The Flight AIT happenin'
Oofda.
I'm now a full-blown soldier. I have no idea what that really means, nor do I feel very different. Granted, I've had four months to adjust to shit, so being handed a piece of paper and a slap on the back doesn't exactly instill instant confidence and winmanship.
Graduation was this morning; it was a relatively bullshit free day compared to most of the days, likely because the Sergeants wanted to get the hell out of there as well. The ceremony was short, I got to sit down (which was kind of bad because I fell asleep for moments here and there), and there weren't any long bullshit speeches.
Once I got the airport, I found out that I got jostled about a bit (I booked a United flight through US Airways?), and then that my flight was cancelled. Furthermore, there was no way that a later flight would get me there on time for my connecting, so the best they could do is tomorrow morning at 7 AM. Thankfully I have a friend who was already going to be leaving about the same time here, plus free and fast WiFi, so I'll be alright. I've changed out of my ACUs to relax a bit more, but I'll throw them back on before I take off because these clothes aren't exactly clean, either. Thankfully my three GINORMOUS bags will be checked free, otherwise I'd be paying insane amounts to move them. I'm used to packing my life up, just not to fit it on an airplane.
My time in training has given me a lot of waiting with which I've thought. I've made two firm decisions:
1) When I get out of the army, I'm going into education
2) I'll get out of the army within 10 years
A surprising love of the Army could change two, but I don't think so; my desire to effect change in public education is quite strong.
Within the Army, I've decided on about four different paths I can follow:
1) Path of Least Resistance - I stay in for the length of my original contract and stay a 92G
2) NCOLand - I stay a 92G and rank up, probably stopping about Sergeant First Class.
3) Otherland - I give myself one year as 92G to get the rank of Sergeant; if I make it, I spend a year as an NCO and then switch classes (perhaps getting to Staff Sergeant); if I don't, I reclass and the cycle begins anew.
4) Officer - I stay 92G for a year, make Sergeant, stay 92G SGT for a year, then go Officer. If I can't make SGT in a year, I just go Officer
Regardless of which path I take, I'll try to maintain two binders, one for NCO promotion and one for OCS, and see which path opens up the soonest.
For now, though, I'm just going to go home, do my HRAP (which hopefully won't require much on my part), enjoy some leave, and try to settle in to my new station. I'll figure out the rest as I go.
I'm now a full-blown soldier. I have no idea what that really means, nor do I feel very different. Granted, I've had four months to adjust to shit, so being handed a piece of paper and a slap on the back doesn't exactly instill instant confidence and winmanship.
Graduation was this morning; it was a relatively bullshit free day compared to most of the days, likely because the Sergeants wanted to get the hell out of there as well. The ceremony was short, I got to sit down (which was kind of bad because I fell asleep for moments here and there), and there weren't any long bullshit speeches.
Once I got the airport, I found out that I got jostled about a bit (I booked a United flight through US Airways?), and then that my flight was cancelled. Furthermore, there was no way that a later flight would get me there on time for my connecting, so the best they could do is tomorrow morning at 7 AM. Thankfully I have a friend who was already going to be leaving about the same time here, plus free and fast WiFi, so I'll be alright. I've changed out of my ACUs to relax a bit more, but I'll throw them back on before I take off because these clothes aren't exactly clean, either. Thankfully my three GINORMOUS bags will be checked free, otherwise I'd be paying insane amounts to move them. I'm used to packing my life up, just not to fit it on an airplane.
My time in training has given me a lot of waiting with which I've thought. I've made two firm decisions:
1) When I get out of the army, I'm going into education
2) I'll get out of the army within 10 years
A surprising love of the Army could change two, but I don't think so; my desire to effect change in public education is quite strong.
Within the Army, I've decided on about four different paths I can follow:
1) Path of Least Resistance - I stay in for the length of my original contract and stay a 92G
2) NCOLand - I stay a 92G and rank up, probably stopping about Sergeant First Class.
3) Otherland - I give myself one year as 92G to get the rank of Sergeant; if I make it, I spend a year as an NCO and then switch classes (perhaps getting to Staff Sergeant); if I don't, I reclass and the cycle begins anew.
4) Officer - I stay 92G for a year, make Sergeant, stay 92G SGT for a year, then go Officer. If I can't make SGT in a year, I just go Officer
Regardless of which path I take, I'll try to maintain two binders, one for NCO promotion and one for OCS, and see which path opens up the soonest.
For now, though, I'm just going to go home, do my HRAP (which hopefully won't require much on my part), enjoy some leave, and try to settle in to my new station. I'll figure out the rest as I go.