If it's nice outside, this must be drill weekend...

Twenty-seven years ago I decided I missed "wearing the uniform" (almost three years after my active Army service ended). We were living in Fairfax, MN at the time, so I looked into joining the Minnesota Army National Guard, and joined the 125th Public Affairs Detachment in St. Paul. Ever since -- for the last 324 months -- I have been attending monthly "drills." This is Army training conducted one weekend every month. This was something that would normally have ended when I retired from the Army Reserve on Jan. 31, 2011, but since my job is to support an Army Reserve unit I am still attending those monthly drills, although now as a Department of the Army civilian. And, of course, as usual the weather is beautiful on drill weekend. This is an old adage among part-time soldiers. "If it's nice outside, it must be drill weekend."
Over the course of that career I've driven from Fairfax to St. Paul (two hours), and later from Alexandria to St. Paul (300 miles to the front door of the St. Paul armory). Later, in 1990, I switched states and joined the 129th Public Affairs Detachment in Rapid City, and so instead of driving east 300 miles I began driving west almost the same distance.
Back then, a couple of my fellow soldiers lived in Huron and Mitchell, respectively, and we'd meet in Plankinton and then car-pool to Rapid City together. It gave us an opportunity to discuss the weekend's training events and get caught up on one another's lives. My high school buddy, Barry Vlasman, was assistant state's attorney in Sturgis, and he graciously opened up his home to me on Saturday nights when I had drill out west.
But my weekend commutes ended when I joined the 5043rd USAR School in Sioux Falls in 1994. The School had a funny drill schedule back then. They drilled two Monday nights and one Sunday per month -- preparing to teach a number of classes to soldiers all over the U.S. During this time I became close friends with another Alexandria native -- Greg Schaefers -- who, ironically enough, lives today in the home of one of my best friends while growing up -- Lee Thomas. Greg and I didn't know each other back at Hanson School. He is about seven years younger than I. But our personalities seemed to fit well together. We knew many of the same people, of course, and Greg is a natural prankster. Even years later, when I lived in Canistota, Greg would swing through town and pick me up and we'd laugh and talk about Alex happenings and listen to comedian Roy Mercer on the way to drill. But Greg retired after our 2003-05 deployment, and eventually most of my good friends have retired as well.
Now, my job is due to end by Jan. 31, 2012, and so I am in the process of looking for another federal government job. This month (September) I reach 19 years of civilian service, and so my goal is to continue in the federal government at least until I complete 20 years. I have concentrated my job search in Nebraska and Kansas, but if nothing surfaces soon I may expand that search to other neighboring states. Chances are the requirement to attend monthly drills will end, and so my weekends may return to being all mine. It could be a funny feeling, but one I'm looking forward to.