2020 in the USAR was $@*! to me

[AregularGuy]

2020 was a terrible year for me. I was deployed when COVID hit. Prior to getting locked down I wrecked my knee, ACL and both mensci torn, torn calf muscle, and 3 fractures. I hobbled around on lockdown for 3 months until we were able to come home.

Went up to the SRU in WA for surgery and rehab. Now after 6 months of rehab and exercising 3-5 hours a day I find out I re-tore my ACL and medial meniscus. So, back to square one. Will meet up with ortho next week to discuss. Still haven't been home and I'm going on 19 months.

I suppose the silver lining is I get a good chunk of dough for BAH considering HOR is in the Bay area.

[Milsurp1]

PM me sometime and I’ll buy you a beer. Have you gone shooting at the base range yet?

[AregularGuy]

Thanks! I may take you up on it when things open again. No, haven't gone shooting. I can't have any firearms in the SRU barracks. I asked and I would have to store them at the armory in the Hospital, if the BN commander would sign off on it.

[rero360]

Try to keep your chin up, a buddy of mine was there for a while a few years ago due to separating his pec from the arm while benching, we were "deployed" to Qatar when it happened. I don't recall how long he was stuck there for but probably not nearly as long as you. But, as you said, the benefit is you're still getting the AD pay, should be able to set aside quite a nice chunk for some toys. Depending on how long you are there for, you might be able to get your hands on some off-roster handguns, I know that's my intent the next time I'm outside of CA on orders for long enough.

[AregularGuy]

Thanks for the well-wishes. I created this thread just to pick on Snoopy's "Best year ever" thread. I'm not feeling too sorry for myself. While everything I mentioned is true, it's not all that bad. I've got my own room in the barracks thanks to COVID. You'd think this was the Airforce! I've got a kitchen, dishwasher, my own washer and dryer, pretty comfy. Also luckily for me we did the second MRI. There were a couple of things I had resolved to live with, like my "pimp walk" and crunching in the knee. So the new findings explain this and now I get a "do-over".

Sort of like your friend, I don't have an impressive/intense story to tell about how I got injured. A stupid accident during straight forward activity. At the time the local civilian ortho doc told me it was because I "didn't warm up", SOB, hahaha!

The first thing I did when I got to WA was look into buying a firearm. That's a No-Go. All of my orders are TCS, even my medical orders are "assigned to my CA unit" but "attached" to the WA SRU (SRU is Soldier Recovery Unit, the new PC name for the former WTB/WTU). Looks like they have a beautiful range here, goes out to 300 yards I think, and it's $10 or 15 to shoot all day. Lots of local gun shops too. Lots of outdoor activities here as well, although it rains every day all day. And I am convinced everyone hates Californians. When I got here and in-processed, the guy in the mail room looked at my info card and straight up said "You're from California? I don't like Californians!"

[Snoopy47]

Nothing stopping you from becoming a WA resident "independent" of military orders.

Just rent a place out, walk down to the DMV with lease in hand and surrender your CA DL. Poof done. You just kind of have to say in place for a while. Should have done that from the start, sounds like you would have had plenty of legit time. If you got an off post residence then you could keep all your guns there without having to ask anyone.

Then on a bright side, I've been looking for cushy command slots and I found one in the bay area CA. No MTOE, and basically not deployable. It is Branch Immaterial, however MEDICAL immaterial. That sounds like it's right up your alley.

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

Nothing stopping you from becoming a WA resident "independent" of military orders.

Just rent a place out, walk down to the DMV with lease in hand and surrender your CA DL. Poof done. You just kind of have to say in place for a while. Should have done that from the start, sounds like you would have had plenty of legit time. If you got an off post residence then you could keep all your guns there without having to ask anyone.

Then on a bright side, I've been looking for cushy command slots and I found one in the bay area CA. No MTOE, and basically not deployable. It is Branch Immaterial, however MEDICAL immaterial. That sounds like it's right up your alley.

Thanks! I looked into this. I still have my place in CA and would hate to pay for another here. To get the needed residency docs (car registration, insurance, utiliy bills, voter registration, change of address forms) i'd have to jump through a bunch of hoops without a place of my own and still couldn't legally bring back any off roster guns to CA.

