That's the sentence that started this blog. Joe has to go on a two month training soon. Neither of us want him to go of course. After last year, I know everything will be fine. I just dont want to miss him anymore. It's so tiring.
But this training has gotten me thinking about how people spend their dwell time. Many people I know have a deployment schedule that is one year gone, one year home. Over and over again. But when your year home isnt spent wholy at home; training, ranges, fields, JRTC, etc the dwell times just arent fair to the Soldiers or the families. Everyong knows this was Joe's first (and hopefully last) deployment. I've never had to think about a dwell time before. But this could royally suck for most people and their families.
Joe is 5 months through his dwell time. And it still feels like he just got home. We're just now settling back into our "normal," and now he's about to leave again! If Joe had another deployment looming, this two months apart would kill me. When you only have 12 months together with your family, being ripped apart for 2 months just sucks.
I'm so over this life. I'm so done with the Army.
565 days.....
4 comments:
Hubby got home from Iraq on June 27, he had been gone 15 months - then left for 40 days of training on July 5! I made him promise no more voluntary Army for 12 months, no exceptions! Our next deployment isn't for 2 years+ hopefully. Good luck for the 2 months... it will fly!
I agree the dwell schedule can often times be anything less that restful for everyone involved. I'm wondering why if you guys are so unhappy with the Army why Joe enlisted in the first place? Sincerely, curious. Not judging.
We have had to do it twice and it sucks. It still feels like they just got home and they want them to start training again. You as the wife have to listen to how to prepare for yet another deployment. I am hoping that this time we get YEARS between deployments. We sure do need it.
For Samantha-
Many ppl have asked me this. I dont feel judged, no worries. Tone is so hard to express in text. At one point, Joe loved the Army, loved his job. He joined for a reliable paycheck and fell into a BCT and AIT group with his MOS with people he really liked. He went straight to Germany after AIT. He was there for 2 years. And really enjoyed it. His cohort, his chain of command, etc. He has told me it was a different Army, different quality of Soldier and command. When we went to Ft. Riley, KS, he reenlisted thinking it would be similar to his experience in Germany. It wasnt. Far from it. He became a babysitter. Guys are broke, beating their wives. Females are suicidal and under 24hr watch all the time. He had to make sure people got to work and didnt kill their cats over the weekend. It was a completely different experience. But Joe was willing to pull through it for his next duty station. When we PCSed to Ft Carson, we had hope. They were deploying. Which in Joe's head meant the Soldiers were squared away and ready to do a job. Nope. They needed a babysitter too. He got two piss poor Soldiers right out of the gate. These two people were completely useless as humans, let alone as Soldiers. He actually had to remind them to take showers. Like really useless. So after 4 years and a deployment of being a babysitter to growm men, he has decided he's done. The Army isnt what he thought it would be. He said he would go back to that unit in Germany in a heartbeat. But since that's not really an option, he's going to use his GI Bill and go to school.
Many many people are confused about why we are getting out and our anger towards the Army at the moment. I know most peoples' experiences arent like this. I'm glad they arent. But this is what Joe's career has turned out like. You can only beat your head against a wall for so long before you go insane. I hope this sheds some light on my current attitude. It's really hard to watch Joe be so miserable at work.
Post a Comment