In the Navy?

Well -- Today I did it. I re-upped.

I received a phone call from the JAG detailer on Thursday. We had a drag-out, no-holds-barred discussion about my future in the JAG Corps; we were on the phone for about 45 minutes. As many of you may know, my obligation to the military is up, so they have been trying to get me to sign-on for another tour. I have been reluctant, to say the least -- but, I have also not looked for employment outside the Navy; I had planned on staying on as a prof for my full three years and using the proximity to DC and light summer loads to begin a career search.

But, after a couple of heart-to-hearts with Celeste, and after laying it all on the table for the detailer and getting his feedback (plus having a carrot dangled in front of me in the form of $), we decided to sign on for an additional tour. The plus side is that I get a nice bonus at the end of the month (the downside is that the bonus will already have been spent on lawloans). And, I will also be "in zone" for Lieutenant Commander in the Spring of 2009, so, if I want to remain competetive in the Navy, I have to move on from here next summer. The question remains, where.

There was something liberating about being in control of my fate, of being able to walk away if the stars didn't allign in my favor. I have lost that now...and I hope that it doesn't come back to bite us in the butt when we try and get orders out of here.