Welcome back to the game! Sounds like you already have a plan in place to improve. Noticed you've started on the Lessons; most find those quite helpful. Not sure how available this link is, so I've included it in case you want to try more free Lessons before deciding on a premium plan. Have fun...
https://www.chess.com/blog/webmaster/free-chess-mentor-courses
Welcome aboard, and please tell your friends to stop stealing the food in the Chess.com cafeteria.
Will your wife be joining us.? 
The mammoth book of the worlds greatest chess games is great. My copy is in 3 parts due to excessive page turning.
Can I ask which branch of the military.? I was an MP in the Air Force--1974--78.
Is it just me ?....or do those ants think they're on a Ouija Board ?
....and Ronald ?....will u let me & Cookie & Mary putchu in handcuffs ?
RonaldJosephCote, I was Navy :-)
I salute you for your service sir....now you have to learn how to be a veteran.
Oh and Lola....anything for you & Mary.
Java ants flashbacks intensify.
Nice introduction.
Welcome aboard.
RonaldJosephCote, I was Navy :-)
Ronald, these white sock/blacks are the sexiest uniforms I've ever seen. What do u call them ?
"What do U call them"? .....uncomfortable.
.....are they burial/funeral regalia ?
Lola.....I'm not fully familiar with the Navy dress code.....perhaps the OP can chime in here. I do know that they have 2 colors for formal wear. Dress blues such as your pic in post 14.......and Dress Whites such as..... 
These are US Navy? Not sure what they call their dress. I was in a proper Navy ;-)
Our “best” uniform was called “1s”, which was the blue uniform most people commonly associate with the Navy. For us, this white uniform was our tropical uniform.
I've been out for 40 yrs.....everything's changed.....the uniforms.....the ranks....hell, they've even closed bases. When I go to the V.A, I see all the magazines at the front desk---Navy Times--Army Times--etc. The're hurting for people in all areas...giving $35,000. bonuses for some jobs.
To the OP.....in joining this site, here are some military clubs that might make you feel more welcome......https://www.chess.com/clubs/search?club_search%5Bphrase%5D=military
Hi
Not sure if there is already a sub-board for “Hi’s” from new members, so my apologies if this is in the wrong place.
I just wanted to say hello as a new member. I am in the closing few months of being 49; the big “five oh” rapidly coming for me. I havent played chess since I was 13-16 playing at beginners level for my remaining years at school. Now that I am semi-retired after more than 20 years military service (I was an MP), I have decided to take the game up again. As a kid I'd play with “caveman tactics”; just jump at every chance to take my opponent’s pieces, and blunder my way through the game, hoping for the best. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it failed miserably.
Now, I want to start again, work on my tactics and strategy, and just have a good time. Currently I am reading “The Right Way to Play Chess” (David Pritchard), and I am also reading “The Mammoth Book of the World’s Greatest Chess Games”, which is awesome as it takes you step by step through over 100 famous games, using the chess notation, and pausing every few moves to give you a breakdown on why that move was executed, and the pros and cons of such moves. This is helping me to get my head around the tactics and strategies of this awesome game.
I currently am on the free membership of this site, but do plan on getting one of the paid for membership plans soon.
Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my introduction.