Chris' New Job

Chris has been looking for a new job since we found out that he is space coded, not nuke coded. (see post from October 5th, 2009) And now he has one. He will be moving out of his current squadron and into another here at Vandenberg and stepping into an assistant flight commander slot. The squadron he is moving to has a similar assignment to his current. They both are tasked to teach people. The difference is right now he is instructing students learning how to do what he did in Minot. The squadron he is moving to teaches instructors how to be instructors.
It's actually really exciting for a number of reasons. First, like I've mentioned, it's a space job, so he'll be doing something that is related to his long-term career in the AF.
The job itself is right up Chris' alley. The PhD Chris is working on is in Educational Psychology - the study of how people learn. Teaching instructors, to a certain extent, is teaching them how people learn so that the instructors can help their students achieve.
There's the hours too. An assistant flight commander typically works doing normal business hours (which for the AF is Monday through Friday 7:30am-4:30pm). When we were in Minot Chris was gone either 24 or 72 hours at a time. Since we've been here he is home every night, but he's working hours vary greatly from one day to the next (for example, 6am to 3pm one day and then 4pm to midnight the next). This means his schedule, and our family's schedule, will be consistent from day to day for the first time EVER! Also, as an assistant flight commander, in charge of leading his people by example, Chris will be able to exercise while at work ... one less thing we have to squeeze into family time once he gets home.
And then there's the bragging part of it.
Chris had to apply for this job and go through two interviews. He had to have the support of a lot of different people. As with many jobs, to a certain extent who gets the job has as much to do with reputation as it does with performance. Not to say that Chris doesn't have the performance. He does. He is the right man for the job (not that I'm biased). But you can have all the right skills and if you don't have a good reputation then you won't get the job. For a job like this leadership will ask around (what do you think of this person? how about that person? would you like to work with this person? etc.) If other people have negative things to say about you then you won't get the job. During the hiring process we heard from a number of people that they were supporting Chris for the job, which is very complimentary.
Also, the other officers applying for the job were typically older (as in more time here at Vandenberg) than Chris, so for Chris to get the job is a huge compliment to how hard he works. Timing wise for Chris it is a huge step in career progression. If he had stayed in his current squadron it would have been at least another year before he would be considered for an assistant flight commander position, so essentially he has skipped an entire year.
So, I just couldn't be happier for Chris and for our family! Also, the timing of the new job is funny to me. We are going to have to move soon to a new house. Typically when you move in the AF it's because the AF member has gotten a new job. Well, now we have our typical reason to move ... even if it's just from house to house on one base!