Chris' Re-enlistment

Kenefick Park, Omaha, NE

July 19, 2011 - About a month ago, Chris was notified of his next assignment to Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas. This was the same place Chris went straight out of boot camp for his training. Kailani and I also moved there to be with Chris while he was still in Tech School. We arrived in September 2004, shortly after I finished my bachelor's degree.

Posing at Uno's with some of my best friends before leaving Virginia. Joan was taking the picture.

 

 Kailani at 18 months in Texas. November 2004

San Angelo, where Goodfellow is located, is a small town in west central Texas. A friend of mine that moved away from there recently told me that it hasn't developed much since we left in 2005.
 

Chris with his classmates. Some of which followed us to Germany!

 Chris graduating from Tech School, Goodfellow AFB, in 2005.
 

 His tile which he composed as a tribute to his class and is on display at the school house.

Kailani at 22 months in San Angelo, not long before we left for Germany. February 2005

Our friends in the middle (with their baby in the car seat on the ground) just left San Angelo a couple years ago. Christmas 2004

Taking on this assignment would make Chris an instructor, but this special duty was involuntary and not something that he actually wanted. It also requires another 4-year mandatory tour. We knew about this possibility, but we were very disappointed about how it had been assigned to him. In this case, it seemed as though Chris' name was pulled out of a hat, since relying on a computer system to place their Airmen into assignments without consideration for their future military career goals and preferences was how he got this assignment. If Chris had joined the Navy, I was told that 90 days prior to re-enlisting and a PCS (instead of 2 years prior), he would meet with a career counselor and discuss those important aspects and somehow make it work to everyone's advantage. The Air Force needs to start to do this in order to have high morale among their people as well as diminishing the high turnover rates in Chris' career field.

It had been a difficult decision/life choice for us, most especially Chris, to decide to re-enlist. Although we highly respect the military and all it's done for us (since childhood), we're still not fully accustomed to the lifestyle. We're very grateful for our chance to see so much more of the world, but with the constant moves, support has been truly lacking. Regardless, Goodfellow AFB is still a pending assignment especially since Chris now has a profile due to his back problems (he's unable to be on his feet for 8 hrs straight) in addition to our enrollment with EFMP (exceptional family member program) for Kristian and his developmental speech delay (our next base will require speech therapy services in the immediate area).

Chris' boss addressing the small crowd.

Chris' choice to re-enlist at Kenefick Park was symbolic in that he refers to this time as a crossroads in our lives. The decision to re-enlist was not an easy one, but ultimately, it is a good choice especially since we can't foresee the future economy two years from now and we will have more time to prepare before we purchase a house, or custom build one. It will still be a little while before we find the community in which we'll finally call our "home."

Chris making his oath to the military.

I wonder what the joke was! Or, I can't remember..

A couple of Chris' coworkers dunked him with water!

Taken right before we left for dinner

Thank you Daugherty family for being there for us, despite the scorching heat wave! Thank you also for the pictures you shared with us. We also ate to our hearts content during the sushi buffet afterwards! =)