Reed came home last night with a bit of news. It appears that cross country moves will become VERY difficult (nearly impossible for those with families) for the Navy...in other words, they will try VERY hard to keep West Coast people on their coast and East Coast people on their coast. We've heard that they are planning on stopping coast to coast moves several times throughout his career but with budget cuts being what they are, I'm more certain than ever this will hold true for us. That doesn't mean Reed can get out of his current orders. It means that we would get stuck in San Diego...likely for the remainder of his 5 years left. There is another option...Anna and I stay here. Without the cost of moving a family, they will do the coast to coast move for Reed because it would be minimal to move him. Therefore, when Reed gets to pick orders the next time he's up for them, he can look at billets back here...HOME. I'm a little happy about this news because I really wasn't looking forward to leaving but I'm definitely sad too. This means that unless Reed gets promoted, we will be apart for about 18 months. We do plan to visit whenever possible. Reed plans to have a car so we can keep an eye out on cheap flights to and from San Diego...or even LA. I'm glad that we finally agree on Anna and I staying here even though it will be REALLY, REALLY hard. So, keep praying that he'll get promoted and we can all stay here together...Or at least stay on the East coast together.
Edit to add: Reed won't really get to "pick" orders but rather pick orders that would lead him back here. In the Navy, you get a wish list and you get to put down 3 choices. Usually (but not always) one of those 3 choices is what you end up with. That being said, its not a given and should Reed get stuck in San Diego, we would move at that point. But, its not hard usually to get orders to Norfolk...good thing the largest Naval Base in the world is in my back yard. He's got 15 years in this August and when he gets off the Vinson, he'll have in over 17! We'll be knocking on retirement's door unless he gets promoted. Who knows what will happen then! His job is primarily a sea going rate (job in Navy talk) so we could end up moving then in order to get promoted at that point...we'll see. But, that's 2.5 years away.
3 comments:
Aw! Tough decisions! But you have so many family and friends to help you here, so it would be nice for you to stay if he can come back ASAP. Or maybe he'll just make cheif and this will all be worries for nothing!
Yeah, Kim, it was a tough decision! Us staying here is what I've been leaning towards for awhile but its taken Reed a bit longer to get on board. He'll probably be deployed at some point while he's in San Diego so, it just makes sense for us to stay especially when you consider that it will be difficult to get moved back here. I'm still really, really hopeful that he'll get promoted so we can stay...at least on this coast!
I hear about the moves all the time from Rex. I guess they are about to start refunding PCS moves, whew! (we are up for orders though probably staying here in HI) Good luck to you guys, I don't envy you! (though I'd move)
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