3 months out of MEPS.

Well friends its been a long time since an update and this truly has to be the hardest section of my story to tell. For weeks now its been truly bothering me to tell this portion of the story. The difficulty is how to explain to the world my relationship with Jana and her folks actions. It would also be an impossible story to tell without appearing spiteful to her folks. In the end, that part of the story will remain unwritten for now and the only people who need to know already know the truth, whether they believe it or not. Jana and I did nothing wrong. I say again, God as my witness, we did nothing wrong. The rest of the story is for another time.

February 2009, while at MEPS a Petty Officer 1st class was sifting through papers and trying to decide where I could best serve the Navy. "I am obligated to tell you about the Spec Ops program," he says pulling a flyer out. "Even though you may not be interested anybody with your scores has to be informed of these options." Well on this flyer is a screaming $75 thousand dollar enlistment bonus with alot of cool pictures of spec ops. I point at the bomb squad asking him what they do. "Basically go to Iraq and disable IEDs, you think you might be interested." Uhm, no mom would not be pleased. Well the next best thing the detailer had was a six thousand dollar sign on bonus with 6 year obligation to serve in a "rate" that deals with weapons and computer systems. Sadly though, the only bootcamp date that he had on his desk had a leave date of March (conflicts with Luke's upcoming wedding) or September. With some arguing and explaining to the detailer that I was not in the Navy yet we settled on the September 16th leave date. This was going to be a loooooong six months.

Well so the Navy gets six years of my life and I got a cool bag, t-shirt, and ball cap. Gangbusters considering what most recruits walked away with.

The next two months were pure torture. Seeing Jana and not being able to say anything, having the constant eye of her parents watching my every move in church. Trying to enjoy going to my own church but their gaze was always judging, always watching, always condemning. The smirks, the accusations, the whispers, and just not knowing what went wrong. What went wrong? The saddest part was seeing the pain in her eyes, the confusion of why is this happening....why does this have to be so hard. On the other hand Luke's wedding is getting closer and unfair to him, I didn't want to be in Texas anymore. Why couldn't the March date work? Oh yeah, he wants his little brother to be his best man and his little brother hates Texas and all the critical people here. Did I mention this was hard to write? :)

After much arguing and convincing on our folks side Luke and I worked out our differences and decided to make the best of his wedding. To pay back for causing such a hassle I treated him and his bride to be for dinner. Afterwards a one way ticket to fly my hermit Grandpa (love you Grandpa Jack!) in for the wedding. Complete surprise! One way ticket because a road trip was planned to take him back! All at the same time of finally finishing the Little Caesar's Pizza with my family. Wow, what a busy two months.

Luke's wedding was an absolute success. The tux, the dress, everything! So happy for him and standing there as his best man will probably be the proudest moment of my life. Afterward there was dancing and my eyes caught Jana's in the crowd. Unfortunately I'd like to write that I asked her to dance. Like to write that we did dance, but the cold hard truth is that her mother's gaze was not far from that poor girl and instead I ended up dancing with Misti's best friend.

In conclusion the three months following MEPS were probably the darkest part of my life. Once again good "christian" people could turn out to be the biggest liars and most hurtful people this world has ever seen. People who desire control and have the skeletons in the background to need it have no right to treat their children like Jana's folks treated her. I know I said that this would remain for another time and this will probably be a mistake writing but sometimes these things need be said. I loved Jana with pure emotion and intentions, she loved me in return yet fearful that her dream would run from her and her past. Her parents loved themselves and loved the shield "homeschooling" and "courtship" provided to hide their sin. At that time however most of the truth was hidden from me and I was called a predator, rebellious, and arrogant. The third one was true :) They just hoped that either I would do something to fill their gossip circles with or I would drop off the face of the earth because their little circle of control was being invaded. The truth that who they were at home and the image they kept would shatter. Well, they only had four months left and I was tired. Just tired of it all.

