Shalom Aleichem
Wednesday, February 20th, 2008
Quote of the Day: “Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.”
- John Benfield
Well, I guess I have kept you all waiting and guessing.
I’m still not sure how much I can divulge but I can tell you this much.
It looks like I’m going to Saudi Arabia for a year, unaccompanied. I will be training the Royal Saudi Marines.
Why am I accepting this?
Well, other than it being a big adventure not many people will be able to match, I’m mainly doing it for the stability of my family.
You see, I’m in a career eddy trying to get downstream to retirement but because of timing, I’m vulnerable. Here is how it works:
When I was stationed in Virginia, I thought I would be retiring from there at 20 years and calling it a day. But right outside the safe zone (14 months prior to getting out), they decided they could get one more move out of me and sent me to San Diego. Not the worst thing in the world to happen but it obligated me for two years and thus, I was forced to stay in until the 21-year mark.
Then at the 20-year mark, I was selected for promotion which, if I accepted, would also obligate me for two years. I was already on the hook to go to 21 so the real cost for the promotion was an extra year.
That and giving up the ability to bitch about obligations since, if I really wanted to get out bad enough, I could have turned down the promotion and got out at the 21-year mark when my time-on-station obligation was up.
But I accepted it and hoped that I would be left in SOCAL for the duration.
This is where I get vulnerable because I’m in the same situation: right on the lip of the safety zone (14 months) but ripe for another move that I didn’t want to take because of my family situation. Another move means, well, another move and with the kids in high school, it’s just unfair to put them through it.
Plus, a move would once again obligate me for two years which would push me to the 23-year mark.
Recently, I went through a series of yo-yoing where I was told I was being moved north to Camp Pendleton and would be deploying to Iraq. This would have at least left my family in place and I was going to do it.
Then it got changed that I was going up there but not deploying.
Then it got changed to I was staying put and would be able to retire at MCRD.
That is where it was, with me not even looking over my shoulder, confident that I would ride out my last year as the Operations Officer for my unit.
Then the bombshell.
My monitor basically sends me an email that says that he has to move me but we would both benefit from a deal he has.
He has a billet he has to fill for a one-year unaccompanied tour to Saudi Arabia. If I took it, my family could stay put, I would not incur any more obligated time, and I could go do it for a year, come back, and process out for retirement.
If I didn’t want to do that, well, the following was available:
Quantico
Camp Lejeune
Those both mean a PCS to the East Coast and a two-year obligation price tag.
Guess what I picked.
Obviously, my unit is not too happy about losing me since they will also be losing the XO, the Sergeant Major, the Ops Chief, and one of the Company Commanders at the same time.
My CO said he would honor my wishes. He would fight it off if I wanted to stay or would stay quiet if I wanted to go.
After talking it over with Carrie and the kids, we decided to take it for a variety of reasons:
1. It would definitely keep the family here in SOCAL until I retired
2. I would not incur any obligated time and would be able to retire on time
3. I think that if my boss could fight this off, they would keep yo-yoing me and next time, a one-year deal might not be on the table (bird in the hand justification).
4. We could make/save significant finances with the extra money I will get
5. An adventurous tour doing real Marine Corps stuff to round out my career
The drawbacks are pretty obvious:
1. Away from Carrie and the kids for an entire year
2. Makes the retirement transition tougher since I will be overseas
But mostly, I’ll have to feed myself in a foreign country for a year.
Viper’s gonna be skinny!
Free Advice for Today: “Every spring set out a couple of tomato plants.”
- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
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>>Insert some barking and grunting and other Marine Corps motivation here<<
Here’s to a very fast year for all of you. When do you leave?
Comment by Killjoy — February 23, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
good pen pals are so hard to find…
Comment by heather — February 23, 2008 @ 2:01 pm
Killjoy, why did it pop in my head that your motivational bark would sound more like a yelping puppy?
Late June, early July.
Comment by Jason — February 23, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
It’s probably tough to balance wanting to do the Marine thing and having a family. At least you get one more chance to go out before you retire. Although I did kind of skip the part where you said “the drawbacks are pretty obvious.” I thought you were still talking about the reasons to go when you said “Away from Carrie and the kids for a year.” I thought that was a little screwed up to say in a public forum, then I realized I’m an idiot. At any rate, best of luck to you out there, and enjoy your time, even if it is away from the family.
Comment by Stewart — February 23, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Stewart, we realized you were an idiot LONG before that.
Hows THAT for a public comment?
Comment by Jason — February 23, 2008 @ 4:12 pm
The day you get your orders is the day I apply for a passport. You and me in Saudi for a 10 day visit—-forget it!!! Already priced out airline tickets!!!
