Thanks for all the comments guys. Your feelings are certainly appreciated. As a civilian USG employee we actually have it a TON better than our military counterparts, who really deserve the lion's share of the gratitude.
And don't feel too bad, thanks to KRhea I will have a custom Taylor frame waiting for me when I'm done overseas. I'll keep you guys in the loop during the year, and will always be trolling for good C&V pics on here!