Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Hawaii...

So it doesn't look like we can get out of the Hawaii assignment. And part of me wonders if he really wants to. Not because he doesn't want to be with us, but because of the opportunities at the other side of this thing. Let me explain:
- If he goes to Hawaii, they ARE going to Iraq. And the reason little boys dream of joining the military is to serve their country. How many veterans do you know that say, "Yeah, I was in the military during the war, but I stayed in the states the whole time". I mean, the reason to serve and to train is to use that knowledge. This would give him the opportunity to do just that. To be in that combat situation he has dreamed of since he was a child. To give more meaning to his time in service.
- If he goes to Hawaii, it's a good career move. You can't stay at one place too long, or you stagnate. Your chances for promotion are not as good, and you don't get the leadership opportunities you have elsewhere.

The down side to all this is more time apart.
There are options for us, with a Hawaii move:
1. The kids and I can stay here. Mike would be in Hawaii two years. A year of that would be spent in Iraq. We know that. We would be apart, but the kids would have stability. (Matthew REALLY doesn't want to move.)
2. We could all move to Hawaii. Mike would be assigned there for three years. One of which would be spent in Iraq. If we go, the kids and I would be on the Island without any family for a long time. And I don't even want to think about what a plane ticket to Hawaii cost, let alone 4 tickets. In other words, our ability to see family would be practically non-existent. Not to mention having to sell the house and figure out what to do with all our stuff because we can't take it all with us.

Oh, in option 1, we don't know when he would go to Iraq. It would most likely be 6 months or so after he gets there. So it would be Hawaii - Iraq - Hawaii - Home.

I am afraid that IF we go with him, we would never see him anyway. And we don't want to uproot the kids to be with Daddy when we wouldn't BE with Daddy anyway.

All of this makes me want to scream and cry. I want to throw a huge tantrum at the injustice of it all! But it won't change things. And really, as a soldier, isn't it his mission to serve our country as needed? And as his wife, I support him 100%. So I need to just step back, look at the bigger picture, and just deal with what is at hand. The decisions will come with time. And I know we will be fine with whatever happens. I just don't deal well with so many unknowns.

3 comments:

sillypants said...

My first question is, would the military help you relocate? Do they have affordable housing for military families on the Island?

If so, OMG Misty, go, go , GO.

I know for our April trip, we were looking into all sorts of accomodations and B found this wonderful spot, but it was only for military folk. There must be a wealth of services for military families there?

I know it would be so, so incredibly difficult to uproot, but it seems like he's going to be stationed there regardless for three years? Might as well join him, even if he's only there off and on....

Hawaii is the greatest place on earth. We are trying to find a way to move there ourselves !

xoxo

silly jeannie

Misty said...

It does sound like a wonderful experience. And I have been to Hawaii and loved it.
The problem is that the school aren't the greatest and I hear the locals don't take too well to white military folk.
Mike would be there for 24 months (his time in Iraq would count as Hawaii time). I just can't see uprooting the kids when we won't be with Mike anyway. Does that make sense? It's a tough decision.

Misty said...

For what it's worth, the military would pay to relocate us. But because house and such is so small we would have to get rid of or store most of our things. Not to mention get rid of a vehicle and who knows what our animals would have to go through (I think Mike said the quarentine is like a month!).