Like Butter on a Summer Day Pt. 02

The only free time we would have is on weekends and holidays. Even on the weekend, I did some running and went to the gym. Voluntary PT was a way to earn extra credit, and I felt I would need as much as I could. I managed to get off the base to do some sightseeing and eat at some of the local BBQ joints. I really loved the food at Sam's Bar B Que and went there often when I had a craving for barbecue. Maureen had tipped me on it, and I was glad that she had.

December 1996

By the time the Christmas break was approaching, I was ready for the two week break we would be getting. I had been so busy with school work that I barely had time to think about Megan. She should have been back from England by now. I hadn't called because if I did reconnect with her, it would be too much of a distraction. I needed to get through the Air War College with honors to dictate where my next assignment would be.

I had heard from Steve, and he informed me that he had received his third star. I was so happy for him. I told him I wished I could have been there, and he said that it was more important for me to get through school. Steve said that he was headed back to Wright-Patterson AFB to be the Deputy Commander at Air Force Material Command (AFMC). As the Deputy Commander, he would have more sway to help me get a command at one of the SDCs since they are all AFMC units.

I went home to visit during the Christmas break. I also called Virginia and Judy to wish them a Merry Christmas and catch up on what they had been doing. My mom and dad were glad to see me. By now, mom had given up on asking me when I was going to settle down and get married. I think they both have figured out that I'm gay, but we've never discussed it. Since I still have a TS clearance, they haven't shared their suspicions with anyone who's interviewed them for my security clearance reviews. My parents are retired now. I encouraged them to think about moving to Florida or Texas. That way, they could avoid paying state income tax and enjoy better weather during the winter.

January 1997

After our break, I really bore down and worked hard. I had packed as much as I could in the third term so that my last quarter wasn't as busy. I'd have to start working on an assignment during my last quarter so that I had somewhere to go after school was finished. Time for Physical Training (PT) was at a premium, so I had to get in my running whenever possible. This meant that I'd have to make sure I get my running in before the day started. However, running in the morning was getting to be a pain because it got cold. I hadn't thought that this far south could get this frigid, but it was no fun running when the temperature was in the thirties at 6 AM.

April 1997

By talking to Steve and Frank, I had the inside scoop about Col. Flemming planning to retire. This meant that her position would become available by the time I was finished with school. I let Steve know that I really wanted that command if it was possible. I was in the running for Valedictorian for the class. I had worked my ass off to get there so I'd have a say in my next assignment. Steve promised me that if I did make Valedictorian that he'd make sure I get that command. I thanked him and vowed to myself that I would do it, no matter what.

June 1997

The commandant of the Air War College, Col. John Mitchell, called on me to report to him as soon as I had some free time. I quickly finished the PowerPoint® presentation I was preparing and headed for his office. I was expecting something since I was sure I would graduate number one in my class. When I came to his open door, Col. Mitchell called out to me, "No need to report, Alex. Just come on in and have a seat."

When I entered his office and sat down, I saw the broad smile on his face, and I started smiling in return. "Good news, Sir?" I asked.

He said, "Alex, you've done an outstanding job here. You are by far the best student I've had the honor to have in this school. I wanted to be the first to tell you that I've submitted your promotion packet to the upcoming Colonels board. Congratulations!"

I was gobsmacked. The stunned look on my face made John chuckle. I finally managed to find my voice and said, "Thank you, Sir. That was not what I was expecting to hear."

John chuckled again and asked, "What did you expect to hear?"

"Well," I said, "I expected that you were either going to congratulate me for making Valedictorian or that I got my new assignment. I had no idea that this was even a consideration."

"Yes," John said, "you did earn Valedictorian, and you did get the assignment that you were working for. Lieutenant General Oldiges just called me to tell me that. Congratulations on both of those achievements. You've earned it."

Again, I was momentarily speechless. I felt overwhelmed. All of the sacrifices I had made in my life, giving up my right to live and love whom I wanted to, have finally paid off. Everything I had worked so hard to get was now mine. I felt on top of the world. I smiled so widely that I thought my cheeks would split. Finally, I managed to say, "Thanks again, Sir. That means a lot to me. I'm glad my hard work has paid off."

