Refining Solutions
Travis Lara
March 24, 2014
PHL-458
Carrie Woodhouse

My issue happened about a year ago. I had to decide weather or not I should stay in the military or get out. This decision would change everything, not just in my life, but my families life. My first solution would be to stay in the military. With this solution came a lot of sacrifice. If I stayed in the military I would be receiving orders out of California, which is where home is, unaccompanied. Unaccompanied means that I would be moving without my family. I would be in a different state or country for two years without my family. The second solution would be to get out. The scary part about that is that I didn't have a job secured for when I got out as of yet. I had been applying through several law enforcement agencies and interviewing, but had not yet received a yes from any. I was given 24 hours to make the decision. I soon decided that the best solution for me was to get out. Although this is a decision left a lot to the unknown I just could not imagine being away from my wife and kids for two years.

According to Ruggiero in Chapter 11 there are three steps to refining a solution. Step one is working out the details. In this step you need figure out exactly how your decision will be applied. Step two is finding imperfections and complications. In this step you check for common kinds of imperfections, compare the solution to competing ones, consider what changes your solution will cause, and consider the effects your solution will have on people. Step three is making improvements. In this step you will try to make improvements to get rid of the imperfections. Within these three steps are other little steps to get the what you are looking for. You need to make sure to take careful consideration of each step with your issue.

For step one, my solution involves doing something so I have to answer a series of questions. Deciding to leave the military is to be done by myself and I have a 24 hour period to call my detailer and inform him that I will be getting out and to get my paperwork started. There is no financing needed since this is a non-monetary decision. In order for this to be carried out the next day at work I had to inform my CO and get my discharge papers started.

Step two of the refining process for my solution would mostly have to do with the changes my solution will cause and the effects it will have on other people. My solution of getting out of the military will cause many changes and will affect my family greatly. My wife stays home and takes care of our children, so I am the only one that brings home income for the family. We had just bought a house about a year before I was given this option and getting out with not knowing if I had a job was very nerve racking. My decision affecting everyone in my family. The thought of the unknown can be very unsettling especially when I was the only one working at the time.

The third step, making improvements, for my situation would be find a job or decide if my wife needed to go back to work. I had been interviewing with law different law enforcements and had a belief that I was going to be accepted by the San Diego Sheriff's Department. As it turned out it was meant to be. I got accepted for a deputy position and started the academy when I got discharged from the military.

The solution to my issue of whether or not to get out of the military was a very difficult one. After weighing out my options and pros and cons with each solution I feel that I made the right decision. I will say that there are times where things get tough, either with my schedule or financial, but being with my family is most important. I enjoy my job now and I feel like I have more time to spend with my family. I feel I made the right decision for me and my family.

References
Ruggiero, V. R. (2009). The Art of Thinking. A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought (9th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.