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7/16/2009

Problem Solved - Well, one anyway.

First of all, Grannie was very pleased and grateful for all the birthday wishes yesterday. She feels like a rock star now.

Anyway ....

SWMBO and I have been plotzing for a while about college tuition for #3 Son. With all the scholarships and grants and stuff he's been offered, there's still this rather large nut that needs to be covered and we've been wondering just how this was all going to work.

All things come to he who waits.

There is suddenly a solution on the horizon. A solution that will pay the the largest majority of the whole bill. It will pay him a monthly stipend and pay for his books. In a way, it goes against what I have wanted for my sons, but in a larger way, it will give him what he wants without a large financial anchor tied around his neck.

He's wants to - and is going to - join the Air Force ROTC. North Central College has an ROTC program - and he wants in.

Apparently, the Air Force is very interested in Japanese translators. And #3 is going to major in Japanese. The Air Force will more than likely station him in Japan while he serves his 4 year obligation after graduation. And pay him to be there. As an officer in the Air Force. I can think of worse duty. At least there shouldn't be anybody shooting at him - nor should he need to shoot anyone else.

That's fine with me.

But it's really all up to him. And it's what he wants to do.

So, that's one problem that looks as though it has fallen to resolution. Feels good to knock one off the list.

Ndinombethe.

21 comments:

Jientje said...

That's great news!!
Phew!!
And when will he be leaving?
Maggie will also be able to help him probably?
Keeping my fingers crossed here!

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

Good news. Yay!

moneythoughts said...

When I was in the U.S. Army, I worked for the Staff Historian of 8th U.S. Army in Seoul, Korea. He once told me that his brother was a Major in the Air Force, and then he said, the Air Force has two basic jobs, you either fly a plane, or you support putting a plane in the air. That was 43 years ago, but I will bet the Air Force still has less bull shit than the Army. Speaking Japanese and being stationed in Japan can't be all bad. Especially when you are in your 20s.

Shadow said...

mmmm, ignore a problem long enough and it goes away for the others??? heee heee heeee, just kidding. i'm glad you're relieved of one though!

Cathy said...

that's great news!! paying for college is so stressful--we're starting to save now but it's woefully low.

Eric S. said...

An excellent choice, and an intelligent one too. The Air Force is far more technology directed, and far less combat directed. I new a couple of Army guys, that were stationed in Japan, and they loved it.

Momisodes said...

Wow. What an excellent opportunity. It really does sound like a perfect fit.

Audubon Ron said...

Sounds good to me. Just from the Sushi stand point. I always wanted to go to Japan.

MissyBoo said...

Sounds like a win-win situation :)

A friend's daughter majored in Japanese, and has spent the last year at a Japanese university. She absolutely loved it and cannot wait to get back

Honeybell said...

That is marvelous! Japanese is a wonderful language, I'm sad that I've forgotten so much of it!

Tara R. said...

Sounds like a win-win situation all around.

Unknown said...

Jientje: He'll be leaving for college in late August. He'll not leave for Japan for a few years.

Rebecca: Yes - Yay!!!

Moneythoughts: Yeah - Japan was fun when I was there - as an 18 year old.

Shadow: Thanks, Shadow.

Cathy: I know - ours was low, too. He was facing some major student loans - this solves it all.

Eric S: Like I said - I enjoyed Japan, too - 45 years ago.

Momisodes: It does fit - and I think the service will help him too.

Audubon Ron: I doubt he will EVER eat sushi. although - I wonder ...

M+B: He may be lucky enough to spen a year of school in Japan, as well.

Honeybell: I have forgotten much of what I knew, as well. but I also picked some up again, helping #3 with his studies.

Tara R: That it is.

Patsy said...

I wish him well in this endevor. We need young men who are willing to get their education and then serve. I thank him for this.

And lucky you, Dad fewer college bills.

Joyce-Anne said...

It does seem like it will be a good fit. I wish #3 son good luck in all of his endeavors.

Allison said...

Sounds pretty good if you ask me. That's one of the things I regret of my short stint in the Army---now that I've been going to school (the 4 years before P was born and the year and a half that I'll be doing starting next month), I feel sad that I didn't at least stay in long enough to put in my least obligation. I think that may be happy information when it's time for T to go to college---he was in 14 months and put in a year's worth of money towards his GI Bill, which I think might be enough if I remember correctly from looking into it, but my 8 months just won't cut it. :-| And it can't be transferred to spouses, which is actually good when it's his turn.

And it's interesting how things happen...I'd been kinda fretting off and on, not heavily but it's been in the back of my mind, about how much I'm going to need to pay for day care for P with my newest stint at college. Today I got a call from the director of the day care, and there's just enough in one of the classes for Pre-K that if they're not moved over to the base for the afternoon program he was going to go to, they'd have to hire another teacher. It was just in passing that my costs would be less, but this is also the day care we used for D when she went through day care at the beginning (and for after/before school periodically during all) of my first degree. Nice surprise. I'm going to have to find out further how this is going to work out, but it sounds better to be dropping him off the same place I'll be going instead of having to drop him at the school and then go to the college (not that it's that much of a stretch, but it's just interesting!).

Maggie's Mind said...

Wow, sounds like that would be just about perfect! It's funny how things sometimes fall into place.

Unknown said...

That's awesome. I think that's really a great opportunity for him.
Congrats!

Holly said...

Great, I hope that works out for him! I had a nephew who did that who would have been given a free ride to college and then he dropped out before the final year. Gah!

Unknown said...

What a great opportunity!

Ree said...

Good for him! That's a great thing.

Nan Sheppard said...

Yikes! That's exciting stuff. So far awaaaaay, though! Hope y'all have Skype!