On May 1, 2007, all the paperwork was approved for my re-enlistment, except one more approval. Jessica Wright, The Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard, had to sign a waiver for me to re-enlist.
By the official calculation, I had eleven years and two months of prior service. On the following day, May 2, 2007, I would turn 54. With the enlistment age up to 42 and eleven years of prior service, I still needed Wright to waive the one additional year because I would be 54 before the paperwork could be signed.
So Kevin Askew, my recruiter said I should just take it easy and wait. These waivers could three months.
And thankfully that is just about how long it took. I got the waiver July 27. I did not actually re-enlist until August 15. When Kevin called and told me I had the waiver in July, I told him I was going on a business trip to Europe August 3 and would take the oath when I got back.
But we both knew the real reason I was waiting until mid-August was that I would not get off the neck brace I had been wearing for three months until August 1.
On May 9, 2007, my re-enlistment hid the speed bump which I keep referring to. On May 9 of this year, I will write about why the three-month delay was just perfect.
