9.27.2012

Patience, Promotion, and PCS

At the end of August, Joe was finally promoted! He waited a really long time for this promotion because of one NCO who decided to be a jerk and kept pulling Joe from each promotion board. This went on for pretty close to a year, if not longer. Finally, the jerk left and Joe was able to go to a board which he passed with flying colors! He was so excited and I was proud. It took a lot for him to get there - patience and hard work.

The day of his promotion was a little stressful for me because of Charlotte's schedule and everything. We had to wake her up from a nap she barely went down for and I had to feed her in the car before the ceremony. Fun times, indeed. Despite the stress, I wanted to be there and Joe wanted us there as well. Even though I was a little confused as to what was happening, I got to "pin" him and everything. It was a really neat, if short-lived, experience. And, between you and me, I think we got my favorite family photo out of the deal. ;-)


Next up on the Army to-do list for Joe is/was re-enlisting. He was waiting to see if he could get promoted before re-enlisting so that he could avoid having to re-class to a different MOS. Apparently the Army is super-strong in his MOS as an E4. Re-classing might have gotten us to a different duty station sooner, but I knew Joe didn't really want to. He likes his job and I like that, for the most part, it's a pretty safe job. {I say this because during his deployment he ended up getting a CAB. Hubby never left the stinkin' FOB and got a CAB. Sigh.} Anyway, with the promotion he avoided needing to re-class. 

Joe talked to the retention officer about re-enlisting for a specific duty station - one that would get us much closer to home than we are now. {I'm not sure anything really beats being on an island in the middle of the Pacific, though.} Joe listed his #1 duty station and left hoping for the best. We were also hoping to change his DEROS to get us out of here ASAP, but knew that it may not be possible. Just a couple weeks ago, we found out that Joe was able to get our his #1 choice for duty station! And we got his DEROS moved up, but only by a month. *shrug* It's something, I guess! 

Nothing is entirely official yet (meaning he doesn't have orders), but it's looking like we'll be moving here in March 2013:


Back to good 'ole Georgia and the South!!! We are beyond excited not just to be in the South again, but to be so close to home! I mean, look at that! Look how close NC is!! Just a 3.5ish hour drive to see family and friends. Woohoo!!!  

Obviously we really can't wait to be back on the mainland again. Having the knowledge that we're moving soon is a good thing and a bad thing at the same time. I'm getting antsy... I'm ready to move, ready to be on the mainland and back to "normal." I've already been looking at houses in the area online. =P I wish I were kidding! I find myself saying all the time "6 more months, 6 more months and we're outta here!" It's been a long 2.5 years (3 by the time we leave) here on a rock in the middle of the Pacific. Honestly, I don't think I'll miss it all that much. The weather and the beach, maybe. Everything else? Doubtful. Which means the next 5.5 months are probably going to drag by and force me to have patience. Sigh.

Are you getting ready to PCS? Are you excited or dreading it?

18 comments:

  1. We are less than a year out for PCSing and I am NOT looking forward to going back to the states. My husband is not in agreement on this though.

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  2. We're actually moving to Fort Gordon next year, too! Not sure for how long: at the moment, hubby is just going for the career course.

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  3. AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!


    That is all.

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  4. Congrats on your hubby's promotion! I got to be at my hubby's last "pinning" as well. It was fun and I was so proud:) Pinning them is awesome and I was shocked when the commander RIPPED his old patches right off his chest and hat, lol. Then they punch him in the chest where his new patch is. LoL...I guess that's kind of a ritual. Not sure if that's everywhere or just in my husbands group though.

    Congrats on your PCS to Georgia as well! We came from there just over a year ago and I miss it. I too was only a short drive (5 hours) from my family in Tennessee. It was awesome. Good luck!!! We aren't PCS'ing again for sometime (that I know of) however SugarCube and I are moving to Arizona during my husband's deployment coming up SOON :(

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  5. How awesome!!!!! :) Exciting times for you guys.

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  6. Good news on top of good news! Congratulations! I hate that there are jerks in there who can power trip like that, sounds like he could have been promoted so much earlier!

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  7. That's all great news!! And hey, if we end up in Savannah maybe we could do a couple play-dates ;)

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  8. thats awesome news. welcome back to the south :) i was hoping IF my hubby could go active while overseas that we could live in georgia(since we live in alabama). but its looking like he might now have his dream of being enlisted and having to stay guard...

    just stay busy looking for a place and hitting pinterest up on decorating ideas :) time will go quickly..

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  9. so happy for you..a little jealous your getting off the island though :)

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  10. We are PCSing to Fort Jackson in May (229 days, but who is counting). We are excited, but will only be there for 6 months as we are going to the CCC. It beats Fort Lewis staying here at Lewis though.

    6 months will go faster than you know!

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  11. That's wonderful news! I know how much you guys have been wanting to get back to the mainland!

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  12. Congrats on the promotion! I'm happy you guys are getting to go closer to home, sounds like it will be the best thing for you. We aren't up for PCSing yet, but I actually would like to extend here (I guess I'm a crazy island lover, there doesn't seem to be many of us around) haha!

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  13. Yay for (finally) getting promoted! And yay for coming back to the mainland...eventually :) I feel ya on the ridiculous slow-moving army wheels. We've been waiting for SoldierMan to get his new job since....May? April? And he only finally got it on Tuesday. This week Tuesday. Nothing like finally getting that closure!

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  14. Congrats on Joe's promotion, so exciting!!
    We are still 2 years away from our next PCS...and we are stuck on our little island (Okinawa, Japan), I am soooooooooooooo looking forward to leaving here!

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  15. How exciting! We are here at fort Gordon now. Once y'all get orders I can help get you information regarding good areas.. Houses for rent.. Etc. :) congrats on all the life changes!

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  16. PCSing to Korea! My husband leaves in 1 week and I will be joining him NCS when he gets settled. Congrats on getting what you wanted out of the Army.. that's not easy to do!

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  17. I know I'm late to reading this post, but Congratulations, anyways!!!
    We lived on that "rock", my husband was like you, ready to leave but not me, I was total opposite, I loved it there! I flew down to GA over the summer for his ALC graduation, beautiful base but huge, I had to use garmin the entire time! I'm so excited for you and your family, looking forward to following along!!!

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