my "hard" work did not go unnoticed...

... or perhaps (and more likely) my time was just up and I was the 224th (out of 224?) to be selected to the next rank of Lieutenant Commander, the equivalent of Major for those of you not up to speed on the Navy rank system. I will not put this rank on and more importantly get paid for it until sometime next year. So I think I will stay in the reserves a little longer, the added income will not hurt as I get ready to buy a home. As far as running the risk of getting sent back to this beautiful country that is Afghanistan, well that should not happen for a period of 5 years once I return in November. And besides, since Obama will become the next president (and one could only hope return some prestige to the position?) the United States of America will be pulling out of Iraq in 2010 (also the will of the Iraqis) and concentrate on Afghanistan (as it should have been all along), so there should not be any further need for me to be bored and waste my time here! But the money I have been able to save will be very handy, thank you GW for that!