Old Dog

When the schedule came out earlier this year at the Reserve Center and we knew that Charlie was up for tour #3, to Iraq, we knew that if he did end up going , God would provide for us all and we'd get through it stronger for the experience but we really, I mean REALLY, didn't want to get stronger that way:this time............... IF IF IF we had a choice.............Charlie has given thought to getting out of the Reserves for several months now and after praying about it and talking a lot, we felt like this was the right time to separate from the Army. The higher in rank and responsibility a soldier climbs, the more and more of the soldier's time the military wants to lay claim to and usually finds ways to possess. He really wanted to be able to spend more time with his family. His civilian job keeps him gone a couple nights a week a couple times a month. Add to that the over- nights for the Reserve weekends, the extra nights at the Reserve Center, extra time spent at home on matters military..........its a lot of time. Wanting to go out at the "top of his game" rather than two or three years into other soldiers REMEMBERING "the top of his game," he felt like this was another reason to go now rather than later. He submitted his packet a while ago and on the 18th , this week, his request for change of status was accepted and orders were issued so stating. He's been military for over 34 years...............this was a really big change to contemplate. I don't think it will really sink in until he has NOT gone to several drill weekends or spend several months realizing that he is NOT doing training schedules, evaluating soldiers' performances, grieving over the way things are not being done...............it will not feel like a real relevant event or real fact or big change right away
BUT it is a new change and we are all very thankful. I was concerned that he not retire before he was really ready.......and have regrets 10 or 15 years from now, but I think that it will be a good thing for all of us. His guys are really going to miss him; they were planning the next mission with "Old Dog" at the helm. Sorry guys; just take the excellent training and leadership Old Dog gave you, go do an OLD DOG quality mission!!!! Old Dog is staying home with his pups!!!!