About six weeks after accepting an offer on our home, today it is finally closed. This has been my biggest non-military related stressor for the last three months. Today now that it is final, I am left with such mixed emotions. I know how great it is for us financially, and how we effectively have no assets remaining (judgment proof); however, all I can think about is playing baseball in the backyard with the kids. Our home was awesome! Our backyard was huge with a full privacy fence. Our kitchen was wonderful! On a day I thought I would be so excited, I am left so sad with the memories from the last four years.

With our active duty military plans, it was going to have to go sooner or later. With the housing market in question over the next year, and the fact we can pay less?in rent than our interest was each month, not to mention insurance and utilities; we had to do it now. It also releases the final lien that the SBA had against any of our property. The SBA has been wonderful working with us through our mess, but I still don’t like the idea of being thousands of miles away knowing they have the legal right to foreclose on my family back home.

When you go to track our progress, you can see the huge dent that the house made. I have only subtracted the mortgage for now. I will wait until all the paperwork settles and get a new balance from the SBA before I deduct their amount. That means in a couple of days there will be another significant dip. Now that is something to smile about

I promised to write a note about my experience in Ada, so at long last, here it is. From the middle of June until the middle of November Ada was a home for me. From sleeping at the Microtel Inn, and working nights at Chili’s and spending my days at the Reserve Center, there wasn’t much time for entertainment. Conveniently, Ada didn’t offer much for entertainment, so I never felt like I was missing out.

Ada is a picture of small town America. Things are a little slower there, a little more laid back. I never was able to make good money working at Chili’s. I thought it was because the people were cheap, but in reality, life is cheap in Ada. A haircut runs you $8 and it is only a buck to get a patch sewn on. The only drawback is you can’t complain when it is just a little crooked because the lady is too nice and the price is incredible.

While many people long for a life like Ada provides, I guess I am eternally drawn to the city. There are some wonderful people in Ada, and I will miss it; but I will likely only return in memory. Thanks for your hospitality Ada! You are some good people!

As a member of the armed forces for over fourteen years, and nine former years as a law enforcement officer, my daily decision of what to wear is relatively a simple one. I never have to worry about matching my belt color to my shoe color to my tie color. However, when I hit the road for the job I really like to go incognito. I don’t like drawing attention to myself. A nice pair of blue jeans with a sweat shirt fits me just fine.

A few weeks back when I came under a mobilization order, one of the facets of that order is that civilian clothes are not authorized and you do not have the space for them anyway. Because of this, I have found myself in airports across the country over this holiday weekend proudly sporting my Army Combat Uniform, traveling in compliance with the latest Department of Defense directive. Being a person that keeps up on these directives, I carefully read the new release in October concerning gratuities to include free upgrades offered by airlines and free meals purchased on our behalf. Previously these things were taboo; i.e. the Soldier was to politely decline. All that changed in October (at least October is when I read it). Now we are authorized and in fact encouraged to accept these offers so long as the offer is given out of support and patriotism for our Soldiers, there is no quid pro quo expected, etc…

This holiday weekend I have become renewed and amazed by the American people. All four of my flights the airline upgraded my seats to first class, save one that didn’t have a first class section. For that flight they gave me the exit row so I could have extra foot room. I also discovered it is very difficult to actually give money for a meal or a snack. Over seventy-five percent were either paid by an ordinary citizen or the cashier told me they don’t charge Soldiers. It is such a good feeling to know that no matter what the American people think about the policy, they have an unending support for those who carry out that policy. For that I say Thank You!!

It is with great sorrow that I must retract my previous post about settling in. The work is non-stop, and after talking to the Commander we are replacing; it appears the work load will be the same in theatre. Every day here has been an 18 to 20 hour work day for me. Tonight is the first night I have actually had more than an hour to catch up on life and that is only because our beloved pass begins at noon tomorrow, not a moment too soon. The good news is my first mobilized check came today; however, I am afraid to check how much I am making an hour. That number could be rather depressing.

Some of you non-military types might wonder just exactly what does an executive officer at the company level do in the United States Army. My Colonel gave me an excellent analogy of what my job is. He says the Commander is like the drum major leading a band in a parade with her baton held high. The executive officer is like the guy with the broom and the dust pan running ahead of the band scooping up all the crap to make sure the Commander stays clean. That in a nutshell is my life.

The Springfield News Leader has a great editorial today about predatory lending. It brings about a point that I have been hearing in multiple places lately; many of these bottom feeding pieces of garbage are owned by what we would think of as legitimate banks. This really speaks well for ethics in business. Check it out here.