Options

As it turned out, John wasn't all that ticked.

Apparently he is way more acclimated to the Army and it's shenanigans than I am.  Oh well, I will learn.

There was a list of those selected for ILE, and he didn't know many of them.  This is encouraging because it really just means they have to take care of an existing backlog and it's not like he didn't get selected because he's a slug.  (I reminded him that slugs don't get promoted double below the zone and all that.)  It is curious however, because he has been "penciled in" for this program for 3 class start times now.  I guess it's all the more evident how much they do not know how many more people need to get in as well.

(I did have a lengthier explanation typed out here about the backlog and why it exists.  Then I deleted it because I decided that no one *really* cares anyway.)

The important thing is that he did the math and, provided there are good job openings coming up, he will still finish his objectives at the Major level and be promotable to Lieutenant Colonel in a preferred time frame.  (I am SO proud that I spelled "lieutenant" correctly the first time.  Not that you could know that I'm telling the truth.)

So we had one of those discussions last night.  The one that starts with

"If you could live anywhere in the US, where would you want to live?"

I thought about it a bit, and decided I could be happy a lot of places.  My two biggest considerations (for myself) is climate and job market.  My knee jerk reaction is always "Colorado", but then I remember that a) I lived there a great number of years and maybe it's time to try a new place and b) the chiropractic laws there kind of....well, suck suck suckity suck.

First and foremost, however, is going to be desirability of the position for John's career.  Location is second.  He is looking to have a key job somewhere for about 2 years.  The locations of these jobs range from Hawaii, Alaska, Seattle area, El Paso, TX, Ft. Hood, Texas, Ft. Carson (CO), Kentucky, Georgia, wayyyy upstate NY (where, as John says, it's "non winter" 4 months of the year), the Carolinas, or even within a program that could put us in another country such as the UK, Australia or Korea.  Germany is actually not very likely for what he is looking for.

I'm really really OK with a lot of these options!  Hawaii, Alaska, Ft. Hood, TX (preferrably NOT Bliss in El Paso), Ft. Bragg...these are all not bad options.

John also clarified what Branch said.  The automated email said he was eligible for PCS soon.  Not necessarily deployment.  Is deployment still on the table as a possibility?  Yes.  But less likely that I thought.

Less likely in John's mind anyway.  We have no idea what the Army actually has in store.

And we will have no idea about the job openings coming up until January.  So I guess it's best not to stress about anything until we know more.

Right?  Right.

(HA!)