Good Times...Good Times
It's pretty complicated being an officer...gotta stay on top of the wave of constant changes or you get left behind. For example: The army tells me I am a signal officer, but then sent me to infantry school. I'll be a CPT before I even get to see a signal insignia. That is 4 years as an infantry officer before I can start the job I asked for. This is called being branch detailed, and it happens to most new LTs who are selected for signal and intel.
So far I don't mind, I've gotten to experience a lot of cool training and being in the infantry as an LT can only help my career.
Deal now is that I don't know if I'm ready to stop and settle down. Since joining the Reserves in 2006 I've constantly been training and moving. In keeping on top of the wave I've been thrown some curve balls (time as an LT has been extended, I'm now a different year group) but have also come across some interesting opportunities. Sure, there are those times when I wish I had a 9 to 5 job...but I've been there and it sucks. While I enjoy being an officer, I miss the constant movement and action of being enlisted, where pride in your work was all you had to worry about and not a political motive. While I'm down range taking shelter from enemy fire, my wife is also running for cover from the constant 'fishbowl' effect that many military wives experience. Being an officer is tough. But where are the rewards? I enjoy seeing soldiers that I have helped succeed, but that hasn't happened since I was the senior cadet in my ROTC program.
I look forward to the experience that becoming a signal officer will bring. I always enjoy a challenge and the fruits of my labor. One thing I will not change is my wife's input into career decisions. I could not do any job in the military, no matter how fun or cool, without her support. She always gets to pick the duty station and where we live once we get there. While that may seem like it leaves me having to sacrifice my career and opportunities, that is just not the case. No amount of opportunity (or money) would move either of us to locations like Kansas or Kentucky. While my buddies from training were bashing my unit due to lack of prestige, my head was in the clouds thinking about all the fishing and hiking I was going to be getting done in the next 3 years.
Maybe it's not about career opportunities but family opportunities that are important. I'd still like to go to mountain warfare or sapper school though. Ft. Lost in the Woods anyone???
So far I don't mind, I've gotten to experience a lot of cool training and being in the infantry as an LT can only help my career.
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| i cannot believe that not one, but two guys smiled. |
I look forward to the experience that becoming a signal officer will bring. I always enjoy a challenge and the fruits of my labor. One thing I will not change is my wife's input into career decisions. I could not do any job in the military, no matter how fun or cool, without her support. She always gets to pick the duty station and where we live once we get there. While that may seem like it leaves me having to sacrifice my career and opportunities, that is just not the case. No amount of opportunity (or money) would move either of us to locations like Kansas or Kentucky. While my buddies from training were bashing my unit due to lack of prestige, my head was in the clouds thinking about all the fishing and hiking I was going to be getting done in the next 3 years.
Maybe it's not about career opportunities but family opportunities that are important. I'd still like to go to mountain warfare or sapper school though. Ft. Lost in the Woods anyone???
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