe?

    My Favorite Strawberry Recipes

    Pickled strawberries on toast.
    Pickled Strawberries
    Spinach salad full of corn, strawberries, avocado, and chicken in a bowl on a table with a tablecloth.
    Summer Chicken Cobb Salad
    Strawberry white chocolate cookies on a sheet pan
    Strawberry White Chocolate Cookies

    The post Easy Strawberry Pie appeared first on Pinch of Yum.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • This is the moment the Navy’s USS Juneau was sunk in the name of training

    This is the moment the Navy’s USS Juneau was sunk in the name of training

    This post was originally published on this site.

    A geyser of water shot into the air when the decommissioned amphibious transport dock USS Juneau was struck by a torpedo fired by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force as part of a live-fire ship sinking exercise, photos recently posted by the U.S. military show.

    The torpedo was the final salvo used to sink the Juneau earlier this month as part of Valiant Shield, a biennial exercise with U.S. and allied forces, said Lt. Cmdr. Katie Koenig, director of the Combined, Joint Information Bureau for the exercise.

    A Navy P-8A Poseidon fired an AGM-84D Harpoon missile and a B-2 Spirit bomber launched a Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, or LRASM, during the June 27 ship sinking exercise, Koenig told Task & Purpose.

    U.S. Navy, Air Force, Army, and special operations forces heavily damaged the ship before it was torpedoed, Koenig added.

    The Juneau was sunk about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Guam. The ship was commissioned in 1969 and saw service during the Vietnam War. The vessel also took part in the preparations for an underground nuclear test in 1971; it was part of the response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989; and it transported Marines during the Gulf War in 1991. After nearly 40 years of service, the Juneau was decommissioned in 2008.

    U.S. military services have long sunk decommissioned ships to test their weapons in live fire exercises. Other decommissioned vessels that have been sent to the bottom of the ocean in the name of training include the amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland, which was struck by two Precision Strike Missiles, or PrSMs, during a 2024 exercise. The sinking of the Cleveland marked the first time the land-based missile had been used against a ship. The PrSM made its combat debut this year as part of U.S. military operations against Iran, dubbed “Epic Fury.”

    Top Stories This Week

    Training how to sink warships is especially important as the U.S. prepares for a possible fight against China. A 2024 Defense Department report found that China’s navy had more than 370 vessels. The U.S. Navy currently operates 291 battle force ships, according to the service’s shipbuilding plan.

    As part of its reorganization effort focusing on China, the Marine Corps has equipped units in Okinawa with anti-ship missiles.

    The skills honed during ship-sinking exercises can also be used against other adversaries. In early March, a Navy Los Angeles-class submarine torpedoed an Iranian warship,marking the first time since 1945 that a Navy submarine had used a torpedo to sink an enemy vessel.

    The post This is the moment the Navy’s USS Juneau was sunk in the name of training appeared first on Task & Purpose.

  • SOCOM is seeking a long-range kamikaze drone

    SOCOM is seeking a long-range kamikaze drone

    U.S. Special Operations Command is looking for a small but long-range kamikaze drone.

    The goal is to develop an air-launched loitering munition “with an extended range and capabilities beyond the current SOPGM [Stand-Off Precision Guided Munition portfolio],” according to a June 26 SOCOM Request For Information. The response deadline is July 27.

    Launched at an altitude of 5,000 to 30,000 feet, the desired Air Loitering Munition must have a range of at least 75 nautical miles. Once over the target zone, it must have a loiter time of at least 40 minutes while orbiting at an altitude of 500 to 3,000 feet, according to the RFI. The munition should also be able to maintain a speed of 50 to 100 knots, with a weight that does not exceed 95 pounds.

    By comparison, AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 — which SOCOM ordered in 2021 to test as a boat-launched weapon — has a range of more than 55 miles and weighs 33 pounds. The ALM’s guidance would be passive, homing in on radio emissions or using automatic target recognition.

    The ALM will be able to be launched by SOCOM fixed-wing aircraft, according to the request. Ideally, the weapon should be capable of being fired from a Common Launch Tube, a launcher that enables most military or civilian aircraft to become missile platforms.

    For the Common Launch Tube, the ALM would be no longer than 42 inches, with a 5.9-inch diameter. Fitted to a BRU-71 or BRU-78 weapons rack, the ALM could be up to 90 inches long and 9 inches wide.

    The project will involve “a single demonstration for evaluation on the AC-130J Ghostrider or another SOF platform,” according to the RFI.

    The RFI also calls for rough cost estimates for orders of 500, 1000 and 3000 munitions. SOCOM is “looking for true innovative, out-of-the-box thinking, conceptual approaches and ideas on how industry can expediently design, manufacture and deliver stated capabilities.”

