Frequently asked questions

Hey guys, I thought I'd take a moment with this entry and try to answer a few common questions we've had lately. I realize keeping up with a military family is a little difficult as to where we are and where we're going. So I hope this answers some of the questions.


1. How long will you be in Virginia?

We will pack up the Range Rover and make the 1100 mile journey back to Kansas City a week from Thursday, April 9th. The intent is to get Shelly back so she can complete our house hunting in Manhattan, Kansas. I’ll fly back to DC on Easter Sunday, April 12th, and spend my final two weeks here before finishing up on April 24th. I’ll fly back to KC that night.

2. What course have you been taking in Virginia?

I’m taking a course within the Army’s Command and General Staff College called Intermediate Level Education, consisting of several modules of instruction. It is a masters level military course that all Army officers attend between their 10th and 15th year of service. It’s also designed to give officers a break and time to focus on family before heading back out to the force.

3. Did you sell your house in Kansas City?

Unfortunately, no. Today marks the one year mark it has been on the market. We switched realtors recently to give it a fresh look and have designed a new marketing strategy. That combined with the upcoming spring and recent housing tax benefits approved gives up hope it will sell this spring/summer.

4. Where do you plan to live while stationed at Fort Riley?

We’ve been house hunting on the internet the past couple of weeks. Well, Shelly is doing 98% of it. Since we’ll still be paying our mortgage in Kansas City we plan to rent something relatively simple in the Manhattan or Junction City, Kansas area. If the right deal came along and it was more economical to buy something, we’d consider buying there as well. We’ll know more in a couple of weeks when Shelly goes there to visit some potential houses. Regardless, there will be room for visitors both there and when we’re in KC on weekends.

5. What does Obama’s plan for Iraq and Afghanistan mean to you?

The units identified to make up the increase in troop levels in Afghanistan have tentatively been identified. Our organization at Fort Riley is not part of that as of now. As for Iraq, the dust is still settling in the Pentagon on what the drawdown means for units projected to deploy to Iraq. For the past few months our unit at Fort Riley has been projected to deploy to Iraq in early 2010. Shelly and I are still preparing for that. But I can tell you that being 5 miles from the Pentagon the past 3 months and around many people who work there that it’s a little unclear right now as far as the composition of the “residual force” you’ve heard about on TV. A significant change in planned units for 2010 happened this past week in fact. As of right now we are projected to deploy. But the powers that be in the Pentagon are still shuffling around different courses of action. So more to follow.

6. Where will Shelly live if you are deployed and how long will you be gone?

Right now, our plan is to lease something for 8 months around Manhattan/Fort Riley if possible. We’re working with a few folks who are willing to do an 8 month lease. If so, Shelly plans to move next January back in with or near her parents’ house in Wakeeney, KS, about 2 hours west of Fort Riley. If our house in KC is still on the market by next January then she may just move back in there. Little too early and too many variables to make a decision on that as of yet. As for deployment times, it would be a maximum of 12 months. A Presidential directive last year dictated the maximum time deployed would be 12 months. I’d come home about midway through for a couple of weeks.

7. Will your job at Fort Riley require you to travel like you have in the past few years?

No, I’ll be back to a normal Army job and will travel some but not nearly like I have been. And that’s a good thing. We’re looking forward to getting into a routine where we are all home together each night. And we look forward to visiting friends and family on weekends. This job, while challenging, won’t be quite as demanding as the assignment I just left at Fort Leavenworth. The hours will be longer but I still plan to be home each day at a reasonable time for dinner with the family.

8. How long will you be stationed at Fort Riley and what are your plans after that?

As of today, our plan is to move about two years from now, in the spring of 2011. Our primary plan is to seek another assignment at Fort Leavenworth which would put us back in the Kansas City area. That would be my last assignment before retirement and that would posture us to remain in the Kansas City area after that.

9. When do you plan to retire?

I currently have over 20 years of military service and 15 of that is active duty. So my retirement date with 20 years of active service would be April 2014. If my calculations are correct I will retire prior to Anderson beginning kindergarten, and that is a good thing for a stable school environment for him.

10. So what will you do then?

Well, the military offers a great retirement pension. I’ll still get over 50% of my current base pay after retirement. So I’ll just need to find something to offset the other 50% in order maintain our current lifestyle. One possibility that is easy is to move into a civilian contractor job on Fort Leavenworth and establish our “forever home” in the Kansas City area. But if I wanted to do something completely different I have actually given serious thought into working in the organization of one of Kansas City’s professional sports teams. Just not sure it would pay what I would require. But we’ll see.


So there you have it. I apologize for the wordiness. But please let me know if there is anything that hasn't been addressed. And we'll keep you updated as we continue this transition. We look forward to seeing many of ya'll soon!

Mike
Springfield, VA