The Fifth Five-Year Plan

A relative who fell at the Battle of Okinawa? There are several who share our surname on this wall.

For those keeping track at home, I recently surpassed a career milestone: 20 years have passed since I joined the Marine Corps (the first time).

On this day, 1994: my *first* rendezvous with the famed "yellow footprints" #USMC #fb http://t.co/PhIr0xjA3V
— Gary Sampson (@gjsamps) December 27, 2014

Time to retire, right? Not so fast.

I'm actually not retirement-eligible, because of the 'broken time' that I spent outside of the military after my initial 5-year enlistment (aka, the First Five-Year Plan).

College was the Second Five-Year Plan.

The Third Five-Year Plan was the first five years that I served as a commissioned officer. I wrote about that time here. I even made some forecasts about the next 5-year period which has just come to a close. Let's do a re-cap of those predictions to see if I am ready to become certified in predicting things, like a meteorologist or Bruce Bueno de Mesquita.

1. Afghanistan: still have not been. 0% accurate.

2. Job in which I will use Chinese language / regional expertise / cultural knowledge. Hasn't officially happened yet, though I am currently in an assignment that comes close to that. 50% accurate.

3. DC. I visit there on occasion, but have not yet been assigned to that area, aside from my initial training as a Marine Corps officer. 0% accurate.

4. Training course. I did not take it after leaving Taiwan in 2011, but instead finally got it done in the summer of 2014 before moving to Japan. 50% accurate.

How did I do? Let's see...I got two completely wrong, and the other two half right. I'd say that gives me a 'batting average' of about .250, well above the Mendoza Line! I'm not ready for the Hall of Fame, but that's at least in the neighborhood of Jim Flowers or Bill Randby!

After Taiwan, we moved to Colorado, and from Colorado to Japan.

Since I got *some* of my predictions for the Fourth Five-Year Plan right, I am willing to offer some guesses on what might come during the fifth. And I will even resist the urge to put things in here that I do not want to happen, since with my 'batting average,' that may be a more realistic way to attain my goals.

First, I will become retirement-eligible during this period. What does this mean? It means I will go over 20 years of active-duty service. While it has been 20 years since I first joined the Marine Corps, with my 'broken time,' I currently have about 15.5 years of active-duty service. So in the summer of 2019, I will surpass this marker. In my view, this will be a game-changer. Will I retire from the military at that time? I'll not tip my hand here...let's just say that the urge to do so grows stronger as I get closer to the day.

Second, we'll move from Japan, probably in 2017. If I plan to retire in 2019, that means wherever we go at that time will be my so-called 'twilight tour.'

With the recently-announced news of my selection for promotion, by the time of our move in 2017 I should be wearing the gold oak leaves of a major, which will have a significant impact on where we might go. Different jobs are available for company-grade officers (which I currently am) as compared to field-grade (which I will become on the event of my promotion).

I'd like to get an assignment inside the continental United States that will put me in the classroom, but not as a student, which I have spent a considerable amount of time as while in uniform. I'd like to teach -- it's time to give back to the new generation of leaders. It could be in Annapolis or another university around the country that hosts a Naval ROTC unit.

If that's not possible, then I'll hope for something close to home -- U.S. Strategic Command, anyone?

Whatever ends up happening, the Fifth Five-Year Plan promises to be an exciting time. Check back here often for updates.

Happy New Year!

GJS

The November Post: Time for Taiwan

"The Heart of Asia...Time for Taiwan"

As I feared it might, time has gotten away from me and I am only now getting around to *last month's* post. Ugh. Apologies and all that.

My 'ride' back to Okinawa.

The month started for me in Thailand and ended in Taiwan. What fun! Readers may recall I'd already had the pleasure of traveling to Taiwan earlier this fall for work, not long after returning to the region for my new assignment. It was really only a matter of time until our whole bunch (i.e., the Sampsons in Japan) made the short trip over.

I'm on a plane...

We took advantage of the 4-day Thanksgiving day weekend to make it happen. Yes, while you gorged on turkey and football and napped it off laying comatose on the couch, we re-acquainted ourselves with the many pleasures of Formosa.

