Shipping Out Soon...
A week from tomorrow, I leave for Georgia Military College. I will be there for 4 days of basic training exercises before I head off to Fort Knox, Kentucky, to complete LTC, or the Leadership Training Course. LTC consists of 4 weeks of intense field exercises and classroom work to prepare and qualify Army ROTC students for the Advanced Program, or in my case the Early Commissioning Program.
I'm actually excited about the ECP, because it allows me to earn my commission in 2 years instead of the usual 4. I will be a 2nd Lieutenant at 19 as opposed to 21 or 22. That means when my buddies are graduating from college as 2nd Lt.s I'll already be a 1st Lt. up for advancement to Captain. Now this early commission is conditional on me completing my 4 year degree. So not only do I get to earn my commission early, but I also get to attend my last 2 years of college wherever I want without participating in a restrictive ROTC program. The only hook is that I will be a drilling reservist (the whole 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks a year deal). After I earn my 4 year degree I will become an active duty O-2 in the U.S. Army.
Now I know what you're thinking... Army? What? Cliff? I though he wanted to be a Marine. Honestly, when you break it down the Army and the Marines are virtually the same in most aspects. This early commissioning program is a great deal, and I'll be able to do everything I wanted and get paid for it. I'll just be wearing a different uniform. Did I mention that they're paying me $800 dollars to go to LTC?
After I get back toward the beginning of August I plan on doing a little bit of travelling. Possibly taking a road trip out to Pensacola, that way I could give Mer a ride out to Alabama and still get a chance to hang out with her before we go to school. Then a want to head up to see my uncle in NY, because he isn't doing too well.
I'm pretty sure I'm getting a laptop for my birthday... sweet.
posted by Cliff @ 9:00 PM
5 Comments:
LTC starts the 21st of June, so 4 weeks later should be around the 3rd week in July. I'm going to leave you a copy of the computer CD that has all of the LTC info at your house so that you'll have an idea of what I'm doing. Also, I can receive mail while I'm there, so a letter when you get home would be outstanding! Anywho, call me soon, because we don't have many more opportunities to chat. I love you as well, and can't stop thinking about you. Have fun babe.
Boys and girls wore different color gowns. During the ceremony boys and girls sat on different sides of the aisle, so one half of the class was green and the other white. The Iraq situation is hard to read, it all depends on the Iraqi's ability to stand on their own two feet. However, since this program incurs an 8 year service obligation, there is bound to be something that comes up. And that is if I only serve the minimum number of years. If I like the Army, which I think I will, then I'll be serving for at least twenty so that I can retire with a hefty monthly check.
Well, I've been under the impression that your opinion means very much to Mer, so I would be very glad to meet you. Hopefully I will have the chance to bring her out there. I want her to see where I grew up (on the way) and where I spent middle school (also on the way). And likewise, I would like to see where her most influential years were spent. She loves Alabama very much. Anyhow, I suppose we'll see if I'm worthy. I humbly beg your mercy ;)
~ Your totally amazing bestfriend's boyfriend
Actually, I'm not going to Embry-Riddle, I'm now headed for Georgia Military College. I grew up in a little North Florida/South Georgia town called White Springs and I went to middle school in Pensacola.
Actually there are several reasons that made me change my mind. One is money. I was gonna cost close to 20k just to send me to Embry-Riddle for a year. This Army deal is a full ride. Also, I will be able to go in higher up. It doesn't lock me into an aviation career, so if I decide to change my career path I can still do that. Right now I tentatively want to fly combat helicopters (Apaches), but I really just need to get in and see what I like. Yeah, my dad is the Chief. I want to join the military for many reasons. Obviously, I'm a patriot and I would love to fight for hat I believe in. It is very financially secure. It offers a lot of fringe benefits like medical and housing. But mostly I just love the military life style. It gives me chance to have adventures around the world doing something I believe in. Who can ask for a better job than that?
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