20 years, 7 months, 4 days....
On Saturday 31 January 2009, Chief will be an affectionate nickname, but not a title I own anymore. I've known this day was coming for 10 months. Early on, I was excited and anxious. As my date crept up on me I tried to stay and with the draw down of 10,000 active billets I had no such luck. So tonight I find myself 3 days give or take from being out of the Navy and on the lookout for a new career.
I am really proud of the life I have known, the things I have seen, the places I've been. I would never have had these opportunities without the Navy. I know it has often been a difficult life for Jenn and the kids and the justification that we had benefits and a steady income did not always ease the burden we carried as a family but we stayed the course and are still together through the thick and thin.
I have made life friends and would do it all again if the opportunity presented to me again. Certainly it is not a life for everyone, but it has given my family so much.
I have a lot of anxiety as I look to the future, espeially in the current economy. I know I bring much to the job market in leadership and experience and will learn to find the adjustment in the application of leadership and management. I have received words of encouragement from a few friends and they have been tremendously helpful to put me at ease and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I have a few leads for jobs, one is from a life mentor of mine who I have looked to for guidance at one point or another since I was about 10 years old. I am still open, so if someone wants to pay me to be their flunky I am fairly flexible. (literally and figuratively) Make an offer and we will see what we can work out..
So it's late, I've rambled long enough by now, I should get upstairs and spend time with my hunny.
I am really proud of the life I have known, the things I have seen, the places I've been. I would never have had these opportunities without the Navy. I know it has often been a difficult life for Jenn and the kids and the justification that we had benefits and a steady income did not always ease the burden we carried as a family but we stayed the course and are still together through the thick and thin.
I have made life friends and would do it all again if the opportunity presented to me again. Certainly it is not a life for everyone, but it has given my family so much.
I have a lot of anxiety as I look to the future, espeially in the current economy. I know I bring much to the job market in leadership and experience and will learn to find the adjustment in the application of leadership and management. I have received words of encouragement from a few friends and they have been tremendously helpful to put me at ease and for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I have a few leads for jobs, one is from a life mentor of mine who I have looked to for guidance at one point or another since I was about 10 years old. I am still open, so if someone wants to pay me to be their flunky I am fairly flexible. (literally and figuratively) Make an offer and we will see what we can work out..
So it's late, I've rambled long enough by now, I should get upstairs and spend time with my hunny.