General Conversations

Mudpie: no amount of counseling is going to get me off Guam and back to Okinawa. I do see mental health once a month, that's just to keep me from going postal. But thanks for the advice. ALso I'm taking my 80% disabled a$$ to the Guam VA clinic today, it's a joke, 1 dr. and he's part time. Again, one more terrible thing about Guam.


"Spend time defining your personal priorities."

Like every waking hour of the day? Okay, done that.

"Know what is important to you."

Wife and kids, getting back to Okinawa, and staying there as long as I can.

"Make decisions that support your priorities, in order. You may still be uncertain about those decisions, but if you can show how you made a call that supports your highest priorities you can avoid the worst regrets."

Yeah, 5 year rule, I could not stay on Okinawa, so I choose the lesser (I thought) of two evils, boy was I wrong, Guam sucks a$$.

"Your post (and the previous several) sound very much like your decisions and your priorities are not in sync."

I've tried syncing, separating, combining, seeking help, education, experience, changing resume, changing job paths, pleading, writing congressmen and women, keeping my head down, standing out and getting many awards, you name it, I've tried it, in the end, no matter what I do, the 5 year rule is a double edge sword, when you're in the USA (Yuk, grosses me out just to say it), you WANT the 5 year rule in effect, so you can get overseas, i.e. open some slots up. When you're overseas, you pray, the 5 year rule disappears. Damned if you do, damned if ya don't.

You know, (as far as I know and seen) overseas jobs are NEVER vacant, yet I can name a ton of locations in the USA that are empty for years. Hummm.

"As long as you make decisions that conflict with your personal priorities, you will remain unhappy with the effects of those decisions."

Even if I'm loved by everyone at the overseas location, get along with everyone, do an outstanding job, work hard, enjoy life, etc. no matter what, that 5 year rule is still there, they say don't worry about the things you don't have control over, rather focus on what you have. Well I have a great family, a goal and great friends, but none of those can change the fact that us folks that want to live our lives in Japan, (And I'm not speaking about just moving there poor and broke on our own living on the streets because we don't have a GS job and SOFA STATUS) are screwed by the 5 year rule.

Thanks for the kind words of advice, got any jobs in Japan open?
Peace!

Yup, it's the life I live, torn between two worlds, yet my beliefs, values and normals (and my wife, lol) say I can't leave my GS job, (i.e. a way to care for my family and btw that is priority #1) then I'd be homeless if I did, so I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.

What do you suggest I do?

Peace! :)

Okay, let's break this down shall we?



Priorities:

1. Safety of my wife and kids.

2. My kids in DoDEA schools, with no guns or drugs or metal detectors at the doors.

3. A job. Prefer GS jobs, the higher the level the better.

4. Live in Japan with full benefits if GS employment, SOFA status, etc.

5. Heath, caffeine free, one meal a day to keep my weight down and do smoking, drinking or illegal drugs.

6. Live in a clean, new, modern house, avoid radon gas, lead paint and simple nasty ass living conditions.

7. Get my kids into a great university, ensure their success, and enter a better standard of living than I have lived or will live in the future.

8. Entertain the possibility of retiring at the age of 66.

9. Buy a house in the USA with my own private lake or near the ocean in Florida.

10. Live as long as I can, but enjoy life.




Okay, so let's see what ones are effected by the 5 year rule.. shall we? BTW - I have no control over the 5 year rule.

1. Safety of my wife and kids. - ANS: Live on base, with a gate guard and avoid the high crime on Guam, so check, done.

2. My kids in DoDEA schools, with no guns or drugs or metal detectors at the doors. - ANS: Close, Guam has DoDEA schools, so that was a close call.

3. A job. Prefer GS jobs, the higher the level the better. - ANS: Doing that, now a GS-11, whooot!

4. Live in Japan with full benefits if GS employment, SOFA status, etc. - ANS: Nope, 5 year rule F*%@ed me on that one. FAIL.

5. Heath, caffeine free, one meal a day to keep my weight down and do smoking, drinking or illegal drugs. - ANS: Right on track, just got blood drawn last month, I'm perfect across the board. Good for me!

6. Live in a clean, new, modern house, avoid radon gas, lead paint and simple nasty ass living conditions. - ANS: BZZZZ! Guam sucks ass, it's nasty old, house is really nasty and small and I fear for our health. (it's a long story, trust, me I'm not making this up).

7. Get my kids into a great university, ensure their success, and enter a better standard of living than I have lived or will live in the future. - ANS: On track, kids have straight A's and admired by many of the teachers and staff. I participate in their schools and we've sat and discussed their life goals, so on track and doing well.

8. Entertain the possibility of retiring at the age of 66. - ANS: Retired from the military, and working on my civil service retirement, so we're right on track.

9. Buy a house in the USA with my own private lake or near the ocean in Florida. - ANS: Google Cape Corral FL, one day. :) Or Tracy California. ;)

10. Live as long as I can, but enjoy life. - ANS: Don't drink, smoke, or consume caffeine, watch my weight, get light exercise when I can and enjoy life through family time, photography, astronomy, and more.






Okay, so what do you suggest I do? Physically, location, actual plan, not this emotions easy answer? I' HAVE TO STAY IN THE USA FOR TWO YEARS BEFORE I CAN START FIVE YEARS AGAIN. *sigh*




The disconnect is I do everything the U.S. Government asks me to do, I work hard, got a ton of awards, training, education, eat well, take care of my employees, family, friends, etc., and land a GS job in my dream job location in Japan, and even though my kids were born in Japan, are half Japanese, I speak the language, love Japan and want to be there, the State Department has this silly 5 year rule. Yeah I'm mad. It's a double edge sword. When in the USA, you want it, when in Japan, you don't want it.