"You've got a lot of work to do, now," John said. "Graduation is Friday. Make sure you're ready for that. Good Luck, Alex." With that, he indicated that our meeting was over. I left his office and floated back to my room. John was right. I had a lot to do and a short time in which to do it.

The first thing I did was call Steve. When his aide took my call, I asked to speak with Steve. I was told that he was in a meeting at the moment but had left a message for me that he'd be available to take my call at 2 PM. I thanked him and hung up. Since he had expected me to call, he must already know about my being put into the Colonel's board.

So, next, I called Virginia at home. When the phone picked up, I heard Judy's "Hello?"

"Hi, Judy. It's Alex," I said.

"Oh, hi, Alex. What's the occasion?" Judy replied.

"I got some great news today, and I wanted to share it with you and Virginia," I said, barely able to contain my happiness. "I just found out that I've been put into the Colonels' promotion board below-the-zone!"

"That's wonderful!" Judy exclaimed. "Hold on, Virginia just walked in. Let me put you on speaker."

I heard a muffled "What's up?" from Virginia before there was a click, and Judy said, "Okay, Alex, you're on speaker."

"Hello, Alex," Virginia said. "You have some good news for us?"

"Yes," I said. "The commandant of the Air War College has put me into the Colonels promotion board below-the-zone!"

"Great!" Virginia enthused. "You must have impressed the hell out of him."

"I imagine so," I said, "since I also made Valedictorian for my class. On top of that, I got my assignment to take command of the SDC at Hanscom AFB!"

Virginia and Judy both chorused, "That's great, Alex," eliciting a chuckle from me, which, in turn, made Judy and Virginia start laughing, too.

"Wow!" Virginia exclaimed. "I'm so proud of you, Alex. I knew you were capable of doing this, and I'm so happy for you."

"Ditto," said Judy. "You are really making a name for yourself."

"So, why Hanscom?" Virginia asked. "You know it gets cold there in the winter?"

"Well, I found out that the commander there is retiring at the end of the month. I made sure everyone at AFMC HQ knew I was interested in it," I said, not wanting to let on the real reason for my wanting to go there. "The timing worked out perfectly, so I don't have to wait or have to take a deputy commander slot at one of the other SDCs."

"Looks like everything is working out for you, Alex," Judy said. I could hear the sincerity in her voice.

"Well," I conceded, "let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. I am below-the-zone, so the odds that I get selected are not that great."

"I don't think the Commandant would have put you in if he didn't think you had a shot at it," Virginia said.

"True," I said. "In any event, I'll have the command either way. Well, I'd better let you go. I'm sure you need to get to work, and I have a ton of things to do."

"Okay," Judy said. "Call us when you know about your promotion."

"I will," I promised. "Goodbye, Judy. Goodbye, Virginia."

"Goodbye, Alex," they chorused again before I hung up. I needed to take a short break to get myself put back together.

Just as I felt I was ready to call Col. Flemming, I heard a familiar rap on the door. "Come in, Maureen," I said.

Maureen came in and closed the door. She had a big smile on her face as she said, "I heard the good news, Alex. Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Maureen," I said. "I couldn't have done it without your help. You really kept me on the straight and narrow during my time here." As I said that, I realized that it was true. Her calming effect on me and taking care of the little things that would have distracted me made a big difference in my ability to get through the schoolwork.

Maureen twigged to my mood and came over and gave me a quick hug. "It was my pleasure, Alex. You've been an inspiration to me, too," she said as she backed away.

"Well, if you ever need an endorsement or want an assignment at Hanscom, just let me know," I said, grateful for her comment. "I'll give you a number and address before I leave so you can contact me."

"Thanks, Alex," Maureen said. "I really appreciate that."

Maureen gathered up my dry cleaning and left, saying that she'd have my uniforms ready for me tonight. I called Shirley to schedule some time with Barb to start planning my transition to my new position when Barb retires. While I was talking to her, I asked if she would stay and be my PA. I felt it would help the transition since she knew everything that was going on. We talked for a few minutes, and in the end, she agreed to stay and be my PA until I was settled in. Then we would discuss her future plans.

