OK, now I am mad at the army

The BBQ Pit
1

I am seriously PISSED off.

I’ve already let it be known here, that I am in the Army. In a thread about recruiting I let it be known that I am so very glad to no longer be a recruiting. I also let it be known that I have some issues with the Army because of recruiting.

BUT TONIGHT…Man, I’m through…

I’ll try to put this in a nutshell, but it’ll be long…

When I left recruiting I had to reenlist. I only had a few more years 'til i had 20 and retired anyway, so I did…because they assured me I wouldn’t be extended into recruiting. After I reenlisted they tried to do that, though, and I was pissed then…and ready to just go AWOL. I’ll spare you the details of why I was driven to such things. I was supposed to leave the US for Germany in April or at the latest May 05. Never got my orders. I bitched and complained, but no one seemed to take it seriously. Fine. I just stopped going to work. Eventually in June I found out that they had screwed up my paperwork when i reenlisted. You see when you reelinst, they discharge you and then reenlist you at the same time. The discharge papers made it to the Department of the army, but the Reenlistment did not. Technichally to the Army I didn’t exist. I didn’t get paid for 4 months!

I contacted the inspector General and they cleared things up, but it sucked. I had to move to Europe with nothing but our savings. I won’t go into the financial BS I had to go through either, but it was awful.

So you can imagine…i was pissed enough at the army right then. I used to really LIKE the army. But at that point I was all, “let me do these last few years and get out.”.

Nah. I got a call today from my acting first sergeant…at home…telling me that DA (dept. of the Army) had asked him if I had departed for Fort Bragg yet. Ft. Bragg? Wat the hell? I’ve only been here for 16 months…and I’m married so I’m not supposed to be eligible for reassignment until I’ve been on station for 3 years! (2 if your single) How could I have left for anywhere when I haven’t recieved any orders anyway? How could the chain of command HERE not kbow of this? Its all fucked up. Because they screwed me when I reenlisted. Someone dicked up enough that I’m a floating assett. They don’t know where I am or how long I’ve been here obviously. Because trust me I cannot be vital to be needed in Ft. Bragg at short notice.

ASSHOLES. I don’t know whats going happen…I’d prefer to not move and serve out my time. (Hell, DA sent me here to give me a fucking break from the hell that was recruiting) But I know somehow they’l pin the blame on me for this. I just told my wife that I might have to just get out through any means needed because they’re not fucking with me again.

Yeah, best case scenario someone will correct the mistake and they’ll leave me be. But I no longer trst anyone in the government.

So I tell you guys, despite any posts i’ve said before defending joining the army, disregard them. Its not worth it. Join the Air Force, at least they take care of their people. I don’t deserve this treatment and don’t believe they have my back any longer.

2

and I apologize for my spelling errors…but I was really really pissed when I typed that.

3

Fuck, man… fuck!

What is your MOS/Rank? If we can do one of those trades, I’ll take Bragg and you can come work at Benning until you retire. It’s cake over here!

4

Fuckin waaaah! I rotated out of Europe to out process at Ft. Dix. Before I left New Jersey I was stop lossed and ended up in Desert Storm. Didn’t get paid for the first six months DA said I was no longer in the Army straightened up with a quickness when I submitted a request for civilian contractor per diem. Fucking suck it up, you have been in the green momma long enough to know shit happens. At least it aint happening to you in Iraq. Count your blessings and Charlie fucking Mike.

5

While I respect your opinion, seriously shut the fuck up man. Just because you went through a bit of shit doesn’t mean I have no right to be a bit pissed off. I’m really tired of the entire “suck it up” attitude when it is used to dismiss a problem out of hand. *Am I overreacting? ** Maybe. Will I have to actually “suck it up” and deal with it? Well, we’ll see. Do I have a right to be a bit upset? Hell yeah. * So I’m venting.

And the green momma has fucked up my shit too many times for me to feel too forgiving. I’m talking shit out of my direct control. Lost records? Hell, they lost mine so much it got ridiculous. I even had a commander that called the IG because they lost my fuckin’ records 3 fuckin’ times in one year. (yeah, I had copies and had to “suck it up” and deal with it but thats beside the point) I don’t feel obligated to tell you about the times when ridiculous BS happened for no reason other than the mistake or whim of some moron that I’ll never meet. And i’d think as someone else who didn’t get paid for awhile you’d know how much of a strain that put on my family.

Granted I don’t really know what the hell is going on, but i’m a bit tired of doing this dance with the powers that be. Sure life could be worse, but saying that doesn’t make wiping the tears off of my wife’s cheeks any better.

So excuse me if I don’t want to put my family through another wringer right now. (not to mention myself.) Hey, you’re right it ain’t Iraq, but that doesn’t mean I have to sit back and take it up the ass and say “Hell, I guess i’ll just suck it up and be quiet.”. I guess irritating you unintentionally is the price I pay for not being a mindless “I’ll just take it lying down” drone.

6

thanks for the offer, Bear, but I’ll deal with this one way or the other as I said to Askeptic. One thing I didn’t tell him, is that the most irritating part is that they didn’t even contact me directly in any way shape or means. I know I said 1SG but this guy isn’t the real 1SG, he’s just the highest ranking Army NCO here. So no one in the US chain of command has even HEARD this except him. Why are they emailing him AT HOME to tell him something that has to do with me, but not contacting the J1 OIC, the commander or the freaking US SNR? (qucik answer: 'Cuz someone screwed up… Sorry,** A**. I think that really does give me a reson to be a bit mad, doncha think? For the record I deployed in Desert Storm too, so I did “Suck it up” then too.)

