Boy + Girl + Army + e-Harmony = Captain and Mrs. Butters! This is what we're up to. Observations, opinions, events, images, and more.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Good News

Last week, at his Colonel's suggestion, Spike interviewed for a rear detachment command position. On Monday he found out that he got the job! I'm going to brag on him a little bit: apparently the Lieutenant Colonel who's going to be his new boss said that none of the other interviewees measured up. Of course, this was no surprise to me. So after only 3 and a half months in his current unit, we're throwin' up the deuces.

To clarify, we're still at Fort Riley, but it'll be a lot more responsibility for Spike...and a new coffee group/FRG for me. The majority of the Soldiers in this unit are leaving soon for the sandbox (for readers who don't speak military, as the rear-d commander, Spike will be in charge of all operations back here), and there's already been talk of starting a book club for spouses while the unit is gone. SIGN ME UP.

Actually, I went with Spike to an FRG pre-deployment meeting on Tuesday evening so that he could be introduced to the families as "the guy you call at any hour of the day or night (joy) if you have problems or questions." Before the meeting started I was reading my beloved Kindle, and a woman came up, started exclaiming over it, and asked me a bunch of questions about how I liked it. We chatted for a few minutes about the joys of having instant access to books. Come to find out, she was the Lieutenant Colonel's wife.

I think I'm gonna like it here. (I also anticipate a ramp-up in the amount of "can you believe this stuff" stories I share here on the blog.)

So, to end, I'll share one piece of information I learned at the FRG meeting. According to the JAG guy who guest-spoke, if you're a Soldier, think carefully about who you grant power of attorney to while you're gone. In fact, you probably don't want to give power of attorney to your wife (this was said in the presence of many wives, btw), because you might come home to find your bank account cleaned out, your car sold, etc. I told Spike he'd better write that little golden nugget of wisdom down so he'd remember it. Sad thing is, I know that piece of advice is strongly rooted in reality.

6 comments:

  1. Yep, that advice is pretty par for the course. It's a little sad.
    I am just down the road from Riley (ok, about 2 hrs) if you ever wanna hang out.
    feministmilitaryspouseATgmailDOTcom

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  2. I'm so glad that he won't be deploying AND you like the new unit so much! Having other wives around you that you actually like makes all the difference!

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  3. Sadly, that advice does ring true for a lot young soldiers who marry girls they haven't known for very long. And I mean that- "girls" who are 18 and 19 years old. Nothing against young marriages, but I'm simply talking statistics here.
    Glad you're going to have a great new situation!

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  4. FMS--you might very well get an email from me in the future! :-)

    And yes, some of the stories you hear are truly sad. "Well, I didn't like his truck, so I can canceled the insurance, stopped making payments, and accidentally wrapped it around a telephone pole while he was deployed." And now that poor man has to pay off a $30,000 vehicle he no longer has. True story. Hopefully what the JAG guy said sparked some productive discussions instead of arguments.

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  5. You should check out OCSC, too! Shoot me an email if you want the website or a contact person. They have a book club, a monthly lunch group, plus the monthly meetings. I got an email about a running club, too? Ha!

    Glad you are happy with the move! Be prepared for him to work lots of ridiculous hours...

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  6. Oh, I can't wait to hear all of your stories with Spike being on Rear-D! =) The fact that most wives shouldn't be granted POAs is probably going to be the tamest thing he deals with!

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