As someone who had to take care of a 3yr old son while only an E4 let me tell you, it's not a simple task. Mother abandoned him (and disappeared in Mexico, we think the cartels had their way with her) while I was on R&R stateside and I was was put in a very hard situation with family and my unit. I was given two choices, hand off my son to a family member while I went back to Iraq and risk making my son a orphan (parents were poor so them watching him would make their situation even worse financially if I left him with them) or abandon my brothers and take a hardship discharge from the army to raise my son. I took the latter. What I'm trying to get to here is.. I think you're a great man stepping up for your nephew, but also think of your career man. Is there absolutely nobody that can raise him that's not a total train wreck? Kids fathers family in the picture? Don't get me wrong, I love my son, and choosing him for the Army was a choice I don't regret, but I'll be lying if I don't think of the "what ifs" of staying in the Army all the time. Every time I look at my uniform in my closet it makes me very sad, but then seeing my son's smile and hearing him tell me I'm the best dad on the world helps. So there you go. Do what you think is best.