If you take that command position and have an open 05A or 65B O4 slot let me know. I'll probably be here for several more months so a command spot for me is probably not feasible until I get out of here.

[Snoopy47]

Originally Posted by AregularGuy

If you take that command position and have an open 05A or 65B O4 slot let me know. I'll probably be here for several more months so a command spot for me is probably not feasible until I get out of here.

I'm saying that medical branch immaterial (meaning so long as you are medical the specialty is immaterial) is for you, not me. You could be a cardio specialist or a vet or anything in between. I couldn't fill it.

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by Snoopy47

I'm saying that medical branch immaterial (meaning so long as you are medical the specialty is immaterial) is for you, not me. You could be a cardio specialist or a vet or anything in between. I couldn't fill it.

Roger. That should be 05A, AMEDD Officer immaterial, perfect! Thank you for the heads up. Any info on the unit?

[Lonestargrizzly]

My USAR experience this year is that the only training that matters is sharp and eo.
Its also my first year in the Army so there is that.

[JR18]

Originally Posted by Lonestargrizzly

My USAR experience this year is that the only training that matters is sharp and eo.
Its also my first year in the Army so there is that.

Along with the suicide awareness training.

[chris]

you and I were in Kuwait when the stupid hit. And boy it was stupid there.

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by chris

you and I were in Kuwait when the stupid hit. And boy it was stupid there.

Kuwait, huh? Whereat? I was there as well this past year.

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by chris

you and I were in Kuwait when the stupid hit. And boy it was stupid there.

Originally Posted by Supersapper

Kuwait, huh? Whereat? I was there as well this past year.

Sorry if I somehow miscommunicated my whereabouts gentlemen. I was in Honduras for the deployment and early Covid. Kuwait was going to be 2021 but my knee put me off of the roster.

[AregularGuy]

In other really Effed up 2021 news, my GF of 20 years (yes, I know that is probably part of the issue) gave me "the talk" a few days before Valentine's day. Our 20 year relationship is history. I started a thread the day after since I was in shock. FML, what's next? At least I get the dog and this will hasten my GTFO of CA.

[Supersapper]

Originally Posted by AregularGuy

In other really Effed up 2021 news, my GF of 20 years (yes, I know that is probably part of the issue) gave me "the talk" a few days before Valentine's day. Our 20 year relationship is history. I started a thread the day after since I was in shock. FML, what's next? At least I get the dog and this will hasten my GTFO of CA.

Definitely sorry to hear that. That does suck. At least the dog will be loyal and love you til the end.

I'm heavily considering leaving as well. Where you thinking about going?

[AregularGuy]

Originally Posted by Supersapper

Definitely sorry to hear that. That does suck. At least the dog will be loyal and love you til the end.

I'm heavily considering leaving as well. Where you thinking about going?

Thanks! I'm handling it better than I thought I would. I'm doing all I can to be proactive and make use of my time at the WTB. Not sure where to yet but anywhere is on the table as long as I can find a job. I'm going to try and line something up before I get back to CA if possible then move ASAP. As a physical therapist I've got a portable skill. I'm keeping an eye on the USAjobs.gov site. If I can get a job at one of the military hospitals as a DHA employee I think I would really enjoy that. Military patients seem to be more appreciative of quality care than at my civilian job, imo. Really, any outpatient hospital facility or clinic would work, but I like the larger facilities since I have access to more collaboration and information about the patients. If it wasn't for the dog I would apply for a spot in Okinawa or Germany, both listed on the site.

I feel like it's a little too early to start applying since I won't be available for a few months. But other than those positions, looking at NC, SC, KY, TN, maybe GA or TX, but open to anywhere that doesn't have miserable snow all winter (growing up in central NY I've had my fill) even then I won't rule it out. I feel like some places are already overrun with Californians and I missed the bubble, ID, AZ, NV, WA, OR. I'm trying to balance cost of living, possibility of state turning purple/blue, access to a housing market I can actually afford. Any other ideas are definitely welcome.