Knots of Uncertainty

Life has been running in one direction lately.

Same old same old. Kinda.

Mr. V came back from AIT in February and we have settled into a life of part civilians/part military. What people don't realize about Reserve and National Guard soldiers is that their lives are lived in a holding pattern of uncertainty for many years. Their family life is always shadowed by the probability of deployment, as much as an active duty soldier's. During this last period of wars the Reserve & NG deployed as much, and sometimes more often than active duty. And so they go to civilian jobs everyday, and then work part time for the military as well. All the while knowing that *soon* they will leave their families for a long time.

It has been our intention of going AD (active duty) since my husband joined the Reserves. We picked the Reserve for the job availability at the time. We wanted him to gain a skill that would somewhat transfer over into the civilian sector when the time came. And I think we made the right choice. We were always told that after a year of being with the Reserves he could apply to be transferred to AD. We were told it is hard to do, it takes a long time, etc. We were told that usually you don't get to keep your current MOS (job) and you are usually offered Infantry. But we were prepared for that.

So, the plan was to wait for next spring, apply for a conditional release and keep our fingers crossed.

Until today.

Today, hubby called and said that a guy in his unit just got a spot in AD and got to keep his MOS. AND, it appears that his unit it processing his Conditional Release without a problem. This guy graduated from AIT only two months before my husband. So...the whole having to wait a year at your unit seems to be a fallacy.

So Mr. V. wants to start looking into this.

BUT, hubby is going to be gone for several weeks at Annual Training this month. AND, we were supposed to move into a new house next month. SO, I was supposed to pack up our entire lives while he was away and then we would move into the new place when he came back.

NOW, he wants to look into this new possibility, but he will be gone. You have to go through recruiters for this and they are known to be iffy with paperwork and just calling you at a moments notice for signatures. Which he can't do while he's away. AND, who knows if they even have any spots left for his MOS, now or by the time he is able to start the process.

So...now I have this wrench in my life, As if it wasn't in a mess to begin with. Packing, moving, him being gone. A potty training toddler.

I wish more people (especially active duty families) would understand that the lives of Reserve & NG soldiers are not just ones of "Weekend Warriors". Oftentimes, as in our case, their lives are just as complicated as an AD life. My husband is gone just as much, he can and will be deployed as much. He still goes and works a 40+ hour a week job, just not in a military uniform. Then, he gets to wear the uniform a couple of days a month, and is expected to maintain his hair and appearance to military standards, maintain his fitness to standard, and he is still always on standby for calls and emails that always come through requesting this or that. We have to plan our vacations and our whole lives around his military schedule. And then, we know he will be gone for a very long time. When? Not sure.

If this doesn't go through now, or ever, my husband will be making this a career. We just hope to be able to serve full time.

I just wish I knew the direction my life will go in.