Okay, so while I was being the Designated Driver last night. I was thinking. The best things in life are about 4 bucks or less. A beer, about 3 bucks at the bar. A nice drink, maybe a lil more, but you can get the cheaper brand and its about 4 bucks. If you were gonna make a sandwhich, you could make it for less than 4 dollars. Now buying all the crap to make it is gonna cost you about 13 but thats all good. Just a thought I had.
So, I've got Monday and Tuesday left in the Army. Its already 1130 on Monday. I've just finished up my room pre-inspection. Its where they tell you what they are gonna be looking at for cleanliness and stuff. This was news to me, I was prepared to leave it how I got it. Dirty and with stains intact on the walls. I thought thats how they were doing. A new paint scheme or something. They want all this crappy lil room spotless like it just got done being built. And I have no idea why....
Maybe its because they want the next guy to think this is a great place and these are amazing barracks? Or that they want you to be able to be depressed in a very clean room? Who knows. There are some people in America who think the military folks have it easy. That we get paid too much. And that we should have fewer people in the ranks.
Having it easy: I'm not gonna say my job is hard, It's mentally taxing sometimes(or at least it was). I have to be mechanically inclined, and able to speak clearly and with a precise knowledge of what I am doing. I actually have to study to be able to fix some problems. And thats just my job, my NCO part...... jeez. Thats a whole different thing. Its like being a mentor, a problem solver, still being a worker, knowledgeable on the forms of the army, and still deal with my home life. When I was married the thought of being at work for 14 hours a day killed me. I had PT at 630, not bad, but I had to drive 30 minutes to get to work, and you have to be 10 minutes early everywhere. Then to work at 9am. Hopefully I was off work by 4 or so in the afternoon. But usually it was later.
On getting paid too much: Look here, most people in the army struggle just like the rest of Americans. We did something most of them didn't; We said we would defend the country. No one had to force us too, we raised our right hand and said we would. We knew the ramifications if we were ever in a tight spot. We could get hurt, lose an arm or leg, or worse....die. Most careers or jobs I know of don't ask you to go to hostile countries and hang out for a year. Or go to the same places and decide..... hey lets go for a walk in the streets of the most dangerous place on earth right now. But there were guys and sometimes girls doing this. KIDS! Some are just 18 years old. Making maybe 900 bucks a paychek. Really, thats too much??? I never knew. You should be thankful there are people like this in the world who are willing to do this. I didn't do it, and I am thankful there was someone who did. My aircrews and aircraft flew missions over watching these guys. I give much respect to them.
Fewer people in the ranks: Yeah, not even gonna talk about that.
I think in America we should make every 18 year old, able bodied "adult" do 2 years of service. No buying out of contracts, no giving up and hiding behind mommy and daddy. Get your service in and learn how to be repsonsible and get a paycheck. The military isn't for everyone, so this would never work. But I like the thought of it.
I guess with my last few hours in the army I am just reminiscing about old times and things I use to get so upset about. So dumb, the older I get the better off I feel. I did 6 and a half years in the Army. I'm not coming out crazy, shot up or dead. I'm a better person for defending my country and the people who love or hate us. I'll buy a lonely e-3 lunch one day. I'll get a round for the guys coming back from NTC or their first deployment. I'll say thanks. And its weird because when someone does it to me, I freak out. What do you say??? No problem, just doing my job!
I usually wanna end on something good or something that makes you go ........."what the hell is wrong with Jeremy?"
I get to have dinner with Mr and Mrs Porter tonight. AKA Danielle and Mat. I'm gonna go have a good time with them, say goodbye to my company at PT formation and then start my final process. I've had a good run, been 3 or 4 places. Seen some things, done some stuff. I'll miss some folks, others I won't. But thats how it is. I told someone I was successful at everything I did. And then retracted that by saying that if I had been successful at everything, I would have done so much better in the army.
I don't think I was unsuccessful, or overly. But in my mind, I was a success. I helped soldiers, officers and family members. I trained guys to work together and work on a great helicopter. I was part of a group that was recognized nationally for doing good things in Iraq. I've fought the war on terror by wearing a PT belt. I've gone from not knowing what I wanted, to knowing exactly what I want. And I have made friends I will talk to for the rest of my life. So, I was successful......... I can't measure my success on a monatary scale because the military wasn't handing out winning lottery tickets when I joined!
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