    While short-range backpack kamikaze drones have become a fixture on the battlefield, long-range loitering munitions have become increasingly prominent.

    In the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Azerbaijan used the Israeli-made Harpy to devastate Armenian forces. Ukraine and Russia have also made extensive use of long-range loitering drones. Earlier this month, Russia bombarded Kyiv with the Banderol, which reportedly has a range of 500 miles and packs a 150-pound warhead.

    Armed with loitering munitions with a range of around 100 miles, SOCOM MC-130J gunships and other aircraft would be able to hunt targets deep inside enemy lines — and do so while remaining out of range of enemy air defenses.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • Inside the Marine Corps’ Call of Duty training experiment

    Inside the Marine Corps’ Call of Duty training experiment

    For more than 15 years, the Office of Naval Research has explored how video games can affect human cognition. While researchers often found evidence that they can improve cognitive performance, the concept has had limited application into real-world programs.

    That may be changing.

    In January, Marine Corps University began using a modified version of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare at its sergeant’s course in Quantico, Virginia, to help strengthen leadership, communication, critical thinking and decision making under pressure.

    The program, called Research into Competency Acquisition with Novel E-gaming, or R-CANE, was developed through a partnership with Virginia Tech and the University of Memphis with funding from the Office of Naval Research.

    Brig. Gen. Matthew Tracy, commanding general of Marine Corps Education Command and president of Marine Corps University, described R-CANE as enhancing “natural intelligence” rather than traditional training. Although the game has Marines playing avatars that use weapons and fight enemy combatants, he said the purpose is improving cognitive performance.

    “What the game allows us to do is manipulate that cognitive load on the Marines’ actual brain and their ability to take in information, process that information, observe, create a plan on the fly, articulate that plan amongst their team, reassess that plan, create another one, rearticulate that, all as they’re being loaded with information coming in,” he told Military Times.

    Tracy said that he will “pounce” on the word “training” when it comes to describing the program because he thinks it would benefit anyone in any profession or job set, ranging from a sniper to NFL player to cocktail party host and even to a writer.

    “Who would not benefit from enhanced brain performance?” he inquired.

    Inside the program

    Louis Hickman, an assistant professor of industrial-organizational psychology at Virginia Tech and principal investigator of the project, said Marines are grouped into teams of six, with one Marine assigned to lead the other five. Wearing gaming headsets and sitting behind monitors, they work together as a fireteam to complete missions.

    Hickman said the 14 custom-designed levels vary in difficulty and mission. Easier scenarios help Marines familiarize themselves with the game, while more difficult levels challenge them to collaborate and adapt under pressure.

    “The goal is not to train the Marines on military protocol,” Hickman said. “It’s to help concretize some of the lessons that are already taught in the sergeant school around leadership, communication and collaboration.”

    Gameplay footage shared with Military Times shows Marines clearing an office building before facing a sudden shift in mission: enemy combatants surround the building, forcing the team to move to an extraction point.

    The increased pressure quickly creates chaos. Players are killed and respawned to continue the mission, forcing rapid communication and adaptation under stress.

    Throughout the exercise, observers monitor player reactions, positioning and communication. Once the level is complete, a large language model, or LLM, trained with military policy, generates prompts for an after-action review.

    “The goal is to get the Marines to engage in reflection and metacognition to help concretize potential learnings from the gameplay scenario,” Hickman said.

    He added that players may not fully benefit from the experience unless they take time to reflect on what happened and consider how it would translate to a real-world engagement.

    A review from the classroom

    Master Sgt. Christine Monroig, the staff noncommissioned officer in charge at the sergeant school, said in an email to Military Times that she was initially skeptical of the program but came to see how it could benefit participants after experiencing it firsthand.

    “I quickly recognized its value as an innovative training tool that complements traditional instruction by enhancing communication, decision-making, adaptability, and cognitive performance in a dynamic and engaging environment,” she wrote. “Rather than replacing existing methods, it serves as an additional capability that can further prepare Marines for the demands of future conflict.”

    Monroig said she had very little experience with video games — mostly classic titles like Super Mario Bros and Sonic the Hedgehog — and limited familiarity with the concept of neuroplasticity, or the nervous system’s ability to adapt, but found that the scenarios closely aligned with warfighting principles taught at the school.

    “While I cannot compare it directly to the commercial game, I can attest that the mission-focused design of the training supports the development of skills that are relevant to warfighting and small-unit leadership,” she said.

    She added that the program cannot fully replicate the physical demands of live exercises, but it does create cognitive stressors that force Marines to work together and think quickly.

