Going to Guam

[cichlidite]

It looks like I will be moving to Guam for two years (ending my career the way I began it....overseas). Wife must quit her job. House will be rented. Most of our stuff, including cars, placed in storage. Life as we know it put on hold for 24 months. Wife very unhappy. Baby does not care. This is not what we wanted, but the War on Terror effects some of us in different ways.

But wait....sun, ocean, warmth, mid-day siestas, breezes, snokeling, scuba diving, San Miguel beer....heck, who can complain about all that? Well...mosquitos, snakes, bugs the size of your shoe, monsoons, power and water shortages, 99% humidity, scarcity of goods and services, wild boars and dogs, blah, blah, blah.....stuff like that! Gotta take the good with the bad in my profession. Such is life!!

Looks like my 300g (and oh so much else!) will remain in storage for quite a while longer. Will have to take Jeff and Mike up on their nice offers in two years...if they still remember me then. I may set up a smaller tank while on Guam....I have to assume they have killer LFS's there, que no?

Esta Later,
Mike

[ShirleyM]

Whoa.........that's rather sobering to read.

My 17-yr-old son, interested in the service after 4 yrs ROTC in college, was reading over my shoulder and quietly. slowly said, "Let's hear it for the Marines."

Are you in some branch of the service?

How soon do you leave?

~ Shirley

[Doug1]

Wow, that is kinda bad to hear, but I guess you gotta do what you gotta do . Take care over there

[Mrs Smith]

Oh man... the twists and turns of life. Good luck to you. So the family is going too - good luck managing everything. How much notice are you getting?

We have a reefer friend who was deployed suddenly to a country that starts with "A" last winter (he's active Army). He had to hastily tear down one tank, because his wife would only have time to manage the big one. We haven't heard from him since, but assume he'll be back eventually.

Good luck,
Danielle

[Alice]

Mike, you old salty dog you...of course we'll remember you. Besides, I'm pretty sure they have internet access on Guam.
LOL, Grandpa always called Guam "the ***hole of the Pacific" when recalling his Navy days but I've talked to many people who've really enjoyed it.

Good luck

Alice

[cichlidite]

Shirley,
Yes, it is a bit sobering....something I had grown to expect earlier in my career, but not now. I have been in the Navy for 18.5 years now. No real regrets, but something like this late-career transfer does make a nice steady civilian job sound much better. Since 1984, I've never had the pleasure of living in any one place longer than 2 years...which makes life, friends, marriage and family kinda hard somethings. But again, I have no real regrets....the military has been very, very good to me....if your son is interested, our country and he would both benefit.

Danielle,
I'll leave in about 6 months, so plenty of notice, at least. Lot's to do to do it right! Wife and I will at least be able to give Ian lots of undivided attention for his first two years of life!

Alice,
You know, I almost forgot that....I'm sure they do have internet so I guess I will still be able to continue my lurking in the fine pages of TRT....sorry about that to those I may have annoyed, haha! And I think your Grandpa was right about that description, but having been there briefly a few times over the years I can tell ya that it is much better now then in his days...the Japanese brought some money there and of course the military, maritime commerce and Asian tourism are the mainstay of their small economy now. There are about 150,000 people there now and they sell real estate by the square meter....so, although it is isolated, and too often disadvantaged, we'll not be alone.

Mike

[ShirleyM]

Thanks, Mike for your note...

I shared your comments with my son, Trevor. He's spoken with recruiters from all 4 branches, and is interested in officer candidate school after 4 yrs college/ROTC...considering a military career or teaching military history/political science/military science after a Ph.D. at the university level...doesn't know yet what he'll do.

Please do stay in touch! You know we'll all be thinking about you and worrying about you. My father served all 6 years of his Navy service during WW II 1940-1946 and was involved in several "theaters", including a minesweeper off Omaha Beach during the invasion of Normandy. He spent a good deal of time on the USS Tuscaloosa, as well. He was a Signalman, 1st Class, and could send Morse Code and Semafore faster than most people can type or write! We all had to learn it, as did all the Boy Scouts and Webelos he commandeered over the years!

Take care, and it's a relief to know you have 6 mos. notice!
Shirley

[cichlidite]

It sounds like your son has been raised very well and is really squared away! This cannot be said for many of the hundreds of young people I have had in my charge throughout the last several years.....what with the changes in and softening of our society and all. Regardless of whatever Branch he chooses, it sounds like he'll be a tremendous asset. I wish him well.

It is nice that you remember your father's service with such pride. It was a pleasure to read about it. :-)

Fair Winds and Following Seas,
Mike

[ShirleyM]

Hi Mike,

Here is a picture of my father at the age of 78 in the Boy Scout uniform he wore in the 60's-70's...and holding the pen & ink drawing of the USS Tuscaloosa he was given by the Navy in 1946. His name is written in the block below the picture.

This photo was taken summer 1999, just a few months before he passed away due to a sudden and unexpected stroke or heart attack.

He was raised in Pulaski, TN and had never left his home before joining the service. I'm not sure he even made it up to Nashville!

He later attended Purdue University, where he was on the Dean's List every semester. (Agronomy)

I'll post a pic of his semaphore flags in the next post.
--Shirley

[ShirleyM]

And here is a set of photos he sent our older son, Troy, sometime around 1996...for a paper Troy was writing. He's saying
"Hi Troy"

Thanks for your comments on Trevor. I am so proud of him and his loyalty toward our country and his determination to protect freedom.
He earned his black belt in Tae Kwon Do last May, and is taking his first degree test this Saturday..tomorrow!

Oh, and these are the same flags my father used in the service!

[mojoreef]

Hey Mike dont worry we will take good care of you when you get back. Thanks for making the sacrifices you do brother. Gods speed and the best of luck.



MIke

[cichlidite]

GREAT pictures, Shirley, thanks!!!

[eaglelox]

take it slow, stay moving and for goodness sake use cover.

be carefull mike.

keep your tool cool jewl and dont forget to comb your DA back.

[Stang69]

Hey Mike good luck buddy and I will be here when ya get back. For those of you who have never seen Mike he will stand out in Guam. You would be able to spot him in a mall as he is about what mike 6'4 so he would tower above most annyone. heheh


God speed man keep your head up and most of all be careful


Jeff

[Doug1]

Hey Mike, my son in law just came back to port on the Fife, One more WesPac on the Carl V then out in june of 04, after 20.
I heard a lot of those same sentiments from him, re: result of societal Wimping
Shirley congratsa on the fine job you did with yours