I lucked out at my husbands last duty station. I loved the town. Fairbanks, Alaska is the best place I've ever lived. Its a good thing I loved it, I was there for four years. My husband,
between deployments, vacations, JRTC, and misc trips for school training, was there for about a year. He says he liked it too, but he really didn't get a chance to properly appreciate it.
The job market is great. Pay is great. Schools are great. The University is the best I've ever been too, small class sizes and plenty of online classses and distance education if you don't feel like driving to campus that semester. In-state rates for military dependents.
I was very sad to leave last year. So was my husband.
So we moved to Texas. Now I'm no stranger to moving. I've moved on average every three years my entire life. I normally enjoy each place for what it offers and look forward to seeing whats across the horizon when the orders come to leave.
But I hate it here.
I been looking for a year, and I haven't found one thing that is offered here that isn't better somewhere else. The job market is terrible. The University is overcrowded, the staff over extended, and the tuition worse than Alaska. But with my husband's pay, even with me not working, we make too much to qualify for financial aid, and my GI Bill just isn't cutting it.
The local restaurants aren't even that good.
Ok, the mass transit system here isn't that bad. But thats the only thing that this town has going for it.
And now my husband is leaving again.
Seperation is a fact of life in the Army. They don't bother us. We talk on the phone when we get a chance, write a lot of letters, send packages back and forth, and look forward to him retiring in ten more years. But normally I can keep busy, go to school, get involved in the community, or at least go to work each day. Those don't seem to be viable options here.
So I'm not staying. I'm going back to Alaska. I can't wait.
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2 comments:
I hated TX too. really really. so, is he stationed there, or is he TDY, or what? After spending only 8 months together with the old man in the past 4 years, I have decided that wherever the Army decides he's going, so am I. Now if it's Ft. Hood... I'll have to cry a lot... no way I'll find a decent job there. I am hoping for the DC area - a paralegal with 20 years experience can find a job there!
and the doctors.... oh yeah they are just trying to make us all nuts! my civilian doctor, she is always always always at least 1/2 hour late. sometimes a lot longer...
well, glad I found you, hope that everything goes as you want it!
LAW
My dear husband is stationed here. But just like Alaska, it doesn't look like he is actually going to be spending much time here.
He is at ANCOC right now. Looking at the long range training schedual, he is going to be away to the field or other training for most of the year through Christmas.
And when he is home, he isn't home. Gone from 0430 to 2000 each day. Saturdays spent picking up drunk soldiers from the bar or jail. We see each other Saturday nights (if he isn't picking someone up) and Sunday. We never see each other.
As for where I'm at.... well, I hate it here. But other people might like it when they get here. Why tell them its terrible, let them decided for themselves. I do encourage people (spouses) to keep an open mind when those orders come in.... that next duty station might be the one you end up liking best :)
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