Air National Guard 101, Final Exam

Dear Eddie and Mikey,

I sent an e-mail to silver_dragon. Haven't heard anything back just yet, we'll see. It was a nice, harmless, personable e-mail not addressed to anyone in particular. We'll see if anyone responds. So far, I think that's my best lead.

The National Guard is a confusing place. For the last 152 days my job has been coming along just fine. In that time I have attained CMR status in one qualification and very near CMR in a 2nd. I get paid decently good money and life has been relatively smooth, compared to what life was like before the Temporary Tour began.

And therein lies the problem. Those two words: Temporary.Tour. 179 day orders. My orders expire August 3rd and at that time I return to DSG status. One weekend a month. Pay goes away. Benefits go away. Security in the time of drastic family changes... goes away. I'm left now, only with the hope that my chief and superintendent are able to work out a way where I can work "man-days" (not mayonnaise) Monday-Friday, 8-4. Normal, boring day shift. Sounds like full time work though, doesn't it? Not exactly. Still no benefits. No BAH. No BAS. This will be a drastic cut in pay, but not as bad as if I am denied the Man-Days... which is a distinctive possibility this close to the end of the fiscal year.

Luckily, ZZ and I were denied buying the car and we still have the down payment. It's just too bad that now that money may have to be spent on day to day living expenses. We'll have to start all over on this saving for the down payment thing again, but that guarantees that by the time we'll actually be able to afford the car, the baby will have already been with us for three months. I am going to be FORCED TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE CAR WITH A BABY ON BOARD. This does not make me happy, and I know when ZZ hears about this, she's going to be furious. I am not looking forward to telling her this when she wakes up. I might have to talk to my First Sergeant again about getting some sort of loan or grant from the Guard. Otherwise, we might go broke with a baby on the way.

Additionally, I have to take all 12 of the days of leave I have accrued so far on the tour, and I have to take them before the tour ends. So, last week and a half of July (over my birthday) I will be off work. At first this sounds great, but then you get to thinking about when that baby comes. I'll have no leave left, and I'll have to go in the hole. FUCKIT, maybe I'll still be unemployed and I won't have to worry about it.

How are your lives?

Peace and Love,
Sarcastic and Disenfranchised