I now have less than 3 months left aboard and I am anticipating the day when I can finally check off this ship for good. Though I have had a rough time while here, I know that leaving I have experienced a lot of great things and accomplished a lot being an IT.
At the end of March I will be transferring out of Yokosuka, Japan and will be heading home to Buena Park, California for 30 days of R&R. From there, I will be heading down to Virginia Beach, Virginia for a 26 day school for a system I dreaded since the day I heard of it. Originally I was to go to GCCS-M 3.x and take leave, but my orders were modified and I will be going for 4.x. Those who don’t know what the X stands for, it is for Xtra Shitty – Thanks Pip for the run down! The upside of this is that I will be near New Jersey for Bamboozle. Bayside will be playing there and when I saw them in February last year, it blew my mind and couldn’t wait to see them again. I get my chance in May, so Jersey here I come! After that, I will head down to San Diego for my ultimate duty station and be there for just over a year. I will be able to drive and live in a house, things will be looking up for me back in the great state of California. Since I will be there for only a year, months after reporting I will be in my window once again to decide where I go next. This time I will be eligible for shore duty which means no going out to sea for me!
Re-enlistment sounds like an option at this point because how shitty the economy is so might as well stay here with guaranteed job security. The debate I have is where to go next? Two options have rolled through my mind; stay in San Diego for shore duty or go back to Yokosuka and get to enjoy everyday knowing that I won’t be going out to sea! I’ve mentioned this plan to one person already and they were not very happy with that. I know that I have protested how much I miss my family being out here, but I think my anger was mainly directed towards the ship and people I see and work with everyday. The schedule is pretty shitty too, but when we get ports, I rarely have a disappointing time, but going around in circles for at least a week, I think we can do better with our time like enjoy it in one of the neighboring countries. I understand that we have a mission, but doing exercises over and over again does get overdrawn and probably makes things worse for us in the end. Everyone is capable of defending the ship and our country if it ever came to that, but breaks in between do help build the morale of the crew and makes us want to do a better job at it knowing the rewards accompanying it. If passing an inspection meant Thailand, you know I’d put my blood and sweat into it. That doesn’t happen though because just before a port visit, and exercise slips in and it is crucial that we participate so we know what we are doing, so why bother.
Can’t believe it is my turn in line to roll out from this ship. With all the BMD missions, the carrier and dual carrier operations and to top it off, and complete network upgrade, I think I’ve done pretty well for myself by not blowing my brains out being here. When it is all said and done, I know I’ll miss this place, not so much the people but definitely Japan.
We havn’t talked in a while, and I, I don’t mean to be a drag on what you want to do. It’s your life, and you should see as much of the world as you can. But… I miss you, and your family misses you. and Califourneeeyahh misses you, and it’s your home. It sucks to have you gone, [yet to say, it sucks even more knowing that I put you there.] and I wish you were home, Honestly. But as I told you before, I will disagree and maybe even bitch it out as much as I have to to get you to stay in Califourniyay, but… IF you do decide to leave again, and see the world, [and all that jazz] then I will support your decision. You are my bestfriend. So, it’s my duty to support you wether I like the idea of you being gone or not.
Just don’t forget about me, and send me postcards. I’m still waiting for my letter, can you just please send it already?
Much love for you kid.