I went to college for Sociology/Interpersonal Communication and married my high school sweetheart two weeks after graduation. I moved across several states to the mid-west to follow my soldier as he started his schooling. I knew that we would only be there for eight months, but I still felt discouraged when I could only get a substitute teaching job. That was the first taste of being an Army wife and not having a career. Then, we moved further west, and Joe left for his first deployment. I applied for various jobs for over eight months and yet nothing came up. I threw my hands up in the air and felt like giving up. Then, I received a job offer to be a GS-4 Human Resource Assistant. It took me four months to get a start date, but I didn't care!
I was able to work there for seven months and then we were forced to move. Of course.
When we moved to Texas, I took over the FRG and volunteered all of my time to making it run efficiently. Then, we got pregnant. And, I was high-risk. After I had Porter, I received a scholarship to study to become an Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC). I had to volunteer 400 hours of work to Army Emergency Relief, study, and take two difficult tests while adjusting to a new baby. In April of 2008, I finished and received my accreditation! What a joyous moment!
Then, we moved back to the first place we PCS'ed to, and I started a job teaching new soldiers a 40 hour block of Personal Financial Management classes. I also worked a MFLC PFC where I travelled around to various places for Yellow Ribbon events. I felt good working with the families, but I wanted something more.
When we moved to the Bluegrass state, I started volunteering up at Army Emergency Relief. While I was there, I was approached one day and asked, "ROBYN! You have a AFC designation??" Uh yeah...and I was hired on the spot as the Survivor Outreach Services Financial Counselor which was a contract position! Fast forward 7 months later and the contract was up on the job, and I risked losing the job that I loved so much. 5 weeks went by, and I am proud to say that TODAY, I am back in the GS system!! I am a GS 11 Financial Counselor to 2400 amazing Families of the Fallen. I can participate in the TSP (our 401k), get awesome leave, and fulfill my true calling.
What greater gift is there? I feel so incredibly blessed, and I look forward to the coming months and all of the advntures and discoverings that come with it! I made it!
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You rock!
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