Ever been forced into a job that you didn’t want?

Tom’s version of all the events so far

Last week I received this email from my Monitor’s boss (job relocator).

Marines-

I am writing you all in an attempt to find an officer that is interested in accepting orders to RS Detroit. This would be to serve as the RS OpsO there. As you probably know, RS duty is a challenging one, but it offers an opportunity to be back in your home state and also has the benefit of allowing you to elect either your geographic area preference or resident CLS (EWS for example) upon successful completion of a 36 month tour there.

This is a great opportunity for anyone that is interested. There is some flexibility as to report date, but we are looking to get an officer there by this Fall. Please understand that I got your names via a blind data pull in our system and I fully understand that some of you may be under orders, deployed, etc. Regardless, let me know if you’re interested and we’ll see if we can make it work. Please respond to this e-mail ASAP if you would like to be considered for the position. Negative responses not required.

I have made plans to get out of the Marines next summer after the baby is born, but the thought of going back to Michigan was a very nice thought, but not a real option. Monday when I got to work there was a new email from a Capt stating the same thing. I was still not interested and didn’t respond. Last night I received this new email.

Capt Hudson,

I have a requirement that just came down and your name is at the top of the potential list. How would you like to spend some time in Detroit?

Let me know.

Well, I wanted the official scoop on all the emails and so I called the monitor. He stated that there were several officers that they had sent these emails to and that I was at the top of the list and wanted to know if I wanted it, since I was from Michigan and I could be closer to family. I told him I would let him I would talk to Jennifer and I would let him know today. I wanted to contact the Recruiter Station (RS) to see if it was a job that I could have lots of family time or something absolutely wretched.

So this morning I called the RS and asked to speak to a Captain and I eventually got one. I told him that the Monitor was looking to put me into the position and asked what he thought about the Ops position. The guys said he couldn’t talk about it on the phone in his office and gave me his cell number to call him back in 10 min. I agreed, I was almost speechless, but I managed an audible agreement.

Over the next ten minutes lots of possibilities poured through my mind. I called him again and he said “Do not take the job! If it were me I would not have anything to do with it!” 88|

WOW, I asked what was wrong with it. He stated that it is 10-12 hours a day, 6 days a week (sometimes 7), and the work is monotonous and incredibly stressful. The Captain said that even though he had family within a 4-hour drive, he had not visited them more than a few times in the last year and a half due to the lack of time off. (He didn’t hold that actual position, but he helped out there from time to time.) He said if I wanted to talk to the other Captains that he would give me their numbers, but I told him that I was more than satisfied!

As soon as I got off the phone I called Jennifer to tell her the news and then typed a message to the Monitor declining the position:

Thanks for the consideration, but after discussing the situation further with my wife and family, I will have to decline the offer.

I then went to my Battalion XO to let him know about the Monitor’s request and my answer. The XO said another Captain in our Battalion was also hit up for this position as well and that we were the last two officers for consideration. Yuck! I went back to my office to call the second Captain and tell him about the information I had gotten over the phone. During the conversation, the following email came into my mailbox:

Capt Hudson,

Copy all. I have your intent. I want to be fair and let you know that right now this is at the MMOA/MCRC CG [Recruiter Commanding General] level, so I may have to contact you again. I was hoping it could be a win/win. Thanks for getting back to me.

Which translates into “Great, thanks for telling me no, but no is not an option…”

So, if I am forced to take this position, I will be dropping my papers early. Time to start my resume tonight!

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