    “One of the most valuable lessons I gained was a greater appreciation for the cognitive aspects of learning and performance,” she said. “As Marines, we are often focused on mission accomplishment and operational effectiveness, but this experience encouraged me to think more deeply about how Marines learn, adapt, and develop decision-making skills.”

    Up next for the program

    Currently, R-CANE is only available at the sergeant school in Quantico, where the school is equipped with 75 systems but has a capacity for 25 students.

    Tracy said the deliberate rollout is tied to the program’s research goals. Each student undergoes cognitive testing before attending the course to establish a baseline and measure changes over time.

    While the Marine Corps plans to expand the program to sergeant courses at other bases, such as Twentynine Palms and Camp Lejeune, Tracy said expansion will remain limited for now.

    “We want to get more data before we start thinking big and asking for resources,” he said. “We have to ensure that we have a body of evidence that is rich enough and convincing enough before we make larger investments into other facets.”

    Hickman said he believes video game-based learning could eventually evolve into direct military training applications, particularly for drone operations.

    Rather than training on actual equipment, operators could use game-based systems that mirror real-world interfaces and physics without risking damage to costly hardware, he said.

    Hickman also said expanding the program’s LLM capabilities could have applications beyond classroom gaming, particularly in after-action reviews.

    He said traditional after-action reviews require a human facilitator and are usually conducted in group settings, making them difficult to scale. An LLM could provide a more flexible alternative when facilitators are unavailable.

    “They have these large-language-model girlfriends. They have large-language-model tutors. They have large-language-model coaches,” Hickman said. “Here, we made a large language model after-action review facilitator.”

    The long-term goal, he said, is to build an LLM capable of monitoring exercises and conducting after-action reviews not only for teams but for individual Marines as well.

    “The long-term goal is to take those automated assessments from the scenario and use those as inputs in that large language model after-action review,” he said. “That way it has information about what went on so it can help guide that conversation in a more meaningful way.”

    Correction: This story has been updated to include the correct modified Call of Duty video game used by Marine Corps University.

    This post was originally published on this site.

  • Baby Boomer Wealth: How the Wealthiest Generation Stacks Up

    Baby Boomer Wealth: How the Wealthiest Generation Stacks Up

    Baby boomers make up only about 20% of the adult U.S. population, but hold roughly half of all household wealth. That’s more than Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z combined. The median boomer net worth comes in at around $432,200 in inflation-adjusted 2024 dollars, the highest of any generation measured at comparable ages.

    That number puts boomers at the top of generational wealth comparisons. It’s also the midpoint of a very wide spread. It doesn’t capture Social Security income or pension value, two assets that shape retirement security more than portfolio balance alone. 

    Where you land in that distribution, and how your assets convert to monthly income, matters more for your plan than the headline number. Here’s where boomer wealth came from, who it bypassed, and what the numbers look like when applied to your own situation.

    An older couple stands arm-in-arm from behind, looking out over a rolling countryside hill at their adult children and grandchildren, symbolizing the lasting family legacy and transfer of baby boomer wealth.

    Baby Boomers Entered Old Age Wealthier Than Any Generation Before Them

    By the time baby boomers reached retirement age, they had accumulated more wealth than any previous generation, even after accounting for inflation. That’s according to a 2026 Pew Research Center analysis using the latest Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF), the gold standard for measuring household wealth in the U.S.

    Pew held age constant, measuring each generation at the same life stage (ages 58 to 76) and comparing median net worth in 2024 dollars. The comparison isn’t skewed by how much time each generation had.

    Generation Ages at Measurement Year Measured Median Net Worth
    Greatest Generation 58–76 1983 $185,300
    Silent Generation 58–76 2001 $335,900
    Baby Boomers 58–76 2022 $432,200

    Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Survey of Consumer Finances, February 2026. All figures in 2024 dollars.

    Boomers arrived 29% ahead of the Silent Generation at the same life stage, and 133% ahead of the Greatest Generation. If you built wealth through your working years, the data describes the conditions you moved through as much as the choices you made.

    The SCF doesn’t capture the present value of defined benefit pensions or projected Social Security income. For many boomers, those are two of the most important financial assets they have. Neither shows up in the $432,200.

    Baby Boomers Hold More Than Half of All U.S. Household Wealth

    Baby boomers hold approximately $85–88 trillion in household wealth, according to the Federal Reserve’s Distributional Financial Accounts (DFA). That’s about half of the total U.S. wealth stock, despite the generation making up roughly 20% of the adult population.

