"Coffee's for closers only." So said malevolent real estate agent Blake (Alec Baldwin) in 1992's Glengarry Glen Ross. That's the entirety of my real estate knowledge. And forget about VA loans; I'm not a veteran. I'm completely clueless, or at least I was ...

Last Wednesday, I attended Veterans National Lending Group's VA Home Loan Boot Camp at Keller Williams Realty in University Place. This free educational seminar pulled back the curtain on the complexities of the VA home loan process.

Military personnel and civilians alike have heard the term "VA loan," but may be unfamiliar with everything it entails. A VA loan is a special mortgage for veterans guaranteed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Once they've signed up to serve their country, it's cruel to have our fighting men and women come home to deal with something even more heinous like securing a home loan without having an advantage.

"Once you get out of basic (training), you basically have a target painted on your back," Brooke Villano, branch manager for Veterans National Lending Group, explained.

Our military gets enough of that from our enemies abroad, so many were there hoping to learn a few professional tips to avoid the pitfalls of home financing.

"We're just seeing what we would (...) qualify for and what's involved in it," said Alicia Totz, whose husband - retired Senior Airman Matt Totz - separated from active duty three months ago.

It turns out they qualify for a lot.

For example, we tend to think of veterans as retired military personnel who've returned to civilian life, but active duty military can qualify for VA home loans too. When managed properly, veterans can begin building a cozy real estate portfolio for their retirement before the shine ever wears off their dog tags.

And if your existing debt exceeds the maximum threshold for VA loan eligibility, (hardly an uncommon situation these days), you can arrange for a motivated seller to take on some of your debt as part of the sale.

If you've served in the military, you're probably eligible for a VA loan. The criteria for ineligibility is surprisingly short, so don't let a paltry blemished credit history put you off of getting informed.

"VA lenders see some of the worst credit imaginable," Villano explained, "You may think you have the worst credit ever; we've seen worse."

Don't worry, you're not signing up to hear a sales pitch by attending boot camp. Veterans National Lending Group is a mortgage lender, but the boot camps are done as a goodwill gesture.

"We do these purely to educate veterans," said Business Development Manager Tina Torfin. "And if we do them on (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), we do them completely unbranded, and ‘un-salesy', with no logos. "

If you want honest information from the experts in a friendly, no pressure venue, look no further. Plus, each attendee received a complementary Starbucks gift card. Sorry Alec Baldwin, but it looks like coffee's not just for closers anymore.

Veteran's National Lending Group's VA Home Loan Boot Camp meets monthly at Cabela's in Lacey, and other venues by special engagement. The next boot camp meets TONIGHT, Thursday, Sept. 29 at Cabela's from 6:00-7:30 p.m. For more information, please visit veteransnationallending.com or facebook.com/vetlending.