I’ll tel ya this though, Bear, I just want to fix whatever the problem is and be done with it. I have a few personal things going on that aren’t helped by this crap. So I appreciate you not telling me to “just suck it up”. Really, thanks, man.

7

It has it’s place. If you were complaining about the cold or a broken ankle or poison ivy or some shit, then it applies. But when shit deals with family, or money, then it’s a serious fucking problem. Your issue is both…
Good Luck, Man!

8

[former Personnel Actions Specialist here]

You didn’t happen to piss off the poor SP4 in S-1 or Finance, did you? I mean, records usually don’t just lose themselves… :wink:

[/fPAs]

9

Ah, poor baby. Feels he’s special ‘cause he’s married and don’t feel like going to work ‘cause he’s upset and pissed he ain’t gettin’ paid for not workin’.

Grow up. No, don’t “suck it up” and take it. Grow up, and fix it.

10

Am I reading the same thread as you guys? Can’t someone bitch about shit that’s fucked up? Hell, I started a thread all pissed off because the Army changed the Class A and I have to buy new shit again.
This is much worse! What’s wrong with bitching a little? Nothing in the post hinted that he wasn’t taking care of it. He’s just frustrated–as he should be. Some other unit is wondering if he’s left yet, and he didn’t even know he was leaving. It’s pretty fucked up, I think.
My OIC was about waiting on Orders to go to the career course. He should have gone to that course in October, which would give his family location stability for another year and he would be on track with his career progression.
He even had a freakin ATRRS reservation. But instead of orders to his school, they sent him orders to Iraq. Out of freakin NOWHERE. He’s gone now. He had less than a month to prepare everything and get his family right and all that. Man, what a blow.
Did he deal with it? Of course. And so will shizaru. But did he have a right to bitch about it? Sure. And so does shizaru.

What am I missing?

11

I know I was only Navy, but man, we bitched about everything, all the time with our every breath and occasionally our last breath.

shizaru, sound like your basic grade ‘A’ SNAFU. Situation Normal, All Fucked Up. Good luck, fighting the military paper chasers is unrewarding and tiresome and they always exact their pound of flesh.

Jim

12

The thread where the OP is a recruiter who doesn’t feel like working, considers going AWOL and now feels the need to tell other people not to sign up because now he’s having problems? What a revelation.

Sure. Go ahead and bitch about life in the Army.

Don’t talk to me about not working, AWOL, and “what about my familyyyyyy? My family is sooooo important!” Your family joined the Army, the Army didn’t join your family.

By all means, go ahead and bitch. Vent. Don’t expect every response to be “I feel you man.”

13

shizaru - yep, that sucks. It’s no surprise to me that the Army can fuck up a person’s life as casually and carelessly as if you were a bug on a windshield. The Navy did it to me seemingly daily for 6 years. It’s a wonder I don’t still walk bow-legged :eek: .

We had two sayings in the Navy that seem appropriate for your situation -

“You might not like fucking Personnel, but Personnel likes fucking you.”
and
“BOHICA”*

I hope you get your situation straightened out sooner rather than later, that you get to finish your enlistment in Germany, and that no one tells you to “suck it up” ever again.

*Bend Over, Here It Comes Again

14

OK, possibly a really dumb question:
Given that you’re dealing with a system that seems perenially prone to large-scale fuck-ups, what actual incentive is there not to horribly game the system yourself? I mean, if they’re going to screw you anyway, why not enjoy your floating-asset status, and maybe get a part-time job for the next 30 months or so? As has been pointed out, life in the military isn’t fair. Why not work to make sure that it’s going to be unfair in your favor?

15

You were not discharged and therefore you violated Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

This has not been true for a number of years now. Although when you reenlist, you do get this cute certificate (“suitable for framing”) called a discharge certifate. It’s done because it’s tradition to do it. In reality, there is now no discharge prior to a reenlistment. Years ago, that was the case: discharge for the purpose of reenlistment.

There is, of course, no excuse for the personnel and finance types to mess it up; however, there is a resolution process in place. As an NCO, I imagine you know what that process is.

Well there’s the Department of Defense Time on Station requirement. I really don’t recall what that it for Europe–could be different for each country of assignmenty there, too. If you haven’t met that, then you’re not getting a PCS anywhere without someone way up the chain of command signing off on it.

The parts of your post I didn’t comment on…well, you can probably guess my comments.

16

Um… at the risk of not being a million fucking miles to either side of the fence, which apparently is what you’re Meant To Do in this thread…

…I feel bad for you, shizaru, and I hope everything works out.

17

Yup, you’re reading a different one. This OP isn’t a recruiter. Plus, I doubt the AWOL comment should be taken literally.

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18

I dunno. I guess I see both points. But really, I think bitching about the Army is just par for the course, and I never take any of the comments too seriously.

19

True, but there is a fine line between bitching and whining. Considering the seriously fucked situation of thousands of soldiers right now it just seemed a little more of the latter to me.