Finding New Paths After Difficult Farewells

A good writer will dip their pen into the well of their soul, and that’s what winds up on paper. That well is full of all our dreams and pains, and we forge stories from it.

In my novel, The Cross and the Badge, I went into that a little with my character Will Diaz. I had him leaving the military because he discovered he was a single parent.

The same thing happened to me. I came home on leave from Germany. I picked up my kids for a 30 day visit. I fully intended to go back to Germany and out process. From there, I’d go to my next assignment for which I already had orders.

But along the way, I discovered something was wrong and I didn’t dare send them back into that situation. It was a mess involving the police, social services, the courts and pretty much anyone else in sight.

I got temporary custody for the kids, called my unit back in Germany and explained what was going on.

“Go to Ft. Carson and sign in there,” SSG Dean Hahr told me.

I showed up at 4th Replacement Company without so much as a single uniform on this side of the ocean. I went in and reported to the 1st Sgt and the first thing she says is, “Oh, you’re Sgt. Muniz.”

My first thought was, no one knows I’m coming here. Somethings going on here.

“Yes, First Sgt, I am.”

“You’re supposed to call this lady at JAG.” She gave me a number written on a Postit note. I figured out what was going on. Informed by the courts that I’d been given custody of the kids, my Ex and her boyfriend anticipated my move. They reported me to the MPs as trying to kidnap the kids.

When I called the lady and identified myself, she says, “Wait a second, please. My other line is ringing.” Ah, I thought. Keep the fool on the line while you call the cops on the other routine. When she came back, she said, “I’ll have to call you back.”

“I’ll be here.” I walked out to the day room with the kids. I got them a soda and poured myself a cup of coffee. Sitting down, I wondered who was going to walk through the door.

A few minutes later a guy in civilian clothes came in and went to the 1st Sgt’s office. He came out a moment later and was looking around the day room. I walked over, presented my hand and said, “Hi. I bet you’re looking for me. Are you MPI or CID?”

He took my hand and said, “Sgt. Muniz?”

“That’s me.”

“Can we step outside?”

I got the kids and went outside with him. I figured that unless I was slammed to the wall and cuffed on the spot, I’d be OK. But I did notice an MP car with two MPs parked in the parking lot. They were standing outside the car like they were waiting to be told to do something.

I found the attention at once flattering and unsettling.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

I gave him the Reader’s Digest version of events, and he says, “You can prove this?”

“I’ve a folder with court orders, police reports, and social service reports in the car.”

“Follow me,” he said.

I loaded up the kids and followed him over to the CID office. I noted the MPs fell in behind me.

At the office they advised me of my rights for kidnapping (a very strange feeling). I then told them about what had happened, and gave them the documents I had. They made copies, made a thousand phone calls and after about an hour came out and apologized.

“I understand,” I said. “I’ve worked kidnappings before.”

“You CID?”

“No, I was MPI, and before that a civilian cop.”

“You’re an MP!”

“Yes.”

After that, I walked on water as far as they were concerned.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

“I need to be close to the courts. I’m going to sign in and try to get reassigned.”

“We’ll clear things at the Replacement Company for you,” they offered. I thanked them and asked about safe hotels, and they told me of a couple.

We stayed overnight and I was back at 4th replacement the following morning. I filled out my paperwork requesting reassignment and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited some more.

No orders were forthcoming.

Then weird stuff started happening.

I stopped getting paid. Almost every payday ended up being a fight with finance just to get my money. They showed me as not assigned anywhere. Then I’d have to explain I was waiting on orders to assign me to 4th ID. They’d have to make a thousand phone calls and then I’d get my money.

This went on several months and I continued trying to get my orders.

Finally, I said to heck with it. I realized being a single parent I wasn’t going to be deployable. That meant my career was pretty much over.

I put in for a compassionate discharge.

Two weeks later, I got my discharge orders. In two weeks, I’d start out processing.

That was fine with me.

A few days before I actually started clearing, I was helping clear out the Plt Sgts desks. Most of these guys were waiting around to be separated themselves. Taking care of the troops was the last thing on their minds.

At the bottom of a stack of papers in a drawer, guess what I found.

My orders assigning me to the 4th ID.

One of the Plt Daddies has got them, shoved them in there, and forgot all about them.

The 1st Sgt asked me what I wanted to do since she’d been standing right there when I found them.

I read the orders with sadness. If they’d only been handed to me when they arrived. Instead, they’d sat in the bottom of a desk.

I’d met a beautiful woman who had asked me if I’d asked God what his will for my life was.

I did.

And finding the orders after I’d gotten my discharge orders pretty much confirmed what He wanted.

I decided it was a sign.

“I’m non-deployable anyway,” I said “I’m a single parent. Either way you cut it, it would be a waste of good paperwork to go now.”

Two weeks later, I ETSed (End Tour of Service).

I waited for Retreat before I left Ft. Carson.

As the flag was lowered and the music played, I stood at attention and saluted the flag. As the detail folded and put away the colors, I felt elated yet fearful. I didn’t know what the future held. I was at the beginning of a new and long highway.

It was still the same race. Just a different road.

As I lowered the salute, I thought, “You’ve been back at the starting line a dozen times. It’s nothing new.”

I got in my car and drove off post to find out what God had in store for me next.