Well, after much talking and weighing what and where we want to take our family, we finally decided to leave the Army and come back home. The timing was about perfect. I had a one year ADSO for PCSing to AZ. I could have resigned my commission in DEC, but that ADSO gave us a bit more time to weigh the options and really make, what I think, was the best decision. Our decision to leave the Army wasn't an easy one. I liked my job. It's been one helluva a ride. I wouldn't trade any of my time there for anything else in the world. I made a ton of lifelong friends. I have gained a ton of useful skills and experiences. I've saved a pretty penny for a good down payment on a home (with land). Family was perhaps the biggest argument for leaving. My oldest is turning 7 this month. Kids get tougher to deal with when Dad is away the older they get. I have seen this in many military families. The other aspect is the possibility of being deployed in such troubling times. I feel like my family needs me more at this time. One good thing about leaving is that we can finally put down roots. This is something the average American takes for granted. Living out of Rubbermaid totes and keeping non-critical items boxed. Always moving and not knowing where you will be in 3 years takes its toll. Where to put down roots was an easy decision once we compared the prices of living. Southern AZ was one option we weighed. The price of land was too high compared to the abundance of the land. When we compared with back home, here in TN, it was a no brainer. We could get more land and it would be more fertile for growing, more abundant in wildlife, and we would have no issues with water. For now, we stay with family. The job prospects look good and I have 1 month of continued pay left from DFAS. Its a bad economy, but we have hope in being able to find what we are looking for.