When it was time to talk to Barb, I called, and Shirley put me through to her. We talked for about twenty minutes. Barb was retiring at the end of the month. We would have the Change of Command Ceremony in the morning and Barb's retirement ceremony in the afternoon. I gave her my contact information so the Protocol Officer (PO) could contact me to prepare for the Change of Command ceremony. I told Barb I'd be there the week before to make sure the transition goes smoothly.

Finally, it was 2 PM, so I called Steve's office. His aide put me through, and when I heard Steve say, "Hello, Alex," my heart thrilled.

"Hello, Steve. I just wanted to thank you for getting my assignment pushed through," I said. I was sure Steve could hear my smile over the line.

"Well, I'll take the credit," Steve laughed, "but you were the one who did the work. I should be thanking you for exceeding my wildest expectations. You've done an incredible job, Alex, and you really deserve everything that you've earned."

Hearing Steve's praise really made my day. I nearly teared up as I said, "That means a lot to me, Steve."

I had to stop for a moment to gather myself before I could go on. "Steve, you've supported me all these years, and I really appreciate it. If I get my line number for Colonel, I'd love for you to pin me on?"

I could hear the emotion in Steve's voice when he said, "I'd be honored to, Alex. In fact, I believe that'll be my last official action before I retire."

I was floored when I heard that. Of course, Steve couldn't remain in the Air Force forever, but I had thought that he'd always be there. When I could, I said, "That's great, Steve. I'll make sure I'm there for your ceremony."

"You better, Alex," Steve said. Changing the subject, Steve asked, "What are you doing to get ready for your new assignment?"

We spent the next few minutes discussing my plans to take over my new command. Steve offered a couple of suggestions that I made a note of. When it came time to end the call, I said, "Thanks for everything, Steve."

"No problem, Alex," Steve replied. "You deserve it. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Steve," I said and hung up the phone. I was sad that Steve was retiring, but life goes on. I couldn't dwell on it now. I had a lot to do before Friday.

The graduation ceremony went well. When I was announced as the Valedictorian, everyone applauded. I knew it was sincere because everyone had come up to me privately and told me that they had really enjoyed working with me. I now had many people I felt comfortable networking with, and I knew I'd really appreciate that for the rest of my career.

Saturday morning was packing day. Although she didn't need to, Maureen insisted on helping me get my belongings packed up and put in my car. When we were done, we hugged and promised to keep in touch. I gave Maureen the number to the VOQ at Hanscom AFB if she needed to contact me before I settled into my new residence. Maureen gave me her number so I could update her once I had an office to work in.

I had two weeks before I needed to report to Hanscom AFB. I took my time getting there, stopping off in Gatlinburg to spend a couple of days just relaxing, renting a chalet up in the mountains. I spent a lot of time sitting on the deck, enjoying nature as I wound down from the intense year I had just experienced. I really enjoyed my time there and vowed to come again whenever I needed to relax.

I stopped by my parent's place and spent a few days there. I was able to see my two brothers and their families while I was there. My parents had decided that they were ready to move out of New York. They bought a condo in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were looking forward to not having to endure any more cold winters. I did tear up a bit, knowing that I'd never be coming home to this house ever again.

By the time I made it to Hanscom AFB, I was ready to jump in and get to work. I got a room at the VOQ until I could find a place to live off base. On-base housing was for families only, which I was okay with. Even though I was a Lieutenant Colonel and eligible to get on-base accommodations, it didn't feel right taking up an entire house for one person. Besides, I didn't want to hide the fact that I planned to have a particular woman visiting me and hopefully staying overnight.

By the end of the week, I found a neat little two-bedroom cottage in Lexington. It was located on a quiet side street and had a detached two-car garage with a covered walkway to the house. I wouldn't be too far off base if someone needed to see me or I needed to get back in the office for an emergency. I'd also have the privacy I'd need if things worked out with that particular woman.

***

The day of the Change of Command ceremony was finally here. Although I had been doing the work for the past week, it wasn't officially my command until the ceremony was over. Barb and I had gone over everything in progress, so I knew what was coming down the line. Since we had worked together doing CMM evaluations before, we were pretty much in agreement on the path forward. I didn't have any plans to start changing anything right away. I spent some time doing one-on-ones with all of the organization's leads, getting to know them and letting them know what I expected from them. I thought they all went really well, and I was looking forward to working with all of them.