Like what? Get a time machine and make two years in this hell hole hurry up? Spend all my money on a new house off base in crime ridden Guam and tell my kids F-U on their collage savings? No thank you.




Yes it is! It's the ONLY way I can live in Japan and NOT be poor there, have you ever lived in Japan in none SOFA status? Know that, without SOFA status, it's really expensive, you get little help, you can't get access to many services, you have to be sponsored, etc. etc. etc.




NO! I made a choice of the lesser of two evils, move back to crappy Virginia or try Guam, so I chose Guam and boy did I make a HUGE MISTAKE! Now I have to pay hard for that mistake.




Now you know. :) ... and trust me when I say, I'd almost invite cancer into my life if that'd get me a compassion reassignment to anywhere in the world.




NOT my decision, THEY forced me out with the 5 year rule, do you think for ONE SECOND that I choose to leave Japan, LOL!!




So providing for my family is a bad thing? Well no ***** Sherlock, I desire Living in Japan, but I'm not stupid. LOL! You gotta have a job. Dah!



So just shut up and take it like a man huh? Can't speak how I feel? I can't voice my opinion? Sorry buddy, Japan is the socialist nation, and I bleed RED, WHITE AND BLUE, and I like having freedom of speech. So I'm going to complain about the 5 year rule.

Just why does Guam suck ass so bad, why can't we have something better than the 5 year rule, why are there folks that beat the system in Japan, and Germany like DoDEA teachers don't have a five year rule?




It's very important, but I'm not dumb, I'm not going to move to Japan without SOFA status or a job, I'm not stupid, sheeesh!




Oh, I've been angray over this for a very long time, I love Japan and living in Japan that much. Breaks my heart to know that I can't be there, with my family and friends, and more.

Oh, and I've been angry about many of the GS employee rules and regulations over the years, so much I've written to my representatives and congresspersons many many times.





I've had those listed above for a very very very long time.




Yeah? Like what? Invent a time machine? Trust me, as soon as I can / eligible for a GS job in Japan or anyplace away from Guam, I'm so freaking out of here! Guam sucks ass, my boss is mean, the people are mean and the work environment is EXTREMELY hostile.




Trust me I have a goal, but time is my enemy, so... what do you suggest I do for the next 8 months of my transportation agreement to Guam?

Peace! :)

Resign as a CS and take a job as a contractor with SOFA status in Japan. Have the contracting company pay for the move and stay there until they kick you out, and homeschool your kids. Solved.

Or suck it up and stay in Guam, homeschool, and get a Concealed Weapons Permit for self-defense

http://www.andersen.af.m...ument/AFD-130505-020.pdf

Edited by user Monday, April 21, 2014 5:25:35 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

^^That's obvious.

Also, I'm just venting, I know no one here gives a crap and no one here can do anything about the 5 year rule.

Peace! :)

I loved my time in Guam and if they hadn't shut down the Bomb Wing, would have stayed longer. And I lived off-base with no real issues (Typhoons can be a pain!). Take up scuba...I found that a great way to relax while I was there. Piti was great snorkling, IIRC. Tumon bay was a tourist trap, so I doubt it it much better.

And, there are good schools stateside (better than DoD in many cases), and plenty of locations where there is a high level of Japanese-Americans so your kids could connect with that side of their heritage...or even both sides!

I think Huston is correct...your priorities are not in sync, and I think you may not be being honest with yourself. I'd love to be in Europe, but not angry that I am not. And, well aware that if I find a slot there, it may only be for 5 years, so I plan on that being true. If I get to stay longer? Bonus! If not, then I will have made certain I got the most out of my time while I was there.

Dude, while I was military when I was in Guam, I was but a young airman, and my top pay while I was there was $1078.80 base pay, with $219.60 for housing allowance, $110 for Hazardous duty pay, and about $180 a month for BAS. So...I had 4 house-mates.

Okinawa was not a paradise IMO...drunken Marines, locals who hated the Americans, expensive (in comparison to Guam), etc. Of course, I was not married to someone from Japan (or anyone) at that time so had no other reason to want to stay longer.

As for being disabled and not being able to dive...depends on your disability to be honest. But there are few reasons to say you "can't" as demonstrated by my buddy back in SoCal who set up this group: http://www.dvsp.us/who-we-are

Bumping this old thread.

Hate to make the thread starter stroll down memory lane and possibly raise his BP, but tell me more about Oki. About to move there soon

Plan is when my time is up OCONUS, then I'll move to Oceanside, CA

Edited by user Thursday, September 22, 2016 9:40:22 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

The worst part is, there are NOW MORE questions in favor of military spouses (Male and female), dependents traveling with military (Adult children), within local commuting distance (local hire folks), etc. etc. etc. on USA JOBS, NOW, more than there were was when I first posted this.

So, to answer your question, just plain ass worse, saddened and still upset.

Oh, however, I did land a GS mainland Japan job, and those folks can kiss my ass! GS job in Japan for a year, term position, and was hired under a ruse, because there was a toxic employee they decided not to tell me about until I got there. I was bullied by the employee. Yeah, talk about reverse treatment, made to feel like garbage by a Japanese employee. I know, not typical, but it happened. I've worked and lived in Japan for years, and so I got the F out of there and back home now in the USA. Worst experience ever in my 20+ years as a GS employee.

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No longer is the GS community that vessel for former military to have a place to work in a relatable and cohesive military like environment, the GS world has gotten to 'civilianized' and in favor of the snow flakes.

End Rant -