    Generation Share of U.S. Household Wealth Approximate Total
    Baby Boomers ~50–51% $85–88 trillion
    Gen X ~26% ~$46 trillion
    Millennials + Gen Z ~11% ~$19 trillion

    Source: Federal Reserve Distributional Financial Accounts. Figures as of 2024.

    The per-household average across all boomers is around $1.6 million. The median is $432,200.

    That spread is telling: a small number of very high-net-worth households pull the mean far above where most boomers land. The median reflects the middle of the distribution, which makes it the more useful benchmark for most households. Among boomers, the top 10% hold 71% of the generation’s total wealth.

    That concentration tracks closely with education. At every education level below a bachelor’s degree, boomers ended up with less wealth than their Silent Generation counterparts at the same ages. Only college-educated boomers outpaced prior generations.

    Education Level Greatest Generation (1983) Silent Generation (2001) Baby Boomers (2022)
    Less than HS diploma $100,300 $125,100 $77,200
    HS diploma $207,200 $280,500 $239,800
    Some college, no degree $363,600 $527,700 $330,500
    Bachelor’s or higher $605,200 $989,000 $1,077,200

    Source: Pew Research Center analysis of Survey of Consumer Finances, February 2026. Median net worth of households headed by 58- to 76-year-olds, in 2024 dollars.

    The median is where the typical boomer sits. But even $432,200 can fund a solid retirement or fall short, depending on how it’s structured and what the rest of the picture looks like.

    How Did Baby Boomers Accumulate So Much Wealth?

    Boomers grew their wealth through a combination of real estate timing, decades of equity market exposure, and labor market conditions that are unlikely to repeat. Discipline and thrift alone don’t explain it.

    Start with real estate. Boomers bought homes when prices were lower and held them through decades of sustained appreciation. Home equity represents about 22.7% of baby boomer assets. Geography and timing drove that run-up more than financial planning. If you bought in the 1970s or 1980s and held, that appreciation came to you by default.

    Equity market exposure runs a close second. Boomers entered the workforce as 401(k) plans were expanding. Those who invested through their peak earning years benefited from one of the longest bull markets in modern history. Compounding over 30 to 40 years is a structural advantage that shorter time horizons can’t replicate.

    Many boomers also have access to defined benefit pension plans that are now rare. Pension income doesn’t register in SCF net worth figures, but it supports retirement stability in a way that a portfolio alone has to work harder to replicate.

    Then there’s the early-career drag that boomers avoided. Student debt burdens were smaller, and long-term employment was more stable. Both allowed wealth to compound sooner. Those starting conditions look quite different for the generations that followed.

    Millennials Are Richer at Their Age Than Boomers Were. The Pie Just Grew Faster.

    Adjusted for inflation, millennials and Gen Z are building more wealth per person than boomers did at the same life stage. That tends to get buried in the headlines.

    St. Louis Fed analysis of U.S. household wealth finds that controlling for inflation, younger generations hold approximately $1.35 for every $1 boomers held at an equivalent age. The dollar figures at the same life stage make that clearer than any ratio.

    Generation Average Wealth at Age 34 (2024 dollars)
    Baby Boomers (measured 1989) $257,000
    Gen X (measured 2007) $283,000
    Millennials + Gen Z (measured 2024) $347,000

    Source: St. Louis Fed, The State of U.S. Household Wealth, June 2025. All figures inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars, compared at equivalent life stage (average age 34).

    Boomer homes and equity positions have appreciated for decades. The base grew faster than any generation can add to through income and savings. In other words, the floor went up faster than the ladder.

    Researchers estimate around $124 trillion will transfer from older Americans to younger generations through 2048, with boomers and older generations supplying nearly $100 trillion of that total.

    The Median Boomer Net Worth Looks Solid Until You Run the Retirement Math

    A median net worth of $432,200 sounds like a reasonable foundation. At a 4% withdrawal rate, it generates approximately $17,300 per year. For most households, that’s a supplement. Social Security covers the rest for most boomers, and for many, it’s the primary income source in retirement. It’s also not in the net worth figure, which makes the dollar figure look more self-sufficient than it is.

    Home equity creates the same problem. A significant portion of boomer net worth lives there. Home equity doesn’t convert to monthly income without selling, downsizing, or tapping a reverse mortgage. Net worth and liquid retirement assets are different numbers.

    Start with the separation: calculate your net worth and break out liquid assets from home equity.

    Model your Social Security timing before you claim. Claiming at 62 versus 70 can represent tens of thousands of dollars over a 20-year retirement. The right answer depends on your health, your other income sources, and your projected benefit.

