This 3-day weekend starts off with a bang!
I separate from the military in less than 40 days, so instead of my 3 subordinates getting their performance reports in January, they are considered overdue NOW. Of course, I was notified of this just before I left the deployed location, and I don't have a laptop, so I had no work done on it AT ALL. I returned home from a 90+ day deployment on Monday night. Well, the bosses are making me come in all weekend to get these done instead of getting to take my 2 weeks off, so I am already pissed. They say that I can come in wearing "civilian clothes", so that's not so bad. I woke up a little late, but I still ride my bicycle to the corner store to get some bottled water and food for the day. I get my stuff together and start off, and some guy starts yelling as I am pedaling away. I'm just hearing "Hey! Hey you!", so I keep going. Slowly, but going. Then I hear "On the bike!". I stop and this Airman with a black beret [security forces] says that I need to be wearing a helmet. I've been riding my bicycle the whole 2 miles to work for almost 2 years now without a helmet and have never been harassed so okay, whatever.. I walk about 1/4 mile with my bike and say "Forget this - I'm running late" and jump back on the bike. No sooner do I jump on the bike and round the corner does the same damn cop stop me. It's like he was just itching for it and waiting for me.
Well, he asks for my ID card and asks if I am in the military, then he has me put my hands on the hood of his car. Two other security forces vehicles show up and I am instructed, cuffed, questioned, searched and put in the back of the car. The first guy asked "Did you know I could arrest you for disobeying what I told you to do". I said that I didn't. There was no telling whether or not he was even on duty, since the cops hang out at that store on base 24/7 - almost like it's their freaking church. Then someone else asked me the same question. I said no, and that the other guy already asked me that. Then they asked why, if I said I was going to work, did I have groceries and why was I not in uniform. Nevermind the fact that I was well into the maintenance area of the base and it would be stupid for me to be there for anything but work [it's an area of the base that really can't be used for a shortcut, especially not if you are going from the corner-store to any place other than work]. I laughed because I was already pissed about being cuffed and having to work on my 3-day weekend, and I couldn't believe that he would think I would be lying about going to work. I told him that I am overdue on EPRs and that I was told that I COULD wear what I wanted. THEN he asked me where I worked, like he couldn't believe that someone coming in on their own time to do work would not come in wearing their uniform.
Well, they kept me in the back of the car [listening to some decent music that was on the radio, by the way] for 15-20 minutes while they talked outside, and occasionally they would come back to check on me and ask another question or two. Finally they "let me go" and instead of taking me to the station they told me that I am lucky that they aren't taking me in, that I will not ride my bike without a helmet, and that my 1st Sergeant will get a report on Tuesday. What I don't really understand is if they were getting me for not wearing a helmet or for not listening to the direction of a security forces Airman.
How stupid is this?! I don't know how I have been able to stand nine years of this. I can't wait to get out of this damn organization. Just 1 month left...
Damn "the man".
I separate from the military in less than 40 days, so instead of my 3 subordinates getting their performance reports in January, they are considered overdue NOW. Of course, I was notified of this just before I left the deployed location, and I don't have a laptop, so I had no work done on it AT ALL. I returned home from a 90+ day deployment on Monday night. Well, the bosses are making me come in all weekend to get these done instead of getting to take my 2 weeks off, so I am already pissed. They say that I can come in wearing "civilian clothes", so that's not so bad. I woke up a little late, but I still ride my bicycle to the corner store to get some bottled water and food for the day. I get my stuff together and start off, and some guy starts yelling as I am pedaling away. I'm just hearing "Hey! Hey you!", so I keep going. Slowly, but going. Then I hear "On the bike!". I stop and this Airman with a black beret [security forces] says that I need to be wearing a helmet. I've been riding my bicycle the whole 2 miles to work for almost 2 years now without a helmet and have never been harassed so okay, whatever.. I walk about 1/4 mile with my bike and say "Forget this - I'm running late" and jump back on the bike. No sooner do I jump on the bike and round the corner does the same damn cop stop me. It's like he was just itching for it and waiting for me.
Well, he asks for my ID card and asks if I am in the military, then he has me put my hands on the hood of his car. Two other security forces vehicles show up and I am instructed, cuffed, questioned, searched and put in the back of the car. The first guy asked "Did you know I could arrest you for disobeying what I told you to do". I said that I didn't. There was no telling whether or not he was even on duty, since the cops hang out at that store on base 24/7 - almost like it's their freaking church. Then someone else asked me the same question. I said no, and that the other guy already asked me that. Then they asked why, if I said I was going to work, did I have groceries and why was I not in uniform. Nevermind the fact that I was well into the maintenance area of the base and it would be stupid for me to be there for anything but work [it's an area of the base that really can't be used for a shortcut, especially not if you are going from the corner-store to any place other than work]. I laughed because I was already pissed about being cuffed and having to work on my 3-day weekend, and I couldn't believe that he would think I would be lying about going to work. I told him that I am overdue on EPRs and that I was told that I COULD wear what I wanted. THEN he asked me where I worked, like he couldn't believe that someone coming in on their own time to do work would not come in wearing their uniform.
Well, they kept me in the back of the car [listening to some decent music that was on the radio, by the way] for 15-20 minutes while they talked outside, and occasionally they would come back to check on me and ask another question or two. Finally they "let me go" and instead of taking me to the station they told me that I am lucky that they aren't taking me in, that I will not ride my bike without a helmet, and that my 1st Sergeant will get a report on Tuesday. What I don't really understand is if they were getting me for not wearing a helmet or for not listening to the direction of a security forces Airman.
How stupid is this?! I don't know how I have been able to stand nine years of this. I can't wait to get out of this damn organization. Just 1 month left...
Damn "the man".