Now that I have a place to finally live, I can finally focus on work. I’m a senior Major arriving on island and expecting to take a deputy staff position at the Division.
Prior to my arrival, drug deals are made and I’m now being positioned to take a job in their overseas engagements and exercises cell. Not happy. I’m 1 year from my primary board to Lieutenant Colonel and need the next 2 Officer Evaluation Reports (OERs) to be competitive, so I need to be in the best position possible. The guy who’s sitting in my position is junior to me, so I’m even more irritated. Regardless, it’s never about you – its about what you’ve ben assigned to do, so you just suck it up and don’t complain.
I’m told that the job I’ll be filling requires a ton of travel and staying in 5 star hotels overseas. On top of that, my boss is a big surfer and has a reputation as being one of the most laid back guys on the staff. The job requires us to brief the Commanding General regularly and is a high priority for him, so being in this position sets me up to get those critical OERs I need before my board to Lieutenant Colonel.
Can’t be that bad I guess. Traveling overseas to countries all over Asia to stay in 5 star hotels for a few weeks and then coming back home to Hawaii? Shit, who knew jobs like this existed in the Army? I’m sold.
Its early August, my household goods haven’t arrived yet and I’m immediately told that I need to go to the Philippines on a 6 month tasking. Goddamn. Ummm….how do I respond to that? I haven’t even unpacked yet. After a tough discussion with my new boss, I politely say no because I need to at least move my family into the house and get my shit together.
Wow. Dodged a bullet for now. One month later and the call comes again from my boss.
“You all moved in and settled?” he asks
“As settled as I’m gonna be. What’s do you need sir?” I reply.
“Good. I need you to repack your things and head to the Philippines. Not for 6 months, but for a few weeks this time. There’s a big exercise coming up and there’s some drama with the new Philippine President wanting to change a few things. You speak any other languages or anything? You SOF guys are supposedly all cultural and shit. Your ORB (Officer Record Brief) says you’re rated in Tagalog and Indonesian.”
“Roger sir. I can get by.”
“Awesome. Here’s your POC at our higher headquarters. Keep your bags packed, you’ll be racking up some frequent flier miles in this job.”
Little did I know that this was the beginning of the end of my career.