Well, after 8 months of wrangling with USAREC to get a waiver, I signed my contract to go back on Active Duty!

I really wanted Infantry, and to be stationed at Ft. Bragg. Due to the bloated bureaucracy of the Army, the fact that the 82d is critically short of Heavy anti-tank infantry did not show up on the computers (the shortage was verified by personal communication with current 1st Sgts in those units, some of whom I went thru basic/ait/airborne shchool with). I was offered a 6 year hitch in the infantry, stationed in Korea. I said no. I took a 3 year enlistment as a parachute rigger. This will allow me to 1) be at Bragg, and only 7-8 hours from home/wife, and 2) I can re-up 1 year out from ETS date, in what will now become my secondary MOS (Infantry).

I have been unemployed (excepting the crafting of knives) since April, as I could not in good conscience take a job that I would have to quit with no notice. The wife is happy about the career prospects, the steady income, but we are both bummed about the distance thing. Since she loves her job (and makes about 3x what I will) I would not think of having her quit & move.

I ship out to Ft Knox to re-do basic on 30 Jan 2002.

Don Out

Yeah, world's oldest E-2! Damn!

They're kicking you back to E-2? Dang, that sux!

Yeah, but I'll get E-3 by the end of basic, and get bumped to E-4 when I hit my unit.[:D]

When I went through Basic ('82 - actually OSUT) There was a prior-service guy that went through who was 38 years old!!! The drills dogged the *hit out this guy, but he dealt with it.

Good luck!

ChrisG