Well, I finally got out of the Navy. Third time's the charm I guess. I got to work and made it to morning quarters to give my proper sendoff. I'll definitely file that under the strikingly large list of 'things I thought I wouldn't care about but totally did'. Of course, that indulgence led me to make it down to personnel a minute after they'd closed for cleaning stations. So I had an hour's delay in getting started because the daily necessity of floor sweeping prevents them from just handing me some paperwork to spend the whole day doing. God, I can't wait until I can be in a place where being a nuclear engineer means that yes, you actually are above scrubbing toilets.

So, once I was done waiting for every one else to clean (You thought I was going to help? Hah! You're funny.) I went back down to get what I needed for the checkout process. There was an absolutely staggering line of people there trying to get things done, and quite a fair number of them were trying to get the thing done that I was trying to get done. Apparently the size of the "straight out of high school" crowd that enlists in July and August is quite significant and it was overtaxing the logistical systems that we use to get rid of people. We had to designate a classroom for all the separatees so that we could get all the pertinent information disseminated quickly. It made me worry because this is the type of environment where mistakes tend to happen, but really, what are my other options? Delay my end of service even further? Not happening. They've already charged me three days of leave for my present quagmire, I am not adding to that. Oh did I not mention that? Yeah, the separations clerk said "You know y'all were supposed to start terminal leave on Friday morning..." Yes, I am ACUTELY aware of that, thank you.

From there it was one long scramble around the ship to get my name off of literally everyone's lists so that I could leave unobtrusively. Everyone had different hours and policies and things they needed done, it was tough to keep it all straight after awhile. Somehow I managed to skullbash my though all that in only four hours. I suppose this is what I've been training for. "Somehow" may have involved forging some signatures, but honestly, does it really matter if I check out with Graphics Media Department or the command fitness program leader before I leave?

Naturally, by the time I finished all the necessaries, Personnel was closed for lunch. So I had an hour to kill. I thought about having one last meal aboard, but the food sucked, so I had ice cream and spent the last of my ship's charge card balance on vending machine junk. Great sendoff, though my pancreas may not forgive me for some time. I got back down there for more agonizing waiting and filling out forms and making yet another trip to the reactor office for something no one told me I needed until just then. People had started acting surprised that I was still there early in the morning, but 1430 it was wearing on me as well. In any case, I did it. I even managed to get the info that I requested about how to get the Navy Housing Authority to move my stuff.

And now I'm done. DONE done. The checkout process was kind of a microcosm of my Naval career. It was really inconvenient, involved a lot of paperwork and consumed ungodly amounts of my time, and I was too frustrated to be happy by the end of it. Interesting point though, I checked out exact day that I reported to the ship four years ago. What a ride... I can say without a doubt now that I'm going to miss this, despite how glad I am that it's over. I'm astonished with how much work I have to do now even though I've finally cast off my job. There's a lot with closing the lease and moving that needs to be done, getting ready to finally sever ties and leave the area, plus I promised my family I'd visit during this time, but really I don't want to do anything right now. Getting up in the morning and checking my e-mail seems like too much work. Seeing as I'm my boss now, I'm giving myself a day off. I'll play it by ear from there.

For those interested, my farewell address to the division went something like this:

Well, this sucked and I'm glad to be done with it, but I want you to know that you guys were a big part of what made this bearable. Some of you were part of the problem but that's cool I don't hold a grudge. I guess what I'm saying is... this was by far the best mistake I've ever made, and I'm glad that you guys were a part of it. I can't say I don't regret anything, but I don't regret everything. If I had my life to live over again, I'd probably do this, all over again. However, I have only the one life to live, so I'm going to get the hell out of here. Good luck, everyone.