I got an e-mail from dh today. Let me explain to you how I feel about his deployment. I understand that it is a necessity. I respect him for going. Do I agree with our position over there? DOESN'T FUCKING MATTER. He's over there. I support him. Motherfucking period. (Good! Now that we understand where I am coming from!) This is the man who has made it possible for me to work on my Master's Degree during the first two years of our marriage instead of whining about his own inadequacies like TSS (New? TSS = That Shit Steve, my first husband, synonymous with venomous asshole) DH, like a regular person has worked his ass off to allow me to pursue my dreams so that we can one day hope to live comfortably. Because that's what two people do. At a job he hates. Usually, I try to emit all *nice* and *sparkly* because I respect our military. I GET IT, PEOPLE. I understand that they are protecting our freedoms and I am forever grateful.
However.
HowFUCKINGever my friends, it is ridiculous shows of abuse of power that are undermining everything that these men AND women are working, fighting and dying for. And I'm not even talking about the prisoner abuse or Nick Berg here. I am not talking about the relationships between the United States and other countries. I am talking about the relationships among our own military men. I am talking about the pretentious attitudes of men that are not only KILLING morale over there, but are forcing men like my husband to wonder why they signed up for this gig in the first place? Am I protecting the country? Or am I responsible for kissing ass? Those are my words, not his, so if it pisses you off, rant at ME.
I don't know if you noticed or not, but the number of people? Who are willing to sacrifice their lives for our country? Not getting any fucking bigger! And it is people like the Colonel that dh had an encounter with that are killing patriotism! Last time I checked, your assignment was to protect our country, jackass. Not embark on your own personal power trip.
But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me fill y'all in on the *GREAT STUFF* that dh is putting up with.
Right now, his mission is to fill sandbags. Thousands and thousands of them. Why? Because they are tan, not green. What is this? Interior Decorators Anonymous? If it has something to do with making them more camouflaged or however that works, so be it. TELL THE MEN THAT. Don't just tell them that they have to fill sand bags so they color coordinate! It is demeaning and ridiculous. There are two ways to present information, people. Get a clue, please. Oh and did I mention that said tents that need to be color coordinated with said sand bags will be torn down in one month rendering sand bags obsolete? Yeah.
This is not the best part. After 3 hours of filling sandbags in 117 degree heat, my husband and a coworker are finally allowed to shower. After taking baths with Baby Wipes for 3 days straight, I think he's entitled to it, wouldn't you? Let's visualize this together, shall we? dh and friend, walking together, heading to the showers, without shirts on because they don't want to get dirt and sand all over the inside of their tents. Understandable? Sure. No, no, silly people! That's where you're wrong! Apparently, you are not alllowed to think for yourself and remove your shirt to walk before you shower, because dh and friend were accosted, and make no mistake I DO MEAN FUCKING ACCOSTED, by some Colonel who feels that he was disrespected. Umm hello? Get out of the sun, asshole? Instead of driving around waving to people while they are refilling sand bags because they are not, and I fucking quote "color coordinated", why don't you do something useful, like...well shit, I don't know, because there are a kajillion things that he could do that would be more useful than humiliating and powertripping on the men that are making it possible for our country to fight this "war." Not only did he yell at my husband and his friend like they were two, but he also reported them to their commander, so that they could be reprimanded. REPRIMANDED? FOR FUCKING WHAT? Walking around with your shirt off and not waving to someone you didn't see? I understand your point. With disrespect like this, our military will collapse! That is why I want to join the military. So I can have people salute me.
Please be clear that I would be just as incensed about this were it two people that I did not know. Also know that I UNDERSTAND this is one man. Albeit it one man who needs to get his priorities straight in a motherfucking NEW YORK minute. dh reads this blog, and it is his request that I write about it, and I am asking y'all to respect that. If you would like to leave a helpful comment about it, to let him know that you do in fact think that this is ridiculous, go ahead. If not, I'll ask y'all to refrain. Remember that he is the one over there right now, living through what has been reduced to what I can only label one man with some serious fucking issues. I, for one, did not sign up for the soap opera channel.
Thank you, and have a good night.
We now continue with regular programming.
Ugh, yeah that is dumb. Hopefully he didn't get in too much trouble with the reprimand. Thank him for putting up with that kind of bullshit for me. Apparently the men in our military not only need to be brave, they also need to be patient and tolerant.
I didn't know DH read this. (HI DH!!! WE LOVE YOUR WIFE!!!) Anyway yeah.. that just seems like utter bullshit to me. Sounds like he's having the same issues with powerhungry assholes that he was in Japan... fucking morons. I'm really sorry he's having to go through this.
I'm just glad Gary doesn't have anyone like this. I mean yeah sometimes they have to do stupid things but he really likes the guys he works with. No assholes yet. However I'm sure in the next 5 years (maybe more) he'll encounter some.
Hang in there DH you're almost done. :)
ps. We really do love you Alex. Can't wait to see you!
Yes, I've seen some people like this... It's always the Officers (why? Because enlisted know what it's like to be a grunt). These types of Officers think they're better than enlisted because they have a little shiney thing on their uniform.
They have nothing better to do, so they drive/walk around looking for something to bitch about and get "fixed," and hoping to find someone that they can chew out. Unfortunately, that day, it was DH's turn, and that sucks.
I agree, that's something that makes a lot of people hate the Military, cocky arrogant assholes.
That's why I want to be an Officer so bad... So I can spit on them. =D
ya unfortunately that is really crappy and it happens way too often for the exact reason you say... powertrips. I dont know what branch of service your dh.... but my dh is army and he's over there.... and it kinda just goes with the territory of "well, thats the army for ya...." that wasnt really helpful..... but if it makes the two of you feel better, I'm sure that I am not the only slightly embarrased and way pissed about what happened to your dh. I would be spitting fire if it were mine. I
DH (and you too, A),
Next time you see the Colonel, be sure to salute, but use only one finger instead of all five.
The main reason my Dad got out of the Air Force was because he had a Colonel just like that. The guy had a huge chip on his shoulder and an ever bigger stick up his ass.
Sorry things are so crappy. Maybe Colonel Martha Stewart will get shipped home soon. I hear they want to redecorate the Pentagon.
This is human nature at its worst! Some people don't "get" the bigger picture!
DH - Thanks for protecting us here back on the homefront! We appreciate it more than you know!