I Should've Stayed Active Duty
(I know I haven't written anything in awhile. Don't take this as a sign I'll get back to writing regularly again).
My past three weeks with the AF Reserves...
Week 1: Told I'm going to be going TDY to Japan for the Summer and I need to come into work to start out-processing. I'm obviously pretty excited at this point. There's two big drawbacks to this week though; I have a ton of computer based training to do (which is about as fun as the most monotone-voiced teacher anyone has ever had) and I have to go off base to get a dental exam that says I have no dental issues and I'm good to be gone for a few months. I'm ok with all of this, after all, I'm going to Japan (and there were rumors of a short stint in Australia to go along with this).
Week 2 Begins: Lots of rumors the TDY won't be happening, which is a pretty good sign it won't be happening. However, I have to keep out-processing in case it does actually happen. I'm trying to be upbeat none the less (at least as upbeat as I can be). I go see the dentist off base and get my dental clearance. Note: I don't have dental insurance. Right now it seems a needless expense since I know how to brush my teeth and for the past few years, including this most recent exam, I haven't had any cavities. So I paid for this exam out of pocket (about $280).
Week 2 Ends: I go to turn in the form I had to take to the off base dentist to the reserves medical staff here. They tell me the form is no good and I need to see a military dentist. (Also note: My supervisor has asked the med staff here about getting me into a military dentist before this and the med staff said no, I had to see an off base dentist). I throw the BS flag since I already spent the money off base and I don't want to waste time seeing another dentist that's going to tell me the same thing the civilian dentist told me. However, I'm but a little peon and arguing is a losing battle for me. Then to top it off, by the end of the week, the TDY for the Summer is all but officially cancelled. However, my supervision tells me they're going to do all the can to get me put on orders in the local area for the Summer so I'll at least have a job for the Summer (Yet another note: When they told me about the TDY, I asked how serious/likely was this TDY cause I was losing valuable time for looking for a Summer job. I was told it was all but a sure thing so I didn't need to worry about looking for a job). So there's light at the end of the tunnel that I'll at least be making decent money for the Summer.
Week 3: No TDY, no getting reimbursed for the money I spent on the dental exam, and finally I'm told the request for putting me on orders was turned down.
Before I joined the Reserves, I had met many reservists that had been in for awhile and they liked it. They talked about it being nothing like the active duty side and they were treated more like actual people. It sounded like a great deal.
However, I've been getting jerked around just as much as when I was active duty, if not more. Which is getting me to think I made a big mistake in leaving; at least there I was getting a decent paycheck and no matter how much they screwed with me, there was always a way to screw with them back.
Right now, there isn't much I can do. But one day, I will have my revenge on these bastards. And when I do, heads will roll.
My past three weeks with the AF Reserves...
Week 1: Told I'm going to be going TDY to Japan for the Summer and I need to come into work to start out-processing. I'm obviously pretty excited at this point. There's two big drawbacks to this week though; I have a ton of computer based training to do (which is about as fun as the most monotone-voiced teacher anyone has ever had) and I have to go off base to get a dental exam that says I have no dental issues and I'm good to be gone for a few months. I'm ok with all of this, after all, I'm going to Japan (and there were rumors of a short stint in Australia to go along with this).
Week 2 Begins: Lots of rumors the TDY won't be happening, which is a pretty good sign it won't be happening. However, I have to keep out-processing in case it does actually happen. I'm trying to be upbeat none the less (at least as upbeat as I can be). I go see the dentist off base and get my dental clearance. Note: I don't have dental insurance. Right now it seems a needless expense since I know how to brush my teeth and for the past few years, including this most recent exam, I haven't had any cavities. So I paid for this exam out of pocket (about $280).
Week 2 Ends: I go to turn in the form I had to take to the off base dentist to the reserves medical staff here. They tell me the form is no good and I need to see a military dentist. (Also note: My supervisor has asked the med staff here about getting me into a military dentist before this and the med staff said no, I had to see an off base dentist). I throw the BS flag since I already spent the money off base and I don't want to waste time seeing another dentist that's going to tell me the same thing the civilian dentist told me. However, I'm but a little peon and arguing is a losing battle for me. Then to top it off, by the end of the week, the TDY for the Summer is all but officially cancelled. However, my supervision tells me they're going to do all the can to get me put on orders in the local area for the Summer so I'll at least have a job for the Summer (Yet another note: When they told me about the TDY, I asked how serious/likely was this TDY cause I was losing valuable time for looking for a Summer job. I was told it was all but a sure thing so I didn't need to worry about looking for a job). So there's light at the end of the tunnel that I'll at least be making decent money for the Summer.
Week 3: No TDY, no getting reimbursed for the money I spent on the dental exam, and finally I'm told the request for putting me on orders was turned down.
Before I joined the Reserves, I had met many reservists that had been in for awhile and they liked it. They talked about it being nothing like the active duty side and they were treated more like actual people. It sounded like a great deal.
However, I've been getting jerked around just as much as when I was active duty, if not more. Which is getting me to think I made a big mistake in leaving; at least there I was getting a decent paycheck and no matter how much they screwed with me, there was always a way to screw with them back.
Right now, there isn't much I can do. But one day, I will have my revenge on these bastards. And when I do, heads will roll.
posted by Paul | 6:14 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home