Comment by Chris Grose — February 23, 2008 @ 7:57 pm
Dude, I don’t even know what the possibility of guests are. But if we can swing it, the Grose brothers in Saudi Arabia?
Are you kidding me?
Comment by Jason — February 23, 2008 @ 10:33 pm
Chris, I just read that mingling with the opposite sex in Saudi is prohibited and that there’s no night life to speak of.
Jason, is this true?
Comment by Killjoy — February 24, 2008 @ 7:41 am
Pretty much.
Comment by Jason — February 24, 2008 @ 9:22 am
Then I’m out!!!! Leave it to Killjoy to totaly take the air out of a Grose’s sail…thanks! Just kidding….you would be amazed how much I have investigated Saudi in the last week. Cairo is only 750 miles away….Dubai is close, Africa is right across the Red Sea…Doug Fox Travel told me you can buy a tour where they take you out to the desert on camelback and spend 1 night out in the desert–how cool is that? Anyway, I’ve gotten so amped about this trip that even if things change and you don’t go bro, I may still make the trip. Anyone want ot go with me??? WOOHOO!!!
Comment by Chris Grose — February 24, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
i’m in.
HA!
Comment by heather — February 24, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
Not in a million bazillion years. I have bad desert memories. Effing Jordan.
Comment by Killjoy — February 24, 2008 @ 9:17 pm
Saudis got a Navy?
Comment by Jim Burke — February 25, 2008 @ 11:15 am
Jim B, this link is for you…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Navy
Comment by Chris Grose — February 25, 2008 @ 12:40 pm
Hey, Grose…
Not sure if this was an attempt at sarcasm on your part or just a laughable gaff…but the correct terminology in arabic for a greeting is “As-Salamu Alaykum” (Peace be with you)
“Shalom” is Hebrew and, of course, mixing arabic with Hebrew would be a significant insult to your run-of-the-mill Saudi so, to ensure you don’t start out with some sort “faux pas” on your first day, I’d avoid saying “shalom” to your Saudi counterparts.
In fact, the disdain for all things Israli/Jewish is so strong in Saudi Arabia, I don’t think the Saudis will even let you in the country if you have an Israeli visa in your passport.
Comment by Quist — February 26, 2008 @ 3:56 am
Thnaks brother Grose.
Quist, he avoided an international incident just recently. Have some faith in the guy.
Comment by Jim Burke — February 26, 2008 @ 7:49 am
uhh, that’d be “Thanks, brother Grose.” Sorry typed prior to second cup of coffe
Comment by Jim Burke — February 26, 2008 @ 10:59 am
Quist, are you sure? I Googled it and that’s what I came up with. And that’s what we thought back in 90 when I was there.
Next thing you’ll be telling me is that I should cancel my plans to play “pull the curtain” on women’s veils when I get over there.
Comment by Jason — February 27, 2008 @ 11:21 am
I know that this was a very hard decision to make but I understand why you made it! I am also so sorry for you being sick. That is why I am just now checking back to see if you said where you are going. We have been very very sick around here. Well Gehrig and I have. We will continue to keep you in thoughts…Love ya cousin!
Oh and The Grose Brothers in Saudi? I really don’t know if the Saudis are ready for that adventure!
Comment by Sharon — March 1, 2008 @ 8:35 am
What a tough decision! I hope all goes well while you’re away and that you make it safely back to your family. And most importantly – that you find food to eat and don’t get too skinny! hehe.
Best of luck to you. I do hope you’ll continue to blog from Saudi!
Comment by Tish — March 13, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
Sharon, I htought I got better for 4 days but then it hit again, albeit to a lesser degree but I’m just now feeling human and I have a lot of catching up to do.
Hope you all are getting better and stop sharing the virus!!!
Comment by Jason — March 15, 2008 @ 10:43 am
Tish, I learned last week that they have American fast food there so there goes my weight loss program. I’ll blog about it soon.
And yes, the blog will continue in Saudi. I will have the three most important ingredients: adventure, time on my hands, and internet connectivity.
Comment by Jason — March 15, 2008 @ 10:45 am
I thought EVERYBODY knew what “shalom” meant — it means PEACE, and it’s definitely Hebrew. Yikes. Did you mean “salaam” — the arabic greeting instead? Anyway, double yikes. I’m kinda too horrified to even comment further. A quick look at Wikipedia will even clear it up:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shalom. I think this qualifies as living in a bubble, Marine Corps or otherwise.
Comment by Lily — April 13, 2008 @ 12:16 pm