The view from inside the gorge

Our objective lay in the east - Taroko. We tried to visit the gorge a couple times while we lived in Taiwan a few years back, but it never worked out for one reason or another. The length of this weekend lent itself well toward spending a couple days there this time. It happened.

We weren't in Taiwan that long, but it was a planes, trains, and automobiles-type of affair, moving about the country.

Riding the bus

We did not find turkey and trimmings, but instead beef noodle soup.

These boys were excited to have their photo taken with the Eternal Spring Temple.

Still excited!

If you want to take a walk in the gorge, you need a helmet!

There was also a big election in Taiwan while we were there. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) had a hard time. Methinks it was probably not the outcome many observers in both Beijing and Washington were looking for.

Spending some time at the airport

Taiwan liked us so much it tried to keep us (flight delay). Alas, we eventually had to return to Japan. Never fear -- we'll be back!

I've enjoyed sampling the various unique KitKat flavors here in Japan. An article in MCCS Iwakuni's "Preview" magazine, which I saw during our layover on Patriot Express from Seattle to Okinawa, alerted me to the unique KitKat offerings available. I still haven't seen the ones pictured in the article (above).

This flavor, Beni-Imo (Purple Sweet Potato), is apparently Okinawa's contribution to the KitKat Japan repertoire. It was quite good.

What else happened in November? We made a trip to the aquarium.

I'm still not sure what that green soda is - melon something.

We went on a date.

The Marine Corps Ball.

A party with 500 of our closest friends.

I had a new publication released.

Read the whole thing here. 

Science/space night at J's school.

We decided to move L. to a new school. Kids need to play outside every day.

Most of our boxes are finally unpacked.

Luckily, we remembered to unpack this little cutie. Sometimes boxes are more fun to play with than the stuff originally packed in them!

We're preparing for visitors in December.

Okinawa Travel Ideas, November 2014 edition

In response to a previously mentioned reader request, here are the Top Eight ‘things to do in Okinawa’ for potential visitors in the Christmas timeframe.

1. Orion Brewery tour. Orion is Okinawa’s local beer. I’ve read that it accounts for something like 1% of Japan’s overall beer consumption, but that on Okinawa it is more like 50%. Fans of the Coors Brewery tour (Golden, CO) will probably like this. At the end, as long as your group has a designated driver, you get a free beer.

2. Visit Cape Hedo, Okinawa’s northernmost point. See the junction between the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea. Get misted by sea spray.

3. Between Nago, where the Orion Brewery is located, and Cape Hedo lies Okuma. There is an armed forces recreational spot there – beach bungalows and such are available for rent.

4. Churaumi Aquarium at Ocean Expo Park. Also located in the northern reaches of Okinawa, the aquarium is Okinawa’s most popular attraction. Not sure how it compares with what I would consider the standard-bearer for aquariums worldwide, the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, but if nothing else it does boast the world’s largest single pane of acrylic glass as the front of an enclosure featuring several whale sharks.

5. Tsuboya Pottery Museum. Shifting focus back to the southern part of the island, this museum and its nearby pottery street is an interesting cultural excursion. It’s a good place to find unique souvenirs.

6. Former Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters. Visitors can get a sense for the type of fortifications U.S. forces faced in the entrenched Japanese defenders during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.

7. Peace Memorial Park. Dedicated to the over 200,000 Japanese and more than 12,500 Americans who fell during the Battle of Okinawa.

8. Okinawa Glass Factory Village. See glassblowers at work, have the opportunity to obtain cool Okinawan glass products.

Written with StackEdit.

Harvest-time in Okinawa and elsewhere

Bangkok skyline

October is early enough for Christmas in Bangkok

We got a request! Thanks for submitting your interest. I may have to post early for November to respond with what there is to do in Okinawa at Christmastime.

This post is actually the October post -- re-cap, if you will. Another busy month. They all seem to be!

Update from last month: Chomp (the mealworm) has left the building. Or rather, he moved to another location. As he matured, he became rather a curious little mealworm, testing the boundaries of his enclosure. In fact, once we discovered that him on the kitchen floor, having escaped his pen and made a break for it!

Chomp, “exploring the studio space.” [Editor’s note: do we need more cowbell?]

