A Perfectly Imperfect Perfectionist : An official Ship Date and Job!

April 15^th is the big day!

Having an official date is like putting glasses on for the first time after struggling to see for months. The strain it can put on a person is unbearable. It was the same sort of relief that came when we “officially” became part of the United States Air Force. No more wondering IF it would even happen. No more having a “Plan B” set aside just in case.

April 15^th. So much clarity, and the ability to start planning the future a little better.

I also landed the job we were hoping for! I’ll be a Cryptologic Linguist for the Air Force. I’ll work in Intelligence, and will legit be able to say things like, “If I told you, then I’d have to kill you,” and “That’s classified information.” I’ll even throw in some “Roger That’s” and “Over’s” just for fun ;)

WE ARE SO EXCITED. The date is PERFECT for us. Truly perfect

That was the short version.

If you want the details, keep reading… (there are pictures at the end)

April 15^th couldn’t be more perfect. It means I won’t miss ANY visitation with my sweet son Taylor. The Lord has truly been looking out for us as things have started to fall into place. I will get to see Taylor for spring break RIGHT before I leave, and then after graduation, my summer visitation won’t even kick in until we’re settled in California. These are the tender mercies that are found scattered throughout my beautiful and chaotic little life. April gives me just a couple more months to prepare physically. I’m in my final stretch, and I’ve increased my intensity at the gym. I’m pushing myself hard. I want to be READY. It gives me a few months to prepare Clark and the girls for my absence. I also have a few photo shoots in February and March that I sort of committed too, so I’m glad I’ll be around to see those through.

There is no question that January, February and March will FLY by.

I’ve told 4 people about the big date, and all 4 of them said, “THAT’S TAX DAY!!”

Yes thank you. I hold that date right up there with: Earth Day, Arbor Day, Canada Day, Columbus Day, and Super Bowl Sunday. Yes Super Bowl Sunday. It’s on my list of dates I try not to remember. From now on, April 15^th will be known as, “The other special day when we remember Vanessa and everything that makes her awesome.” (in case you were wondering, we also celebrate me on December 20^th, my Birthday. They are equally important, and you’re welcome ;)

The countdown has begun. 117 days to go…

I’m so ready

Being a Linguist means that after basic training, I’ll head straight to DLI (Defense Language Institute) in Monterey California. I will be assigned a language, and will spend the next 12 to 18 months undergoing the most brutal language courses (submersion and all) that I can imagine.

It sounds like the top languages being filled at DLI are the category IV languages, like Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, Korean, Pashto and Japanese. Since I tested into category IV, I will most likely be assigned one of those languages. I wish they’d assign me a language now, so that I could start with the basics and at least be learning SOMETHING helpful before I get to DLI, but I think they wait so that you start learning the language their way, from the very beginning. I guess I can appreciate that.

Clark used to say, “Basic training will probably be the hardest thing you’ll ever do.” He has since retracted that statement, and has very confidently said, “DLI will be THE HARDEST thing you’ll ever do.”

I completely agree.

I. AM. TERRIFIED.

I don’t even do a full semester of college well, complete with electives, let alone learning one of the hardest languages, learning to be fluent in said language, and being completely submerged in the language during a rigorous 12-18 month death camp. I really am terrified. But I’m also terribly excited. I am determined to do this, and do it well. I’ll do my best, and I want to prove to myself that I really can accomplish something this difficult and important.

I will officially be saying goodbye to Utah on April 14^th. After I graduate basic, I will have to go straight to California. No leave in between. Clark and the girls will meet me there.

I need to get the official word on this, but we are almost positive that graduation from basic will be June 12^th and 13^th. That’s a Thursday/Friday.

I’ve had to report to a DEP Commander’s Call on the second Thursday of every month since the Air Force became “official.” DEP (The Delayed Entry Program) is for the recruits that have been cleared in every way, and are officially owned by the US government, but are waiting to leave for basic training. The commander’s call is the meeting once a month.

I love the meetings. Everyone is in a different stage of his or her adventure. Some are waiting for a job and have only been in DEP for a month or so. Some have their job and a date to look forward too. Some are literally leaving 5 days after the meeting and are saying their goodbyes and being wished all the luck in the world. Everyone is jealous of those about to ship out. Everyone anxiously talks about what they are most excited about and what scares them the most. We talk about how hard we’ve prepared, and a few admit they leave in 2 months and haven’t even started running! We ask bazillions of questions. I look forward to the meeting each month. It helps keep me motivated

Typically, you’re in DEP about 3 months before you get a job, and then you ship out about 3-4 months after you get your job. That’s average for right now anyway…

My roommate from MEPS is there each month. She buzzed her head. No joke. BUZZED it. I wasn’t at all surprised. I could NEVER buzz my head. Everyone insists I should just cut my hair short for basic. They say it would be easier to deal with. No way. I can handle a bun just fine. I love my long hair thank you.

A few of us had to help out with a food drive that took place up at Brighton Ski resort yesterday. We had to meet in Salt Lake at 7:15am, and we froze our toes and noses off for 6 hours as we stood outside taking food donations in exchange for a little blue tickets that got you a ski lift ticket for 20 bucks. We filled a semi-truck full of food. It was actually a lot of fun, despite the fact we really were freezing cold.

First thing that morning, I asked one guy in uniform what his name was. His name was Sergeant Christensen. He asked when I was leaving for basic, and I said, “Heaven only knows, probably never at this rate.” Because waiting 3 months for a job and a date is torture, and it truly feels like eternity.

He said, “What are you hoping for?”

I said, “Well I put in for Crypto Linguist.”

He asked if I was certified.

I responded, “Am I a certified linguist? No… I can’t speak a language or anything.”

I totally didn’t understand the question…

He said, “Have you taken the DLAB?”

“Well yes…”

“What did you score?”

“117”
“WHAT’S YOUR NAME!?”

“Amundson…”

He was like, “Shoot! You already booked the Linguist job! You got it! It’s yours. You’re booked. You’ve been booked for like a week!”

I was like, “WHAT! A WEEK!?”

He was like, “Yeah, I’m your recruiter’s boss. His computer has been down, he probably doesn’t even know you’ve been booked.”

That’s when we walked over to Sergeant Wagner (my recruiter) and broke the news to him as well.
hahaha…

I still had to wait for him to make a phone call later that day to find out when my ship date was, but I finally had my job and date. I was beside myself.

So when I got back to the office, and had Clark pick me up, I was of course anxious to tell him.

As we were on the freeway, I was telling him about my frozen toes and the fact I got to take my picture with Santa earlier that day.

Then I said, “How do you feel about staying at your job ‘til April 15^th?”

His eyes narrowed as he registered what I was saying, and then his eyes got huge and he was like,

“ARE YOU SERIOUS? IS IT OFFICIAL??”

I laughed.

“YUP! April 15^th baby. We have a date!”

We can still hardly believe it. Having a date and being able to see the future more clearly is like having a foggy haze lifted after months of not being able to see out more than 10 feet in front of you…

It makes a world of difference.

We’re awfully excited!

Most of us on the back of the semi. The picture was taken after a few of us left for the day…

The guy on the far left is my recruiter, Sergeant Wagner. The guy in the middle is Sergeant Christiansen, my recruiter's boss, and the guy who broke my big news to me! :)