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Joe Wallace

Expert Guru
Joe Wallace is a columnist, photographer and filmmaker based in the Chicago area. Wallace is editor-in-chief of Freelance-Zone.com, a buyer's guide, lifestyle and advice blog for freelance writers. He also writes a society column for LongIslandExchange.com, and works as a freelance music journalist. His favorite interviews include Cheap Trick, Nine Inch Nails, Goldfrapp, and Ladytron among many others. He spent 2006 working as managing editor for Gearwire.com, a music industry daily focusing on producing, studio recording, gear reviews and how-to guides.



Before starting his freelance writing career he spent 13 years as a reporter and editor for Air Force News Agency, The Pentagon Channel, the Far East Network in Japan and the Navy Media Center in Iceland. His stories have featured interviews with Jesse Jackson, Dick Gephardt, Trading Spaces stars Ty Pennington and Paige Davis, ABC's Joan Lunden, the BBC's Robert LLwellyn and many others.





Wallace is the webmaster for three websites and a veteran blogger. His projects include submissions for several anthology books, a documentary film on the war in Iraq and a photo/art show centered around dance photography.

Joe Wallace is available as a freelance consultant for bloggers, startup websites and online publications. His expertise includes podcasting, social networking, SEO optimization and website promotion.




10 Tips from Joe Wallace

GI BIll Time Limit

Your GI Bill benefits have a ten-year limited "shelf life" once you leave the military, but you don't have to wait until separation or retirement to begin taking advantage of your GI Bill. You can use this important military benefit while still in uniform, collect your college money and further your career at the same time. If you do choose to wait until leaving the service to use your GI Bill benefits, remember that it can take up to six months to get initial processing of your benefits paperwork. Plan ahead and submit your forms well in advance of your first semester, otherwise you could wind up waiting months for a deferred payment!

"Any Soldier" Support Mail

Once upon a time, American citizens could send care packages to troops stationed in war zones by simply addressing the label to "any soldier". Because of concerns over mail security, this feature was de-activated years ago, but many people still ask about the feature. One of the best ways to support those stationed overseas in war zones? Contact your nearest military base's Family Support Center or Family Service Center and ask how you can donate goods or services through them, or to the base's local Red Cross office. All Military members leave family behind to serve, and often times the way to best support them is by helping the family members who wait for their loved one to return. This brings some much-needed peace of mind and morale to those in the war zone. Both the Red Cross and Family Support Center have programs built to help these families, and every little bit helps. Just call the military base's main number and ask the operator to connect you with the Family Support Center or Red Cross office. The representatives in those offices will have all the information you need to donate goods, services, or cash.

The GI Bill Is Just The Start

Did you know that many states offer programs to assist veterans in their educational pursuits? A great example is the Illinois Veterans Grant, which offers 100% tuition payments in public schools. Unfortunately, private schools are not part of this program, but in qualifying schools this veteran's benefit program is offered above and beyond your GI Bill benefits! It's easy to see how your educational goals can become a reality with such help, but many veterans don't know these programs exist. Ask your college counselor to put you in touch with the campus VA rep, who can explain any such benefits your state has to offer. You will be very glad you did.

Moving? Get Your Crates Properly Sealed

When you get ready to make your PCS move to another assignment, the military pays for movers to pack up your household items and have them shipped to the next location. An important part of the process during any move is the sealing of the shipping containers. The military requires seals on each crate to insure your items are not tampered with or stolen during the move. It's very important for you to witness the application of these seals and make sure that top, bottom, and all four sides have the seal stickers placed on them. Some movers will try to tell you these are not necessary on all sides. Do not allow your crates to be shipped without proper seals! In the case of a military claim over damaged or stolen goods, one of the first questions you will be asked involves witnessing the sealing of your containers. You may lose any entitlements you have to compensation if you allow your crates to be shipped without following the required procedures. Damage often happens during a move, don't cheat yourself out of the compensation you deserve.

I Am 16 Years Old. Can I Join The Military?

There are strict rules governing the "age of consent" for joining the military, but one thing recruiters are allowed to do is to work with those who are still in high school, so long as there is parental consent. If you have not graduated high school yet, you may talk to a recruiter, but be prepared to ask your parents to sign a form saying they approve of your decision to join the military. It is also very important to complete your high school education, as most branches of the military consider a lack of a GED or high school diploma to be a serious obstacle to joining the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marines. For those who have graduated, 17 is the youngest you can actually enlist, and this must be done with parental consent.

I Lied About My Age In Order To Enlist

Although you may have good intentions, lying to a military recruiter about any aspect of your enlistment is not in your best interests. Those who mislead a recruiter are guilty of what the military calls "fraudulent enlistment," which is grounds for dismissal from the military. It is very important to be honest in all your answers to avoid jeopardizing your military career. Fraudulent enlistment has no statute of limitations, so you can have disciplinary action taken against you at any time in your career once the truth is known.

Military Education And Your First Year In Uniform

Many people join the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines in order to take advantage of the educational benefits. What some don't realize is that new recruits are required to have extensive schooling and on-the-job training in the first year of service. If you are planning on off-duty education, be prepared to wait out your first year of service while you get that extensive training. It may sound like a sacrifice now, but when you are in the middle of your first 12 months of your new career, you will understand why most recruits can't handle the additional workload that off-duty education would bring. It's simply too much to handle all at once. Your second year of service will be comparatively less stressful and more predictable in most cases.

Military Colleges

The Air Force, Army, and other branches of the service offer community college degrees (The Community College of the Air Force or CCAF is a great example.) that can enhance your career. In the Air Force, some ranks are very difficult to attain without a CCAF degree. Attaining this associates degree early in your career is an important part of military career planning. Best of all, your credit hours can be paid for by tuition assistance programs and you won't need to use your GI bill on these courses! Take advantage of the free education while you can.

What Is Basic Training Like?

Basic training is a challenging environment that teaches people how to function as a team regardless of social backgrounds, race, creed, and other factors. You may be giving seemingly mindless tasks to perform, designed to teach you how to pay attention to specific details of the job. You'll be ordered to perform jobs that cannot succeed unless there is proper teamwork. These are all built to teach a new way of thinking in terms of working and acting for the good of the unit. The most important thing you can do to prepare for basic training is to start a program of physical fitness well before entering basic. Many people struggle with basic training because they are out of shape--a needless distraction for those with enough time to prepare! Basic training is by its very nature, designed to provide you with a challenging environment. The idea is to find your own inner strength to succeed in spite of the difficulties.

Air Travel

Military members qualify for free trips using the frequent flyer miles you earn on military flights for official travel. Once upon a time, these miles were barred to military members; the rules changed when all military members were required to charge official travel to a government military card they would take out in their own names. Now you can accrue frequent flyer miles for official travel purchases made with the government card. Rack up enough miles and you can get free trips, flight upgrades, and much more. Be sure to sign up for frequent flyer programs before you start taking flights on official business for maximum benefits connected to your airline ticket purchases!