Good-bye Jacksonville

Before anyone yells at me - I got this pic off of Google.

A little over nine years ago my family and I left Jacksonville, North Carolina and headed to Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. Ever since we left Ray and I reminisce about the “good ole days in NC”. This past week I had a meeting on Camp Lejeune and Ray and the girls drove down with me. We had a chance to see our very first house together, the brig where we met, and Ray went to the Police Department he got his first cop job at…..and we realized....we are over you Jacksonville.

Ray had a few hours to kill when he dropped me off on base for my work meeting so he went to see his friend who still is a cop at Jacksonville Police Department. His friend is getting ready to pin on Deputy Chief. Now if you are not familiar with Police Department ranking….that’s pretty effin high up there. At first this was bittersweet to Ray. His words were, “What rank would I be if we wouldn’t have left? At least a Lieutenant.”

Then he came and picked me up and we drove over to the Brig, where we were both stationed and met.

The Brig looks a lot smaller now than it did when we were there…..and a whole helluva lot more depressing. There were Marines milling about the barracks which are still run down (they were decrepit when we lived in them 12 years ago) and helluva lot more depressing looking too! Nothing has changed there except there is construction for the new Pre-trial confinement facility.

I told Ray that the Sgt that replaced me out of legal when we left for DC was now the XO (second in command) at the Brig. And how one of our friends was the CO (THE guy) at the Brig on the West Coast. We both wondered where we’d be and what rank, if we would have stayed in.

But then we realize who cares.....neither one of us WANTS to be on active duty any longer; that is why we left. Sick of reindeer games and happy to be civilians (no ill will to my those still serving - these are OUR personal feelings). Then we come to the conclusion that it really isn’t that hard to be a big fish in a small pond. No disrespect to the big fish – just putting things into perspective and they are what they are....dick as it sounds.

We spent some time walking around the mall and driving around the town and looking at the new restaurants and shops and looking at the old stuff that we used to frequent. And we realized this town is really freakin aggravating. Everyone is a Lance Corporal and god luv em cause we need em, but damn are most LCpls the stupidest bunch of kids you’ll meet. They spend every last dime they have on sports cars or luxury SUVs – first time any of these kids had a few dollars in their pocket and they foolishly run out and buy THE car of their dreams. You know the car, the one their parents still can’t afford. 76% of all woman in the town are pregnant. There is a tattoo parlor on every street corner….even in the mall! You can drink booze while you do your laundry and some Gunny will inevitably “Devil Dog” some young Marine for wearing a hat inside the Chick-fil-a.

The town locals are typical small town people – close minded, think the globes axis is J-Ville, NC and bitch about the Marine Corps (but if in some miraculous miracle Camp Lejeune were to pick up and relocate, Jacksonville would rank right up there with the poorest cities in the US).

There is little to nothing to do in Jacksonville, NC. We tried walking from our hotel to get some ice cream…..we forgot this is not a town for walkers and almost got splattered on Rt 24. There is one movie theater, a Chuckie Cheese, several Waffle Houses, a Wal-Mart and a hundred different restaurants to choose from. There is a beach close by but life gets in the way, work, homework, afterschool activities, house maintenance, etc and outside of the good weather it is the only perk to living in Jacksonville, NC.

All of our friends (except the newly appointed Deputy Chief) are gone from Jacksonville, NC.

When we moved to DC we were in shell shock. We were new parents to a toddler and a brand new baby; we went from small town living to big city; a monster commute which turned a normal eight hour work day into 12; learning how to use public transportation; strange weather to attempt to plan for; new jobs; new homes; and still growing up ourselves.

And these were big changes neither of us had prepared ourselves for. The thing with it is we were pretty miserable in Jacksonville and were excited to leave; we lived in a really shitty house; Ray was tired of small town Police politics where well and building checks were routine police work; and only nine out of the thirty-one months I was at the Brig did I NOT work for this bitch Sgt who made my life miserable. We had rose colored our memories because we had so many difficult challenges in DC.

One of my MSgt’s once told me your best duty station is the one you just left and the one you are heading to. I laughed when he told me that but this trip really clued me into the meaning of that message. You can idolize memories and always have hope for better things in the future – but if you aren’t careful the really good things that are going on in your life right now will slip by you unnoticed and unappreciated.

I'm not saying Jacksonville is a dump.....although it is - but if we were still there things would have worked out for us - but we aren't - we are here - and these little reflections are valuable.

Take a minute today and reflect on the people who touch your life daily and make your life right where you are home.