Some come and some go...

As we get closer to the end of the school year some whose contracts are expiring are PCSing off the island. Some are replaced right away, other jobs may take weeks or months to get filled, depending on the hiring process. The school year is nearing its end as well, and many families prepare to take long vacations off the island. A few long-time Kwaj residents - one just did over 20 years on island - are also leaving.

One of them leaving is my mentor who, along with my sponsor, welcomed me to Kwaj back in August. His original two-year contract ended in January and he was on the 'rolling 90-day' contract extension when he was offered and accepted a job back stateside to be closer to his wife. (Once your original two-year contract is up, if you don't extend your contract for a specific time (one or two years) you revert to a rolling 90-day contract. As long as you give at least 90 days notice that you will not renew, you don't get penalized with a 'contract not complete' - where you have to foot the bill for the return airfare. Thankfully, they do pay for the packout and return of your household goods.) This week he finishes outprocessing and then he takes the 'freedom bird' back to stateside life Friday evening. Good luck and safe travels...

Coming up this weekend is the American Legion post's Mongolian Barbecue - yours truly got drafted to help prep the meats and vegetables and make up the cooking sauces. It hasn't been done on island for a few years and hopefully people will enjoy the return of a Kwaj tradition. The following week is the Memorial Day weekend and I'm part of the post's rifle team; they do the traditional three volleys at the hill near the flagpoles by the terminal. It's followed by a members and veterans-only reception at the Vets' Hall.

As for me I still have 15 months left on my contract; it's still too soon whether I will decide on either extending for one or two years, going the 'rolling nineties' or simply pack up and go back home to Vegas. So far, I like it out here; I may be out in the middle of Bumfuck, Nowhere, but the Kwaj experience is unique.