Barb was really looking forward to her retirement. The beautiful engagement ring on her finger was a dead giveaway for what her immediate plans after retirement was. I congratulated her on it, and she said she was ready to make a significant change in her life. Like me, she had put her career first for the longest time, and she was prepared to make the change. Secretly, I envied her. I hoped that one day in the not-so-distant future, I'd be making this very same decision.

When it was time for the ceremony, Barb and I walked into the room together. When we made it to the front of the room, we turned and faced the audience. The PO started the proceedings. When the guidon (i.e., the military flag with the unit's insignia) was passed to me from Barb, I nearly teared up from the thought that I had achieved one of my dreams. Barb and I each said a few words before the ceremony ended.

We mingled with the crowd for a bit before we left to attend Barb's retirement ceremony. I got to meet Barb's fiancé. He seemed to be a nice guy, and I told him he was a lucky guy. He smiled and looked at Barb and said that he sure was, and I could see the love they had for each other in their eyes.

Pretty much everyone that was at the Change of Command ceremony was going to the retirement ceremony. I sat in the audience and watched as the orders were read. Col. Barb Flemming received her Air Force Commendation medal for her retirement. It was a big step for her, and I was happy for her. One day, I'd be doing that, and I hope it would be because of something great in my life and not because I couldn't stay in the Air Force any longer.

July 1997

My new command was keeping me busy. It was nothing that I couldn't handle, but it was a lot of work. Thankfully, I had convinced Shirley to stay on as my PA. For the first three weeks, I depended heavily on her to keep me straightened out as to who was who and making sure I didn't do anything stupid.

I celebrated my 42nd birthday today. Shirley had arranged for a birthday celebration in the conference room. Everyone showed up, and I got to socialize with everyone for a little bit. Everyone was genuinely happy for me. I was glad about that. My empty social life meant that the only socializing I had was with the people that worked for me. I had a great group of people working for me.

***

When Shirley buzzed me and said I had a call from General Oldiges on line two, I picked it up and said, "Hello, Steve. What's up?"

"Alex, I've got good news for you," Steve said. When I heard the happiness in his voice, I knew what it was.

I was almost giddy, but I composed myself and asked, "Oh? Are you coming out to visit?"

"I will be," Steve replied. "Congratulations, Alex. You've been selected for Colonel!"

Hearing it from Steve made my heart jump into my throat. I managed to say, "That is good news, Steve. Thanks for letting me know. I still want you to pin me on if you can."

"Alex," Steve said, "I'll be there come hell or high water. It looks like it'll be the end of September when your number comes up. I'm going to make sure I'll be there."

"So, are you still planning on retiring?" I asked. I didn't really want him to retire, but he'd put his heart and soul into the Air Force for thirty-three years, and he deserved it.

"Yes," Steve said. "Claire wants me to be able to settle down and spend some quality time with her when we get married. To be honest, I'm looking forward to it. By the way, you are invited to our wedding."

I teared up when I heard that. It took me a couple of tries before I could say, "I'd love to, Steve. Thank you."

"Okay, I'll let you go for now," Steve said. "I'm sure you've got some celebrating to do. Goodbye, Alex."

"Goodbye, Steve," I said before hanging up. I sat back, deep in thought. My career was going great. I had my command, and I was going to make Colonel. Now, all I needed was a personal life. I didn't want to spend any more time alone. Even Steve had finally found someone to spend the rest of his life with, and I was so happy for him.

I got up and left my office, wanting to share my good news. When I told Shirley what I had found out, she smiled and said that I really deserved it. I thanked her and headed to the break room, intending to get a cup of coffee. While I was in there, several people congratulated me, having heard about it from Shirley. I thanked all of them and said that they were all invited to my promotion ceremony.

Once I got back to my office, I just had to call Judy/Virginia to share the good news. I checked the time and realized that I could catch them at home. I dialed their number, and on the third ring, they picked up. When I heard Judy's "Hello," I nearly teared up again.