I can always tell when something’s bothering Danielle because she sighs a lot. One sigh might just be a sigh, but repeated sighs mean either (a) I have done something to irritate her or (b) someone else has done something to irritate her. For obvious reasons, I always hope for option (b).
When I asked what was wrong the other day she told me she’d been checking the available billets on ships out of Everett, Washington. Pretty soon she’ll have to submit her choices for where she wants to go when her shore tour is over, and we’ve been hoping to get a slot in Everett. Call me a weirdo, but I love Seattle, and I am undaunted by the 150+ days of rain the Seattle area gets every year.
The thing is, no matter how badly we want to do our next sea tour in Everett, we want to be sure we will be able to stay for at least 3 years, not just the first 18 months. (Just think: move from one coast to the other and then, 18 months later, do it again.) There are very few billets that would allow for that.
Otherwise, it’s probably back to good ol’ Norfolk, VA. And that’s not a bad thing. We know the area, we have friends there, and it’s a fun place to live. And it’s within driving distance of the Outer Banks.
But, as Danielle would say, that’s not why you join the Navy. You join the Navy, in part, to see the world. You’ve seen the commercials: ‘Accelerate Your Life!’
4 Comments
yeah that quote is a load of crap.
My husband and I are both from Northern VA…and where did he end up?
Virginia AGAIN!
Not that I dont love my home Commonwealth…it’s just…the military is suppose to help you see other places,and were 3 hours from our parents.
Good luck on getting the orders to Everett.
We went through the same thing this time last year, but lost the billet lottery when Ruth’s slate had nothing for her at our #1 port choice.
But we’ve always been determined (others might use the word ‘resigned’) to look at the bright side of whatever the USN throws at us. Plus we really do like Norfolk. I suppose it would be a miserable career if we didn’t…
My husband and I moved 4 times in the last 18 months and hit jackpot with a 3 year duty station in San Diego. All of those moves were cross country (with exceptions of VA to RI) btw, I was on your other site reading up on the clam chowder event! I was so sad that we would miss that as we left Newport on May 1st. We had a long winter in Newport but I’m glad you are enjoying the summer there. Hope you get to Everett!
I hope you guys get what you want!
I completely agree with yhe wanting to see the world…in my opinion, that’s what the military is all about…so take advantage! Since we’re from So Cal…San Diego has been last on our list…we wanted Norfolk for the change, because so far, we’ve been stationed in Guam and Key West, FL, but after thinking long & hard…we chose to go back to Guam…we figure we’ll have an opportunity to experience it all in a completely different way….I miss that island so much too & I just know once we move away again…I’ll want to go back…so much for seeing the world in the Navy…we’ve pretty much just lived in the tropics his entire career…so far, but I’m not complaining.
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