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I am absolutely kicking myself for not getting an American Express Platinum card sooner. Why is this card so awesome? It gives you a boat load of benefits that are perfectly suited for military that travel, but the hefty $550 annual fee is WAIVED for active duty military due to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. So you get all the benefits with no fees!

Here are some of the benefits this card offers:

• Free access to many airport lounges (Delta Sky Club, Amex Centurion)
• $15 in Uber credit each month, with $20 in December
• $200 per year in airline fees covered for free (food on flights, baggage charges, change fees, etc)
• $100 credit for TSA Precheck application (allows spouse to apply for free)
• Immediate Gold status with Starwood Preferred Guest and Hilton Honors
• Complimentary access to more than a million Boingo wifi hotspots

Now here is the other cool program they offer that I am using this weekend. It’s called Fine Hotels and Resorts. We are PCS’ing shortly and will be staying at hotels along the way. I was able to book the Four Seasons in Atlanta for $219 for one night. But guess what comes with that one night stay?

• $100 food and drink credit
• Free breakfast for two in the morning ($64)
• Early checkin at noon (if space permits)
• Complimentary room upgrade (if available)
• Late checkout at 4PM

Couple Caveats

First, this is a ‘charge card’ so you have to pay the balance in full each month. Honestly, that is why I’m more comfortable recommending this card to fellow military. From reading other posts on this site, you can probably tell I’m anti-credit card. Being forced to pay off the card each month ensures you will not build up a large balance.

Make sure to apply for the SCRA benefits right away. It can take up to 60 days to process. Once applied to your account, you are good for the life of your account and will not see annual fees on any statements.

Have you every been on a long plane ride and had your phone die? Or had to search for plugs in airport only to find half of them don’t work? It’s happened to me many times and is very annoying!

I now have a Jackery Giant portable phone charger and am able to charge my phone and iPad almost anywhere.

Why You Need a Jackery in the Military

The Giant is around $20 and can fully charge an iPhone 6 four times, a Galaxy S6 three times, and iPad Air once.

We use it for the following:

• Deployments – ideal when you are unsure of foreign electricity outlets
• Long car rides
• Traveling through airports
• Vacation – put one in your backpack before going into Disney World

They have several other sizes available if the Giant is too big for you.

Carrying a water bottle to PT, on flights, a deployment, or even around the office is a great way to keep fresh water at your fingertips. In this post I will compare three water bottles I’ve owned over the past 10 years in the military and show why I feel the Hydro Flask is the best ever!

Water Bottles Compared

The Nalgene Wide Mouth was my first water bottle. This water bottle is tough, lightweight, and BPA free. What I did not like was how fast water would warm up while exposed to heat. Water is fairly gross when warmed up to a certain temperature. Also, the Nalgene ages quickly, meaning the bottle will become very faded and somewhat cracked over a couple years.

The CamelBak Eddy was my water bottle of choice for many years. It’s smaller than the Nalgene. I think it’s best selling feature is the flip-up drinking spout. I’ve seen A LOT of military using the CamelBak Eddy. This water bottle feels fairly strong.

My current water bottle and favorite so far is the 32 oz Hydro Flask.

What I Like About the Hydro Flask

This water bottle keeps water cold for a VERY long time. Ice can easily last in it overnight, and often times to about 24 hours. The Hydro Flask is durable and leak free.

Their company provides great support as well. I dropped my Hydro Flask in an airport recently and cracked the lid. It still didn’t leak, but I used the company’s warranty form to see if I could get a replacement lid. They sent me a new lid for free, no questions asked!

The other thing I’ve seen people doing in the military is engraving them and giving them away as gifts. A company in Las Vegas called Lazer Ladies engraves Hydro Flasks. I’ve heard the cost is around $30.

How about you? What is your favorite water bottle?

These are my 6-year old Rocky S2V boots. They’ve been to seven countries and twelve states. They are the best military boots available, hands down.

I’ve worn these on the back porch of the squadron on Friday, drinking beer after a week’s hard work. I’ve worn them while training Airmen, while briefing Colonels and 3-Star Generals.

They’re dusty. Touching Iraqi soil for the first time – no big deal. Yeah right, I was scared. Back and forth to the chow hall. Wandering around the BX. In the barracks with friends. Talking to my kids on skype.

At the airport – saying goodbye to my wife. Too many times. At a homecoming coming down the ladder, smiling. At a new unit introducing myself. At a farewell lunch saying some parting words.

Standing tall at my promotion. At a retirement shaking hands.

I was lucky enough to score these for free at my first unit. Right now I’m on my third pair in 14 years!

Why These Boots Rock

Rocky boots are comfortable from the start, but also last a long time. That’s a tough combination to find.

The boots issued before a deployment (Bates?) are tough, but hurt your feet and take a few months to break in.

Oakley and Nike boots are as comfortable as shoes, but fall apart within a year. I saw a friend’s Oakley’s fall apart within nine months of light use. If you search the internet, you’ll find the same theme.

The only thing bad about Rocky’s is that they’ll hit your wallet a bit harder than the other boots. It’s hard to find them under $180. Given how long they last while remaining comfortable – I think it’s worth it!

More Discussion

Read others’ opinions on boots at:

• Shadow Spear – Who Makes the Best Combat Boots?
• Military Photos – Best All Around Combat Boot

 A review from a soldier: