We've already posted in another thread about the risks of buying a home while you're on active duty, so I'll skip beyond that decision and move along to ideas on how to juggle your military career with landlording.
There are so many people to learn from and so many sets of eyes to see things you don't. I don't even know where to start with taxes. What resources do you recommend for getting savvy on taxes? I plan on living in the house for a few years so I'd be able to plan out the renting venture for a bit.
Here's what's worked for me and hundreds of other readers. Most of these are in the library or free websites:
(1) Investing in Real Estate, 4th edition or later, by Andrew McLean & Gary W. Eldred (who's taken over the new editions),
(2) Landlording by Leigh Robinson (7th edition or later),
(3) Rent vs Own by Jane Hodges,
(4) Frank Gallinelli's "Real Data" website (free analysis tools),
(5) Brandon & Heather Turner's eBook "The Book On Managing Rental Properties". He's a co-founder of Bigger Pockets. I like the eBook format because it's much easier to search and highlight and bookmark.
(6) Josh Dorkin's "Bigger Pockets" website & forums.
(7) Paula Pant's "Afford Anything" posts on real estate.
A newer blogger in this niche is military spouse Elizabeth Colegrove of RelucantLandlord.net. She's very highly leveraged (including VA loans) and her posts will give you a feel for being a landlord near a military base. She and I have agreed to disagree on some of the landlord tactics (and her risk profile) yet she's a great example of what you can do with cheap mortgages and hard work.
When you're seeking a break with entertaining schadenfreude, apply to join the Facebook group "Military Landlords". (Tell the admin you're considering becoming a landlord.) I've learned a lot more about hoarders, cooking meth, and Child Protective Services than I have about taxes on rental properties-- but it'll give you an appreciation for a rigorous tenant screening process.