Going back to school

Every once and a while you become complacent with your job. What was once your passion and purpose for waking up and rushing into each day, slowly becomes the reason you find it hard to get out of bed. That changed for me today. You see… I got an e-mail strand from my Command Career Councilor today that pretty much set my career into overdrive. I found out today that I have been accepted to Surface Force Independent Duty Hospital Corpsman School. I detach from this god-forsaken command in July of 2008 and start my class on August 20, 2008.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Your command can’t be that bad… can it?” Let me tell you… it really isn’t... However, it is significantly worse than the command I checked in to. I am a firm believer that any situation, no matter how mundane or painful, is only as bad as you make it. And believe me… I struggle to make this one tolerable… If I didn’t have a supportive Chain of Command, or a great boss, I would have lost my mind years ago… The people you work with can also greatly influence your attitude towards your work environment. Luckily, I have had great co-workers too. So for the most part, I have been pretty fortunate…

Anyway… so I am on cloud nine and getting more anxious by the minute… I can’t wait to get on with my career. I should have about 3 opportunities between now and graduation to pick up First Class… hopefully I do… that way I can get choice orders out of School. In the likely event that I don’t make E-6 prior to or while in school; I will graduate as one, so I really have nothing else to worry about except to start grooming myself for Chief… (If I can score good Evaluations as an E-6 I can take the Chief Test a year or so early and possibly put on anchors at my 10 ½ or 11 year mark!)

The only down side to everything is that I will be leaving the healthy paycheck and sea pay that I acquire here in Japan… (which is about a $1600 pay cut a month…) Plus, the school is in San Diego, which is crazy expensive, and I will need a car to get around… which means a car payment with insurance and gas to deal with… on the plus side… if things go right with immigration, I should be able to have my fiancé with me (who will be my wife come December…) as well as her son… so I don’t have to worry about partying much anymore… but the extra expenses and pay cut are definetly going to hurt a bit.

For the most part though…all that I have hoped for since reporting to my first ship is finally coming true. I’m thankful for the Navy… it has been good to me… I had a rocky beginning… but the middle and end should be sweeter than Cold Stone.