The WHAT! Come April 25th I am departing Sri Lanka for the States where I will start four weeks of training for a one year tour in Iraq.
This is something Chris and I had discussed and I was more concerned about her feelings about it and she was okay with it.
As some of you may know this won't be my first time to "The Sandbox" as I did a year in Baghdad during 2005. I was there for the elections and admittedly some bad times. I feel that things have calmed down considerably since I've been there, also I will not be going to Baghdad. I would rather be in the Green Zone, but I'm happy that I was just able to get a slot there as the positions were very hard to come buy.
Unlike my previous experience there the benefit$ won't be nearly as much, but there is a financial incentive that is very generous along with two paid trips to the States (or wherever you want to go) and three paid trips within the region, Basically Chris and I can meet every two months or so and she can catch a flight to Dubai, Amman, Charm-El-Cheik etc.
Where is Chris going to stay during my one year in Iraq? Well right here in Sri Lanka. The company gives you the choice of packing up and going to the USA and receiving a stipend or staying at your current location. Given that she has access to pools, beaches, the apartment is maintained, all utilities paid and we have a housekeeper, she'll stay here. That and we have a friend who will be starting a job in Singapore so I expect Chris will visit her when she needs a break from the city.
I hope to visit the gym more often while I'm there, not like the last time I was there (well honestly I quit going to the gym which was in a big tent after a rocket landed nearby and we could feel the concussion).
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Career. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Your're in the Army Now...
Doc factoid time. Aside from spending 12 years in the Marines I also spent awhile in the Virginia National Guard.
I signed on probably a good 7 years after I got out of the Marines but they took me right back with the same rank that I left the Marines with.
I was issued a seabag full of new Army uniforms and a CD full of information on Army indoctrination, how to wear the uniform, rank structure etc. I thought that was pretty funny that they just kind of leave it up to you to figure out. Fortunately most of my drill weekends I wore my civilian clothes and on the occasional administration drill weekend I would have to wear my camouflage uniform but that was the extent of it. I ended up missing a dress uniform inspection, good thing as I never did figure out how to put on all of odds and ends, guess I should have paid more attention to the CD.
All in all the National Guard was a big let down for me coming from the Marines. I was used to discipline and order and the Guard just lacked all of that. I had pay problems that never got resolved. There was other administrative problems that never got worked out month after month.
One funny thing was lunch during the admin drill weekends. Sometimes there was a woman who was contracted out to provide us meals, obviously the lowest bidder. Nothing horrible but just not very tasty or imaginative but it was times better than when we would get the frozen school lunch packets. They kept a freezer full of these things and just pulled them out and passed them around. They were A) Horrible B) Tasteless and C) Frozen!
Most guys drove from all parts of Virginia and from Maryland, I even think there was someone coming from Pennsylvania. Well you don't join the Guard to get rich, but gas was costing a fortune back then, you've driven for hours, now your choice is staying at a local hotel for $80+ a night or sleeping on a cot provided by the unit. Most guys opted for the cots.
I left the unit after returning from Iraq as I was going overseas again and it was just to difficult to maintain my status with the unit, that and I was tired of the same old routine.
I signed on probably a good 7 years after I got out of the Marines but they took me right back with the same rank that I left the Marines with.
I was issued a seabag full of new Army uniforms and a CD full of information on Army indoctrination, how to wear the uniform, rank structure etc. I thought that was pretty funny that they just kind of leave it up to you to figure out. Fortunately most of my drill weekends I wore my civilian clothes and on the occasional administration drill weekend I would have to wear my camouflage uniform but that was the extent of it. I ended up missing a dress uniform inspection, good thing as I never did figure out how to put on all of odds and ends, guess I should have paid more attention to the CD.
All in all the National Guard was a big let down for me coming from the Marines. I was used to discipline and order and the Guard just lacked all of that. I had pay problems that never got resolved. There was other administrative problems that never got worked out month after month.
One funny thing was lunch during the admin drill weekends. Sometimes there was a woman who was contracted out to provide us meals, obviously the lowest bidder. Nothing horrible but just not very tasty or imaginative but it was times better than when we would get the frozen school lunch packets. They kept a freezer full of these things and just pulled them out and passed them around. They were A) Horrible B) Tasteless and C) Frozen!
Most guys drove from all parts of Virginia and from Maryland, I even think there was someone coming from Pennsylvania. Well you don't join the Guard to get rich, but gas was costing a fortune back then, you've driven for hours, now your choice is staying at a local hotel for $80+ a night or sleeping on a cot provided by the unit. Most guys opted for the cots.
I left the unit after returning from Iraq as I was going overseas again and it was just to difficult to maintain my status with the unit, that and I was tired of the same old routine.
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