Path to Recruiter

Working for Harvey

The last Friday in January 2009 my boss Steve at Baker Concrete decided to let me know that due to company cutbacks 30 of us working on the tower would be laid off. At the time I was an assistant field engineer laying out the columns for the 4th floor of a new 17 floor condominium tower inside 610 loop of Houston TX. "Hey Levi, this one's not up to me, if it was up to me I'd keep you around. But Kevin (his boss)  is forcing us to cut people and you've only been here for 6 months." Yep, once again I'm looking for a job and just plain frustrated with life. Less than 2 months ago my life was turned upside down with a call from Glen Brannon about his daughter Jana. That's her story to tell, but suffice to say that her story of determination and strength in times of incomprehensible evil is worth a read. It might also help understand alot of the decisions I made in the past 18 months. But before we get into the why of joining lets back up 5 months before December.
July 2008 my dad, my brother Luke, and myself were all laid off from Harvey Builders. At that time I had spent hours staring at the Navy website, talking to friends in my life about the pros and cons of service, and praying for some sort of direction in my life. October 2008, after I had already started working for Baker with some old friends, I attended SETTD #5 a three day men's retreat where on a prayer card I wrote, "New boss, better working conditions at the job, NAVY." The prayer cha there came up to me after reading the card and asked if I was in the service or thinking of joining, I answered no but just wanted him to pray about it.
No one in my immediate family for 2 generations had ever served, no other homeschooled student I grew up with joined. It just wasn't the thing to do, or so I had thought. So why did I worry about it? How come every time I was down on my luck did Navy come to mind? Why Navy? Why not Army, Air Force, or Marine Corps? Well those questions still remain unanswered but in the hearts of some boys there is a festering desire to serve his country that will either be squashed through peer pressure or explored. This homeschooled boy who worked hard every day since he was 16 who was frustrated with his church, town, friends, and just life in general decided to explore a long hidden desire of wearing his country's uniform.

NRS Tomball office, FC2 Smith's desk is the far one on the right.

February 2009....After looking for work only to be denied and continually trying to "follow the rules" in a relationship with a girl he was hurting for; a very over opinionated, cocky, hurt, and ungrateful boy (and I emphasize boy) walks into a Navy recruiting office. "Can I help you," asked the 2nd class Petty Officer Smith. "Yes, I would like to enlist..."

 *Note* This blog is a personal endeavor for Levi to help him understand what the Lord is doing in his life. He writes sometimes in third person and then switches to first person, that's just my style. I'm endeavoring to be honest in this record just for personal reasons. If I'm ever to be accused of being an honest man or a politically sensitive, I'd rather stand guilty of being too honest. I could write pages of pages of back history on each of these paragraphs, however this blog is specifically the last 18 months so I'll strive to keep the story there. If she ever reads this, I love you Jana...

Preface

What is the purpose of blogging?
The first time I ever read an internet blog my reaction was the same as when I first heard of social networking sites; "what is the point?" Maybe its because the majority of my childhood did not center around electronics and the first time I ever used the internet was at the age of fourteen that my mindset towards blogs was negative. Aren't blogs for overweight people without a social life to either vent and fume their extreme political and religious views or to flaunt their over rated nonexistence? But that's why the good Lord saw it fit for an over opinionated boy to be placed in the most patience testing rate in the armed forces.
After being locked down in Dahlgren VA with nothing better to do but write I discovered that these online tools can be very helpful in recording and remembering personal history; among other things. Maybe if there is enough time and resources to do so, my family history will be recorded as well. Many times in the past I've picked up a journal and attempted to write only to be distracted with the normal routine of life. Perhaps this blog can fill that void and desire to write and share the wonderful things the Lord is doing with this homeschooled sailor.
How many times has anyone wanted to know what happened to their close relatives and couldn't find a record? How many times do we want to know a soldiers story and experience of service over seas and there isn't one except for the tainted political versions we read on the news? How hard would it be to write one's story if for no other reason than to recall and enjoy one's personal experiences?
Therefore, since Divine Providence sees it fit that this over active, energetic, and social sailor be attached to a remote command with 6 hours a day with nothing to do but write, I will write. This blog will be a detailed honest account of the past experiences, fortunes, misfortunes, laughs, and cries of the past 18 months since my decision to join the United States Navy. If no one reads this blog or if no one finds it worthy of reading that's okay. This blog is for the future generations of the Bullen family and what one of their ancestors did for his savior and his country.