    If you’re within 10 years of retirement, stress-test your withdrawal rate against a bad first decade. A plan that holds up under average conditions may have difficulty weathering sequence-of-returns risk. Knowing how your plan holds under pressure, before you’re living it, is a different kind of confidence than hoping conditions stay average.

    The Boldin Planner lets you run those stress scenarios against your specific numbers, including Social Security timing, withdrawal sequencing, and what a down decade early in retirement would cost you. That’s how you know your plan is ready for anything.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Baby Boomer Net Worth

    What is the average baby boomer net worth?

    The mean baby boomer net worth is approximately $1.6 million, but the median is $432,200 in 2024 dollars, according to Pew Research Center analysis of Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances data. The difference is significant: the top 10% of boomer households hold roughly 71% of all boomer wealth, pulling the mean well above where most boomers land. The median is the more accurate benchmark for a typical household.

    How did baby boomers accumulate so much wealth?

    Boomer wealth accumulated through real estate appreciation, long-term equity market exposure, and access to defined benefit pension plans that are now rare. Boomers bought homes when prices were lower and held them through decades of appreciation, and their working years overlapped with a multi-decade equity bull market. Carrying less student debt than later generations also allowed wealth to compound and grow earlier.

    Do baby boomers have more wealth than millennials?

    As a generation, boomers hold roughly $85–88 trillion compared to millennials and Gen Z’s combined $19 trillion, according to Federal Reserve Distributional Financial Accounts data. Adjusted for inflation, though, millennials and Gen Z are building more wealth per person at the same life stage than boomers did. Boomers hold more in total because their assets, accumulated over decades, have appreciated faster than any generation can add to through savings alone.

    What percentage of U.S. wealth do baby boomers control?

    Baby boomers control approximately 50–51% of total U.S. household wealth, according to Federal Reserve Distributional Financial Accounts data. They represent roughly 20% of the adult population, so their share runs at more than double their population weight. That dominance comes from home equity and equity holdings accumulated over several decades of sustained appreciation.

    Is $432,000 enough to retire on?

    At a 4% withdrawal rate, $432,000 produces about $17,300 per year in portfolio income. For most people, that’s a supplement rather than a full retirement income. Most boomers depend on Social Security to cover a significant share of their expenses, which is why Social Security timing, spending rate, and housing decisions matter as much as net worth when evaluating whether a retirement plan is funded.

    The post Baby Boomer Wealth: How the Wealthiest Generation Stacks Up appeared first on Boldin.

    This post was originally published on this site

  • Select Navy reserve aviators eligible for up to $40,000 in annual bonuses

    Select Navy reserve aviators eligible for up to $40,000 in annual bonuses

    The U.S. Navy last week announced a slew of annual financial incentives for U.S. Navy reserve aviators in an effort to retain their services.

    As part of the service’s fiscal 2026 Training and Administration of the Reserve Aviation Department Head Retention program, select aviators serving in department head billets may be eligible for annual retention bonuses of up to $40,000, according to a June 26 NAVADMIN.

    “A vital part of developing a total force strategy and maintaining combat readiness is to provide appropriate incentives to retain skilled personnel for critical naval aviation enterprise billets,” the message said.

    The following jobs may be eligible for the listed retention bonuses:

    • Helicopter mine countermeasures operations (HM) pilot: $40,000 per year
    • Helicopter sea combat (HSC) pilot: $30,000 per year
    • Helicopter maritime strike (HSM) pilot: $35,000 per year
    • Helicopter training (HT) pilot: $25,000 per year
    • Electronic attack squadron (VAQ) pilot: $40,000 per year
    • Electronic attack squadron (VAQ) naval flight officer: $40,000 per year
    • Airborne command and control (VAW) pilot: $40,000 per year
    • Airborne command and control (VAW) naval flight officer: $15,000 per year
    • Fleet logistic multi-mission (VRM) pilot: $35,000 per year
    • Fighter squadron composite (VFC) pilot: $40,000 per year
    • Fighter squadron composite (VFC) naval flight officer: $30,000 per year
    • Patrol squadron and unmanned patrol squadron (VP/VUP) pilot: $35,000 per year
    • Patrol squadron and unmanned patrol squadron (VP/VUP) naval flight officer: $30,000 per year
    • Fleet logistics support squadron (VR) pilot: $35,000 per year
    • Fixed wing training for jet-powered aircraft [VT(JET)] pilot: $40,000 per year
    • Fixed wing training for propeller-powered aircraft [VT(PROP)] pilot and naval flight officer: $40,000 per year

    Signed contracts must be received by the Training and Administration of the Reserve Distribution and Augmentation by Aug. 26 of this year, according to the NAVADMIN.

    More information on the retention initiative can be found here.

    This post was originally published on this site.