Proud Navy Wife

I've recently received comments and e-mails asking about how Mark is doing. I really do appreciate the outreach and thought I would give you guys an update. Mark, my wonderful husband and best friend is currently on his first deployment and is stationed in a combat zone far far away from home. He has now been gone from home for 197 days and that's not counting the 2 weeks here and there of pre-deployment training before he left. I honestly can't believe it's been 197 days. The days go by fast but the weeks seem to drag by. He was able to purchase a cell phone but the downside is that the minutes are terribly expensive so I buy calling cards online in order to communicate with him. It really helps me sleep better at night knowing that he's just a phone call or text away. My Grandpa was in the Navy and when he was gone on deployment the only method of communication was a telegram. I'm counting my lucky stars and I'm very thankful for the technology we have today. We purchased a laptop for him before deployment and had hopes of using Skype, ichat, etc., but to my disappointment he doesn't have internet access in his tent. Yes, I said tent. For the first month and a half he was in a 200 man tent and has since been moved to a 40 man tent. The tents have generators, no bathrooms, and they sleep on tiny bunk beds. When he first arrived he got viruses, pink eye, and was overall sick, sick, sick in those new living conditions. I won't go into detail about exactly what he's doing but I will tell you about a couple of accomplishments that are worth writing about.

SCWS

When Mark got his orders last year, he knew he wanted to make the most of this deployment. He set a goal to earn his SCWS (Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist)  pin. He ordered tons of books and study materials to get a solid jump start months before he left. Mark is a Seabee and unless your familiar with the Military you probably don't know what a Seabee is. Seabees make up the Construction Battalion of the United States Navy. The Seabees have a famous motto, "We Build, We Fight". They have a history of building bases, roadways, airstrips, and completing a variety of construction projects dating back to WWII. If your up to date on the current war situation then you know that President Obama called for 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. The Seabees are the ones building the bases and performing multiple projects in order to support the current and incoming troops. Within the Seabees there are many jobs but I won't go that far into detail. You get the idea! Now, back to the SCWS pin.. A SCWS pin represents expertise in subjects that include weapons, military tactics, Seabee history, equipment, communications, convoys, etc. The SCWS pin also represents completing a very difficult process that can take months/years to complete. In October, my husband was pinned by the Commanding Officer and awarded the Seabee Combat  Warfare Specialist pin and was the first Seabee to be awarded this honor in country (meaning, over there... not over here). This is a huge accomplishment for Mark especially considering the vigorous training he went through in Gulfport, MS. Now, he's considered an expert in skills Seabees possess and is helping others earn their SCWS pin as well.

Outstanding job Love! I'm so proud of you!
Isn't he so cute in his uniform? :)

CAP

I've heard this Navy acronym spelled out a couple ways now, Command Approved Promotion and/or Command Advancement Program. I'm not sure which one is right but I do know that Mark got "CAP'ed" just last week. This is a huge highlight in a military career. This program is in place to recognize those who are at sea or deployed. If you're eligible for the next pay grade, you can be deservingly elected and awarded immediate advanced to the next pay grade versus waiting for the next exam cycle. Mark met all of the requirements and was the only one advanced from an E-3 to an E-4. He is now Petty Officer Swallow (PO3)!

Basically, his overachieving qualities are shining on this deployment! Now, if I can get him to treat laundry and household tasks the same way when he returns we'll be golden! :) Just kidding!

Extension

Now for the not so exciting news, his deployment was just extended for 1 month. This is extremely common so I wasn't shocked when he told me the news. Actually, I won't be surprised if the extension goes beyond that. I might as well start preparing myself now.

That's the update for now! I'm so proud of him and think that the CAP came at a perfect time. It really gave him a positive boost during the most difficult month to be away from home. I'm normally more festive but his year I'm looking forward to getting through the holidays. The reality is, it's not quite as "Merry" when you're separated from the one you love by war.