"you didn't know that?"
the past two weeks have been filled with sitting at a desk, looking over 201 files, getting my promotion packet together, taking several tests to be MOS qualified, and lurking every news website possible. i finally finished my last test, checked my AKO one last time and realized i had been denied a seat for WLC. i yelled for my sergeant to come over and he told me it was because of my ETS date...it had passed. well no shit, everyone knew my six years were almost up and i still hadn't decided what i was going to do yet. thats why i was going to continue drilling until i figured out what i was going to do (about six more months...and during that time i was going to get promoted and go to WLC in the spring). this is when my lovely sergeant informed me, that was a no go. he proceeded to tell me that...if i drill after my ETS date that i'm technically telling the Army i still have some interest in staying in and that i automatically have to continuing drilling for the next two years or i have to go into the IRR..."you didn't know that?" uhhh news to me. so with that statement i automatically said the following... "shut up", "what do you mean?", "are you serious?", "are you sure?", "you knew i was going to continue to drill until i decided if i was going to go into the Air Force or IRR...what are you saying to me?"
so i leaned on the door and thought... 1)well that promotion packet i just put in, now means nothing unless i stay in the army 2)im glad i just paid my school 600 dollars for my transcripts for my promotion packet because for some fucking reason financial aid decided not to cover part of my tuition for my last semester 3)i technically have been at my unit two days after my ETS date, does this mean because i showed two days worth of interest thats going to result into two more years in the army? (but if the "army" was there, they would see i was hardly interested and maybe just forget about those two days) 4)ok, so if i can get out of this...i have to join the Air Force in like two weeks or else my unit will process me into the IRR 5)IRR...don't really want to go there...i think 6)i need to talk to my commander and see if he would release me so i could join the Air Force 7)this would happen!
then i started laughing...i didn't know what else to do. my sergeant laughed (he didn't have the right to laugh)...another sergeant came over and told me that after six years i should at least have some idea as what i wanted to do. i told him no, thats not how i work.
i told them i had to go before jumping out the closest window seemed like the best idea and that i'd call with my decision.
so i leaned on the door and thought... 1)well that promotion packet i just put in, now means nothing unless i stay in the army 2)im glad i just paid my school 600 dollars for my transcripts for my promotion packet because for some fucking reason financial aid decided not to cover part of my tuition for my last semester 3)i technically have been at my unit two days after my ETS date, does this mean because i showed two days worth of interest thats going to result into two more years in the army? (but if the "army" was there, they would see i was hardly interested and maybe just forget about those two days) 4)ok, so if i can get out of this...i have to join the Air Force in like two weeks or else my unit will process me into the IRR 5)IRR...don't really want to go there...i think 6)i need to talk to my commander and see if he would release me so i could join the Air Force 7)this would happen!
then i started laughing...i didn't know what else to do. my sergeant laughed (he didn't have the right to laugh)...another sergeant came over and told me that after six years i should at least have some idea as what i wanted to do. i told him no, thats not how i work.
i told them i had to go before jumping out the closest window seemed like the best idea and that i'd call with my decision.
posted by GI Kate at 4:26 PM
10 Comments:
You have hit your ETS date, your obligation is over. It also means your promotion packet is DOA, you've ETS'ed.
Just dropping by to say "hi" Kate.
And I just read that there's going to be a Hannah Montana concert in Albany on Jan. 9. Awesome!!!
anonymous, i know this now. my point is...everyone in my unit...
the unit UA, my platoon sergeant, commander...knew the position i was in. i was never told, you cant do that or your promotion packet wont be processed. the only thing ever said to me was, so are you going to reenlist?
timmy, you are so weird...are you going? what have you been up to?
Kate, You're a classic victim of the economic draft and the spin doctors of today. In my day, the miitary obligation was 6 years. You got separated from what I hear, from active duty then put in inactive reserves. Now since I don't know when, somebody got slick, tacked on two years to the total obligation now tells you you're "discharged" but then puts you in the IRR. Get out if you can. Doesn't matter what branch you did re-enlist in--since there's only an economic draft, not an official draft (which they're scared to have because they know people'd be rioting in the streets if reinstated), you'd be in the army anywhow. Look at the "sandbox sailors". Kinda reminds me of that old Paul Newman movie where Gale Gordon tells him, "Well, Lt. Cdr. Harper, you're in the Army now And, Happy New Year, hon.
Kate,
You cannot count on your unit UA, platoon sgt, or CO in this issue.
They all have want you to reenlist. You've ETS'ed, don't brother going to drills, getting/staying MOS qued, and so on an so on, unless your going to reenlist.
Both of us know if you reenlist it is an automatic trip back to Iraq. Period.
sailorette...navy,huh? hows that working out? thanks for the comment! i know exactly what you're saying. now i just need to figure out how to fuck them.
anonymous #1...if i could get out i would! right now theres nothing i can do. im stuck.
anonymous #2...yeah i know. what doesn't make sense is them pushing me into putting in my promotion packet. i dont get it! and im not reenlisting...fuck going to iraq again for another year.
happy new year everyone!
Kate,
Your school charged you $600 for transcripts!? What is the name of that school so I can avoid being ripped off.
I was thinking the same thing about the transcripts!!! The Navy is ok. I'm not exceptionally thrilled with sewing rack curtains for submarines on drill weekends. I'm thinking of changing branches after deployment. I have read your posts and know you aren't overly thrilled with the Army, but that's where I'm thining of going. Any advice?
In 1973 I was in Germany. I remember the reup sgt asking me if I wa going to reup. I said "Fuck no." Surprisingly, they never asked me again.
Two tours of Vietnam will do that to ya.
Too late, I have no good advice that would be timely... you did well getting a promotion packet together, and a resume, I hope, with it. I like to think you have lots to offer the world, and the military is just a group of organized (mostly) heroic THUGS, and that might not be your strong point. Good luck.
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