Alas, one night we forgot to put the lid on his container, and the next morning he was gone. So he may still actually be somewhere in The Penthouse, or he may have moved to another villa. All we know is he is gone. Hopefully Chomp is in a better place now. No more apple slices for that little guy. *sniff*

I've begun a project to determine how many nights this year I have spent in hotels. The back-of-the-napkin calculation right now puts it at about 100 days, just for work.

Some of my favorite super heroes! You may recognize the two on the left.

I unfortunately was on travel during Halloween. That didn't stop a super-hero invasion of the local base housing! I am getting my fill of Halloween candy by taking a little bit in to eat with lunch each day at work -- don't tell J. and L.!

Naha Airport artwork

In September on the way to Taiwan I started a tradition of trying a new kind of KitKat bar each time I transit the Naha airport. Japan is known to have many unique varieties.

This Sakura Matcha KitKat was much better than the Red Bean version I tried last month (not that it was bad).

Read @KITKATJapan has interesting flavors not typically seen elsewhere...tried out the Hokkaido Red Bean today. #fb pic.twitter.com/Q3o7hH0okL
— Gary Sampson (@gjsamps) September 11, 2014

I went to a cool art museum in Bangkok. Many of the works made me feel like I was standing inside the album liner from a P.O.D. record.

P.O.D. album cover, The Fundamental Elements of Southtown (1999)

I also found a place in Bangkok that served multi-flavored (and colored!) versions of the Shanghainese soup dumplings, called xiaolongbao (小籠包), that I like to eat when I am in Taiwan.

I'm probably a little biased, but the ones in Taiwan were better.

On the way to Thailand, I transited South Korea. Incheon Airport had a cafe with the following window display:

I am not sure what those things on the middle shelf are that look like extra-thick French toast with a scoop of ice cream on top, but next time I am at that airport, I am trying one!

They also had a cute toilet set up for those with little buddies in tow.

I hadn't see a small commode like that since we lived in Taiwan!

Earlier in the month we went to the beach. The weather has started to cool off, and October was the last month this particular beach, Araha, was open, according to the signs. So now the pool is closed, the beach is closed - what good is it to live in the tropics when they are only marginally tropical? :)

This little buddy likes the waves, just like his older brother does.

Actually the cooler weather is nice. I can walk around at noontime and not feel like I am going to melt, which is what it was like when we got here in August.

We also went window-shopping for pottery and glassware. The Tsuboya Pottery District in Naha is fantastic for this! I think I could really spend a lot of money there if I am not careful.

Where will our travels take us this month? Find out in the November entry! (And stay tuned for information about Okinawa things-to-do in December.)

Ohayoo gozaimasu!

Cough, cough! Is this thing on?

Hi. Been a while. Few years, actually!

It's time to dust this thing off. People told me this year that they actually kept up with what we were doing on here. Since we are back overseas, there is no time like the present to fire it up again, I figure.

Hokkaido-style ramen

So, we live in Okinawa now. Moved out here in August. Will probably be here for three years or so.

Do you like foreign food? It is good for birthdays.

I am going to post about once a month, I figure. Maybe I will get really ambitious and post more often, but my baseline goal is monthly. I know that's not terribly prolific, but we're busy. I'll try to hit the wavetops for you. Sound good?

2013 is the only year since 2009 I have not been here.

We've barely been here a month and I've already been dispatched to Taiwan and back for work. I'll likely be doing a fair amount of regional travel in my new job. Look for me soon in your town. (Just kidding.)

This is not a mealworm - 'Chomp' is much better-looking.

J is in third grade. He has a mealworm as a pet -- brought it home from school. I understand that it will at some point it will transform into a beetle, at which time it must return to school.

The view from 'the Penthouse.'

L starts his pre-school soon.

This is quite an incline!

It is very green here. Lots of exotic bugs. L had a run-in with a stinging caterpillar the other day. The mark it left on him looked like he had touched his arm to a hot stove.

Huffy's Angels, Okinawa Chapter. Only the one with the flames on the gas tank was acceptable.

What do people want to know about our activities here? I can write more, but would like to write for the audience. I hope you enjoy these photos in the meantime.

1. Read the sign. 2. Laugh!

GJS

On the road again...

Central NE headed west on I-80. Baled hay in the field. Cattle cleaning up scraps in the fields.

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Jelly face

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