We live in interesting times indeed... if by "interesting" you mean "don't have a clue as to what will happen".
July 9th is coming ever closer, and with it comes the end of UNMIS (most likely), the beginning of UNMISS (quite probable) and a major reduction in the number of military personnel serving with the UN in Sudan (almost certainly). What we do know for sure is that nothing is decided yet - but current plans calls for going from almost six hundred Military Observers to less than two hundred Military Liaison Officers... and we don't even know what a MLO is supposed to do. As it looks right now, it's an UNMO with a new name and less backup - among other things, the Force Protection will be centralized and then deployed on an "as needed" basis. A persistent rumour is that the name have changed so a number of nationalities can be quietly cut from the mission, but I'm not so sure that is what's been going on... it's just as likely that the name have changed because the job description is going to change too... moving away from pure observation tasks.
In light of this uncertainty all leave planned for after July 9th is still cancelled, and we been asked to inquire with our UNMOs of Captain and lower rank if they might be interested in transferring to UNAMID (ie: Dafur) or if they want to be repatriated to their home nation. And to top of the uncertainties and - I do believe - piss people off, a persistent rumour is making the rounds saying that since we will be in a new mission after July 9th, all our earned CTO and AL days will be lost and we will have to start earning them again... at a rate of 1.2 days CTO per week and 2.5 days AL per month. In other words, we'll lose all our earned leave and I wont have enough days to go home on leave until my end of mission. We're not to pleased about that.... understatement of the year.
Another uncertainty that have been bothering me since the beginning of April have evaporated... long story short, the Norwegian Armed Forces are reorganizing (again - we been at it since I joined up in '93) and my old position have been reorganized away from the beginning of August... leaving me with a job (being a military officer is a life choice, really) but no work. Today I got the happy news that they have found a slot for me in the new organization, and I get to stay at "my" airbase! Talk about a load of my shoulders.
July 9th is coming ever closer, and with it comes the end of UNMIS (most likely), the beginning of UNMISS (quite probable) and a major reduction in the number of military personnel serving with the UN in Sudan (almost certainly). What we do know for sure is that nothing is decided yet - but current plans calls for going from almost six hundred Military Observers to less than two hundred Military Liaison Officers... and we don't even know what a MLO is supposed to do. As it looks right now, it's an UNMO with a new name and less backup - among other things, the Force Protection will be centralized and then deployed on an "as needed" basis. A persistent rumour is that the name have changed so a number of nationalities can be quietly cut from the mission, but I'm not so sure that is what's been going on... it's just as likely that the name have changed because the job description is going to change too... moving away from pure observation tasks.
In light of this uncertainty all leave planned for after July 9th is still cancelled, and we been asked to inquire with our UNMOs of Captain and lower rank if they might be interested in transferring to UNAMID (ie: Dafur) or if they want to be repatriated to their home nation. And to top of the uncertainties and - I do believe - piss people off, a persistent rumour is making the rounds saying that since we will be in a new mission after July 9th, all our earned CTO and AL days will be lost and we will have to start earning them again... at a rate of 1.2 days CTO per week and 2.5 days AL per month. In other words, we'll lose all our earned leave and I wont have enough days to go home on leave until my end of mission. We're not to pleased about that.... understatement of the year.
Another uncertainty that have been bothering me since the beginning of April have evaporated... long story short, the Norwegian Armed Forces are reorganizing (again - we been at it since I joined up in '93) and my old position have been reorganized away from the beginning of August... leaving me with a job (being a military officer is a life choice, really) but no work. Today I got the happy news that they have found a slot for me in the new organization, and I get to stay at "my" airbase! Talk about a load of my shoulders.
Yeck. I have a inkling to how you're feeling. I have no idea where I'm going to get shuffled. I found out today if I stayed at my current site that is going tuition base I won't be able to start work till Oct, instead of Aug! Now I have to see about getting shuffled toward another grant-base program. I knew the middle school program didn't start till Oct, the grant base didn't start till end of Sept, but I had no idea the elementary was like it too!
ReplyDeleteUncertainties abound. I'm glad though you have at least a secure job once this tour is over.