Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The Epiphany - (Germany) Day 57

We formed up for PT this morning and after accountability we were told to go to the gym and get on a cardio machine. I loved this because I grabbed a stationary bike in front of the TV showing an NBA basketball game and just peddled away for the entire session. I got a good low-impact workout and it went by pretty quick with the game on.

I headed home and then got ready for work with my wife. We are commuting together today because she starts her first day of work. She's working at a nearby post, so she'll be dropping me off and then picking me up. I think she'll like doing something each day now, and we will also benefit from the extra income.

We have half of the office in the field for the exercise, so I had a computer for the entire day of which I'm very grateful for. It helped me pass the time. I brought in all my paperwork (orders, leave form, and LES) and turned into our platoon sergeant. I was charged for my COT leave between Korea and Germany. These 30 days of leave are supposed to be free because I'm doing a consecutive overseas tour. Unfortunately (and I wasn't surprised) they charged my leave which left me in the negative. Hopefully my platoon sergeant will be able to get this fixed, but I will not hold my breath. The army has turned me from an optimist to a pessimist.

I spent the rest of the morning reading the news and then trying to do my German Headstart class, but the site was down all day. The office was quite and there wasn't much to do. By lunch time I had read all the main headlines and even my old local news. I ate lunch in the office and then continued just surfing the web. I read a number of articles about the future downsizing of the army. I hear everyone in the office constantly talking about it and it is always the topic of conversation it seems anywhere I go on post.

I had an epiphany today. I had previously pretty much made up my mind about not staying in the army after I serve out my contract. I still tossed around the idea of reenlisting if we were able to guarantee Hawaii for our next duty assignment. That would be the only way I would reenlist and then get out and live out the rest of my life in the paradise of Hawaii. After getting some news about the health of my mom and realizing that I need to see my grandmother more (along with the rest of my family who isn't going anywhere) I definitely made up my mind that I will be getting out after my contract is up. That and the fact that the army is going to go through so many changes in the future just added to my decision. My kids would be able to come visit me wherever I am, but I can't expect everyone else to. Family is too important to stay away from for too long. I'm hoping after this assignment in Germany I will be able to get Ft. Lewis, which is about a half hour away from my hometown of Bremerton. I will then be able to finish out my last year in the army and be able to visit friends and family. I will also get to see my kids much more often. It kills me inside all the time that I'm away from them for so long. I video chat with them, but it's still not the same.

Now back to my office…my big actual work events today were inventorying a safe at the end of the day and punching some holes in some paper for our NCOIC. Yay Me!

My wife picked me up at the end of the day and we headed home to eat and hang out together.

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