So, you thought you were pretty smart, huh?

OK, I thought I could work around the financial expense of becoming an officer in the Army.  Man, was I wrong!

After I signed my contract, I was then notified that I wouldn't receive my first paycheck (which happens to be a significantly lower amount than I currently make) until I have been at Officer Basic for 1 month.  In addition, I am financially responsible for all of my own uniforms, boots, etc.  Here are some examples of the costs we're talking about:

• Boots $120 (need to have 2 pairs)
• Uniform (ACU) $75/set (need to have 3 sets)
• Dress Blues $500-600

So, you can probably appreciate why I wanted to head to my local Army/Navy Surplus store, right?  I searched on-line.  I read reviews of the store.  I even google-mapped the location.  I guess I should've figured it out when one of the reviews said, "Perfect for all of your fashion needs."  Tell me, what kind of person does their "fashion" shopping at an Army/Navy Surplus store?

My husband and I made the trek to Milwaukee to find the store.  Of course, I made a wrong turn, but I eventually found it.  To make it even more fun, I had to park along the street, which meant reaching over a snow drift that was 5 feet tall in order to sneak a few quarters into the parking meter.  The good times had only just begun!

We walked inside and I was instantly disappointed.  The ACU's are selling for $45-80/piece (top or bottom).  There was only 1 pair of boots in my size.  I had forgotten to bring a pair of thick socks for trying on the boots, so I had to borrow some from their box-o-socks.  Yuck!

Here are the good things, though, I found a beret and my husband will help me shape it.  I also bought a pair of boots (saved me $100) and a soft-cap.  My husband lucked-out, too.  He got a reversible sweater that looks and feels as if it was created to keep G.I.s warm during the Korean War!

Continuing on the positive side, one of the guys working there had served in the Navy during Vietnam and into the 80's.  It reminded me of what an incredibly large fraternity the military is.  This man was serving our country when I was an infant, yet I could carry a conversation with him as if we'd known each other all along.

So, I will have to bite the bullet and pay full price for my ACU's, but at least I met a veteran who wished me luck in my military career, a pair of boots, and a beret!  It wasn't a bust after all.  (-:

Age has its benefits!

Whoever said that age has its benefits must've been looking at the standards for the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT).  As I'm getting ready for Officer Basic Leadership Course (OBLC), I'm fighting the battle of the bulge, and trying my best to get ready for my APFT when I arrive in San Antonio (in a little over a month).

I looked at the standards today.  Thank God I'm in an older age bracket!  As I run around the track at my gym, I feel months of inactivity taking their toll on my legs.

I have always wanted to be a runner.  I can remember looking up at my behemoth of a track coach in middle school.  He was close to 300 pounds, but yelled at us to run faster, as if he could possibly remember what running fast meant!  My family moved to Colorado right before my 8th grade year, so I proceeded under the tutelage of a different track coach.  Mr. LaDuke was inspiring to all of us gangly tweeners in 8th grade.  Then High School came. . .and I suffered from horrible shin splints.  Thus ended my running career in school. 

Nevertheless, I trained hard to get into running shape for Basic Training and found I could run with the "greyhounds" both in Basic and Advanced Training.  My dream of becoming a runner was within reach again.  Of course, I got into the civilian routine while attending college, and my days of 7-minute miles came to a screeching halt.

Since those days, I've completed dozens of 5-Ks, a few 10-Ks, half a dozen triathlons, and a half marathon.  Despite these accomplishments, I still don't feel that I can call myself a "runner."  Every time I get a pedicure, the technician says, "Oh, you must be a runner."  I give her my standard answer, "No, but I run."  People at work say that I'm a runner.  I remind them that I'm not a runner, but I run.  With every conversation like this, my wish to become a runner is reinforced.  My middle sister is a runner.  It comes naturally to her.  My husband is a runner.  He's a gazelle.  My son is a runner.  I simply run.

So, as I was turning the corner on my 22nd lap (sounds impressive until you realize it's only 2 miles) today, I reminded myself that, with a lot of perseverance, I might, just maybe, become a runner one day.  Until then, I'll keep running and thanking God that I have lower standards to meet than when I was last in the military.  (-:

The beginning

The journey begins with much trepedation.  For 3 years, I had been attempting to join the Army Nurse Corps.  It's something I've wanted to do since 2000 when I was discharged from the Army National Guard.

At first, I didn't have enough ICU hours over the previous 12 months.  The second year, when the board convened, I didn't have all of my paperwork submitted on time.  Third time was the charm.

Shortly after Thanksgiving, I learned I was one of only 50 nurses chosen from across the country to join the ranks of the Army Nurse Corps!  I should've been excited.  This was the culmination of 3 years, right?  Instead, I was nervous.  What if I was stationed in Germany?  What if went somewhere my husband didn't want to live in?  What if I didn't like it?  What if?  What if?  What if?

My family members tried to remind me that it's no use worrying about something that might not happen.  I knew they were right, but I kept wondering, "When will I go to Officer Basic?  Where will I be stationed next?  What will happen to our house?"

I've been in Wisconsin for 10+ years, coming here straight out of nursing school.  I didn't have a job or a place to live when I moved here.  My husband, then in the Army, was stationed in Korea.  I moved into "hostile territory" without any support mechanisms in place.  But, I survived.  I found a job in an ICU.  I've had amazing experiences and have learned so much, not just about nursing.  I've had the opportunity to be an educator, a manager, a preceptor, and a free-lance course developer/presenter. 

Now, I'm going into new territory.  Will I make a good officer?  Will my prior experience as a Non-Commissioned Officer help me?

Some of my questions have been answered.  A call from Headquarters Command last week informed me that I report to San Antonio this March and then will be stationed in El Paso, TX.  We lived in El Paso as one of my husband's duty stations.  We loved it.  Finally, things are looking up.