Love, and Military Life? What was I thinking?

I startled awake to the very vivid dream about my Chief. What the hell is happening to me? Let me start from the beginning. My name is Bree Lee. I am a Petty Officer 1^st Class in the United States Navy, and I just transferred to my new command. I have been in the Navy for 6 years now, and I plan on making a career out of it. I was on an Aircraft carrier for the first 5 years of my time in service, and now I am being stationed on shore duty. Not something I am really looking forward to. I am an engineer in the Navy, my job is called Machinist Mate. So, I am known as MM1 (SW/AW) Lee. I am 25 years old, from the lovely state of New York, but now stationed in Florida…. Again, not something I am looking forward to. I’d rather be back in California, where I was stationed for the past 5 years, on the USS Nimitz. And this is the beginning of my story.

***72 hours earlier***

I arrived at the airport in Jacksonville, Florida, after a grueling 7-hour flight from San Diego, California. I was not the happiest of people, when I stepped off the plane, in sunny Florida. It was hot, and humid, and my hair was going to hate me for taking these orders. Yet, I had no say in the matter, because I am part of the Navy, and I had no choice. My only other option was Norfolk, Virginia, and there was no way in hell, I wanted to be stuck there. So, here I am… in Florida. The only good thing about calling this place home for the next 4 years, is I can go to Orlando, and go to Disney World, and, to visit my favorite Aunt and Uncle, who don’t live too far from Orlando. Also, that I am in the same time zone as most of my family, who all still reside in New York. It has been years since, I lived in the same time zone as any of my family, and trying to remind myself, when I am off work, and trying to call them, I either interrupted dinner or my niece and nephews’ bedtimes. So now that I am in the same time zone, it will be easier to facetime with my family. I don’t have kids of my own, so my niece and nephews mean the world to me, and I love spoiling them. I also don’t have a significant other because I am married to my military life. It has been a dream of mine ever since I was a little girl and got an anchor necklace as a gift from my one uncle who was a sailor at the time. I wanted to follow in his footprints, and so far, I have succeeded.  Although, he got out after 4 years, I chose to keep going. I am making a life out of it. At least that is the plan.

I went down to baggage claim, to collect my seabags, and garment bag, and suitcase from the carousel.  I saw a fellow sailor, in his NWUs, or Navy Working Uniforms, the unmistakable blue digit camo. He had a sign that said “MM1 SW/AW Lee” in big bold letters.  Great, I get to travel in civies, and I get picked up by a junior sailor in uniform… Not how I wanted to start the newest adventure of my life. I had several people, who were also collecting their luggage, looking at me like I was insane for having a seabag, or two. People still think that women don’t belong in the military. “Uncultured swine” I grumbled to myself, as someone was staring daggers at me. I stared right back, not giving a flying fuck what they think about me. I collected my bags and walked straight for the sailor. He was a little shocked at me, as I extended my hand and to introduce myself. He looked me up and down and was confused for a split second. I tilted my head and asked him if he was ok. “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting you to be a female. They don’t tell me anything. They only said here is the sign, go pick up the new petty officer at the airport at this time.” He blushed and looked down, ashamed and embarrassed. I laughed. “It’s cool, no one expects someone with my good looks and small stature to be in the military, but here I am.” I tried to lighten to awkward situation. “My name is FN Gabe Haller.” He introduced himself, after gathering his thoughts and bearings. I am sure he was grateful for my light attitude and joking manner. Haller helped me carry my things to the car parked outside the terminal, and he loaded them into the trunk. Considering I was stationed in Cali for 5 years, I didn’t have very many things. Well, that’s not true. I sold almost everything from my previous apartment, before moving here to my new command. I had a car, but I knew it wouldn’t make it on a cross-country drive, so I sold it, and put the money into my bank account. I can always buy a new car here. I have to get a new driver’s license anyways.

Haller and I loaded into the car, and started off towards the base, the new base, I was going to be calling home for the next 4 years. I sighed as I got comfortable in the front seat. Haller glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and bit his lip. I felt he was nervous about something. “What?” I asked, not rudely, but more out of curiosity. “Why didn’t you pack more stuff than 3 bags?” Usually when I am sent to pick up new sailors, they have a shit ton of things, and I get stuck carrying mostly all of it for them.” At that, I laughed, whole heartedly and shook my head slightly. “I sold basically everything. I can start over. I know I am staying at the Navy Lodge on base until my apartment is ready and didn’t want to have to move everything from a hotel to an apartment, when the time comes. So, it is easier just to pack my clothes and uniforms, rather than everything else. Besides, I don’t really get attached to material things. I gave that up when I joined the military at 19.” He could tell, my demeanor had changed, when I said about the time, I joined the navy. It’s not like it was a bad thing. I wanted this. This is what I chose for my life. Unlike all my former friends. They all wanted families and babies, and the whole marriage thing. Gag. That is so not me.

He nodded at what I said but didn’t press the matter. We arrived at Mayport Naval Base about 45 minutes later. Stupid Florida traffic. He pulled the car up outside the Navy Lodge, the hotel I get to stay at until my apartment is ready for me to move into. Good thing for me, the apartment will be furnished, so I do not have to buy any furniture. I can buy my own things, and change it up to make it my own, but at least I will have a couch and a bed and dressers and a dining table and kitchen appliances and my own washer and drier in the unit. And air conditioning! Good God, I need it. I am a drowned fucking rat right now and I have only been in the state for just about an hour. Haller helped me load my bags onto a trolly and pushed it into the lobby for me. I checked in, and he offered to push the trolly to my hotel room for me. I was grateful. He is only sticking around, because he has to take me to the command to check in and meet my chain of command.