Things I like about my job

So here I am...sitting in a hotel in Fredericksburg, VA. This morning, a little after 7 AM, I pulled out of my driveway and left everything I hold dearest in my life behind me. I'll be gone all of February. Home for one weekend in March then gone all of March. Start a new job. CHENG again. That means long hours by the way. I.e, when I'm home, I work later than everybody else. Home in April but in a maintenance availability. Gone in May. Gone in June. Home in July. Deploy. It's going to be a long 12 plus months for the Hancocks. This is my life.

I hate leaving my family.  Tonight Aiden and Emma played on iPhone Facetime for me. they blew kisses. they hammed it up. I loved every minute of it. But it breaks my heart I have to spend pretty much the next year apart. Aiden is so brave. Emma misses me a lot, but doesn't comprehend the time. Aiden knows EXACTLY how long I'll be gone. He's a brave little boy who misses his Daddy. I miss him, too. I miss them all a lot. So, I sat in the Hilton Garden Inn bar and had a fine pale ale...then another...then an India Pale Ale. But I miss my family. We spend a lot of time apart.

Service.

It sucks but it is part of my job. I'll go to Newport. Again. I'll study. I'll learn bout the cruiser engine plant. I'll mentally prepare. I'll work out and physically prepare for another 18 months. But I hate being apart from my family. I'm gone. Occasionally I'll be home, but I'm basically I'm gone for the next  year plus.

So let me tell you what I do love about my job. In 2010, in the middle of the Suez Canal, I got to spend several hours with one of my good friends and colleagues from the Defense Language Institute. Sean is an Army FAO-Foreign Area Officer. What a treat to be thousands and thousands of miles from home, weeks into a brand new job, and get to hang out with a good friend.

It was a special time. This was one of those special military moments---two officers, one Navy, one Army, connected by the unique bond Arabic (I'll get to that later)---meeting up halfway around the world. Unreal. It was an awesome day. Thanks, Sean.

Sean and Dan on bridgewing of USS FARRAGUT during our Suez Canal transit

So today sucks. But I'll remember one awesome Navy day. You develop life-long friends in the military. When you meet up by chance like this, it's just special. You never know when or if you'll ever see you friends again. 2009 I lost 5 friends and classmates, all KIA or in the line of duty. You never know when you'll see your military buddies again. Especially when you're in different services. This was divine. It was a special time to show Sean what I do and just fellowship with him. And there will be many more. God willing.