It's official, PCSing to TX.

[g-man]

FINALLY got hard-copy orders this morning. They were delivered to my S-1 clerk LAST Monday, and he didn't get around to sending them to me until yesterday. I got the RFO about 3 weeks ago, but it took a week to get my S-1 to forward the orders packet so I could start the process of getting orders cut. Better late than never?

In any case, I'm heading to 1st Cav at Fort Hood, as one of the division ORSAs. Should be my last PCS before retirement. Looking forward to being in a free state again, but we'll really miss Vacaville. A tiny little hamlet of red between SF bay and Sacramento, we've really enjoyed living here. We're getting better and better at getting integrated to the community, and have also done a better job with each PCS at hitting up all the 'nearby locations of interest'. We got out to the coast in a couple of places, hit the redwoods, Yosemite, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and have Alcatraz scheduled in a couple of weeks. I will REALLY miss lane-splitting (legally) when I leave, but since I'll actually be able to carry again, there's some consolation.

[blackeagle603]

It really is the Golden State. Too bad the other states sent so much of their dross west to foul the product the past 60 years or so.

[Langenator]

If you have kids, hit up the Exploratorium in SF if you haven't been there yet. If you like scenery and military history, the old Coast Artillery posts at the Presidio, Fort Cronkite, and a few other places are nice. (I grew up in Livermore, and went to school at UCD.)

How many ORSAs does a division G-staff have now? When I was at HQ 82nd (FA-59, G-5), I think we had 2. I tried to get assigned to Fort Sam (ARSOUTH or ARNORTH) my last tour, but I got sent to ARCIC instead.

You'll have to drive a bit further to see stuff in Texas...the Alamo, the Museum of the Pacific War, Johnson Space Center, the old USS Texas

[randy]

If you pass through/visit El Paso, make sure to hook up with Rod. His knowledge of area's history (especially the parts the local Chamber of Commerce don't particularly want broadcast) is deep and entertaining.

[g-man]

If you have kids, hit up the Exploratorium in SF if you haven't been there yet. If you like scenery and military history, the old Coast Artillery posts at the Presidio, Fort Cronkite, and a few other places are nice. (I grew up in Livermore, and went to school at UCD.)

How many ORSAs does a division G-staff have now? When I was at HQ 82nd (FA-59, G-5), I think we had 2. I tried to get assigned to Fort Sam (ARSOUTH or ARNORTH) my last tour, but I got sent to ARCIC instead.

You'll have to drive a bit further to see stuff in Texas...the Alamo, the Museum of the Pacific War, Johnson Space Center, the old USS Texas

We did hit up the CA Academy of Sciences, which was very cool. Doesn't look like the hours for the Exploratorium will allow us to double-up between that and Alcatraz, so we might have to head down again. The Presidio was pretty cool, we were down that way for the air show during fleet week back in '17. The Marin headlands were pretty cool too.

Divisions still have 2 ORSAs on staff, but they've been moved from under the CoS to G-5 per MTOE. The guy I'm replacing was actually the acting G-5 for a while, since they're apparently waiting on a new Canadian officer who traditionally fills that billet there. Even though we were supposed to be under the CoS at 25th, we were situated under the G3 in FUOPS, but coordinated constantly with the G-5 guys, so same-same.

As far as 'things to see' in TX being a bit further, that's one of the reasons we have a travel trailer. Getting to do stuff like head out to Ft Bragg (CA, not NC) for the weekend is a LOT cheaper when you can haul the accommodations and dogs with you. Houston's well inside the 250-mile no-mileage-pass radius, so we're definitely planning to hit up a bunch of the stuff down there.

[TheArmsman]

If you come down through Tucson, be great to go to lunch with you'all.

[g-man]

We'll be there for a couple of days, I'm definitely game.

[Langenator]

Divisions still have 2 ORSAs on staff, but they've been moved from under the CoS to G-5 per MTOE. The guy I'm replacing was actually the acting G-5 for a while, since they're apparently waiting on a new Canadian officer who traditionally fills that billet there. Even though we were supposed to be under the CoS at 25th, we were situated under the G3 in FUOPS, but coordinated constantly with the G-5 guys, so same-same.

As far as 'things to see' in TX being a bit further, that's one of the reasons we have a travel trailer. Getting to do stuff like head out to Ft Bragg (CA, not NC) for the weekend is a LOT cheaper when you can haul the accommodations and dogs with you. Houston's well inside the 250-mile no-mileage-pass radius, so we're definitely planning to hit up a bunch of the stuff down there.

To the best of my recollection, our ORSAs lived in the G-5 on the TOE, but when we went to Afghanistan (RC-East, 2009-10), they went directly under the G-3. (Our G-5, while direct report to the CoS by TOE, was functionally reporting to the G-3 and the DCG-O).

And if Houston's in your no-pass radius, College Station should be, too. (I work for A&M). A&M has the Bush41 Presidential Library and Museum, and in town there's the Museum of the American GI. They do living history weekends twice a year that are pretty cool.

[AggieWalt]

Join the Coperas Cove shooting club. Good folk there.

[g-man]

Title and mortgage companies are still wickering the final cash due at closing on the house. Closing is Friday, and they just today figured out they needed to add the courier fee since we're closing remotely. They've known this since the word go. They (collectively) missed the estimate by $1500, which has us sketched out at the 11th hour, since they keep finding fees they forgot.

Don't even get me started on title insurance. I can only pray that blockchain tech renders the entire title industry obsolete.

"In the end, the universe tends to unfold as it should."

If I wasn't serious about my diet, I'd be drinking heavily right now...