The morning started off with David re-enlisting with the Navy for 3 more years. As a linguist, David was already obligated to enlist for an additional two years in addition to the four he has already served, but we've decided to re-enlist for more time for two main reasons: 1) If David goes to Korea next year (which we're 95% sure will happen), he'll be able to bring me along. If he'd only enlisted for two years, he'd only have to serve in Korea for one more year, which means we would not get command sponsorship which means I'd get left behind. With an additional year, meaning two years in Korea, we have a much better chance that I'll get to go along for the ride; and 2) It will give David more time to finish his degree. David is currently working on a degree in accounting and while he is technically a senior (thanks to all his language credits from DLI), he still has to take all his major classes which may take a few more years. Luckily, he can do most, if not all, of his classes online so he can continue his education while we're in Korea, but this gives him a little bit more of a buffer to get school done before his gets out of the Navy and starts looking for a civilian job or applying for a graduate program (most likely an MBA).
In any case, there's a little ceremony and swearing-in when you re-enlist and the re-enlistee generally gets to pick where this happens. David chose the Kolekole look-out which is a short hike up the Kolekole Pass, past a sacrificial rock, to a gorgeous view of the North Shore.
The sign before heading up the pass. It's a short hike, but the first quarter mile is pretty steep and oftentimes very slippery.
The look-out. This is looking north to the North Shore. The property is part of Schofield Barracks (so no access for non-military people) but it has a striking view. And it is also very windy.
David swearing an oath to serve the country, etc., etc. by an Army officer whose name I have already forgotten. David chose this spot because it's one of his favorite places on the island. When he first got to Hawaii, he and friend would hike up here and eat their lunches on their long lunch breaks. (Sidenote: The Navy has many uniforms, some which are very nice and others, like the utilities, which David is wearing above, which are not. (Makes them look like janitors really.) My favorite are the working whites, but David did not want to wear them on account of them being white and having to hike in the Hawaiian red clay. Oh well.)
After re-enlisting. Everyone who came to witness this momentous occasion shook both David and my hands and congratulated both of us. Okay. I guess I deserve some congratulations.
After we hiked back down the mountain, David and I drove down to Pearl Harbor to turn in the paperwork at the Navy offices there so that David can get his measly signing bonus. Still, free money. Yay! After eating lunch at Panda Express (their new Beijing beef is quite tasty), we decided to go to the U.S.S. Missouri, a museum ship, because neither of us had been there yet. The "Mighty Mo" is a decommissioned battleship that fought during World War II, the Korean War and the Gulf War. It was on the Missouri that the delegates from Japan signed the declaration of surrender that officially ended World War II. It was re-fitted with tomahawk missiles in the 1980s and was finally decommissioned in 1992. On the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Missouri was brought to Oahu and parked (I guess it would be more appropriate to say anchored) in the harbor next to the Arizona Memorial, so that the vessels involved in the start of the war and the end of the war were together. I did not know all this about the Missouri, and being the history nerd that I am, I found it all incredibly fascinating. Plus, I've never been on a battleship before. (We don't use them anymore sadly and the Missouri was the last one built.) I've been on aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines, but a battleship and their massive guns was something else. But everytime I go on one of these ships/boats, I am always so glad that David has a nice desk job on shore and will never have to go to sea. So now for a few pictures!
Me exiting the museum. You can see one of the many battery guns in the background. They are HUGE.
David pretending to fire a gun. Boys will always be boys, I'm afraid.
David standing in between two of the large barrels of the guns. I know he's trying to look manly, but unfortunately, he's just too skinny. Maybe if he were wearing his working whites. Yes, a man in uniform is always better. :-)
The best shot I could get of the USS Missouri. It is very large.
This is from atop the captain's bridge, looking down at two of the gun batteries. You can see that the Missouri points straight at the Arizona Memorial. You can even still see where the oil is continually spilling out of the sunken ship.
After touring the entire ship (that we could access anyway), David and I stopped by the Social Security office so I could finally legally change my name. I debated what to do and I finally opted to keep both my first name (which I do not go by) and my maiden name so now I have one very long name but that's okay.
So it's been a very long and eventful day in the sun what with the hiking and the touring and the name changing and on the way home, we bought some Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream (soooo good) which I am very much looking forward to eating.
