Debates, Halloween and Military Pet Peeves

So, I watched the debates (last night). Interesting, in that I wanted to fall asleep at one point with the droning on and on by Kerry.

Just two and a half more weeks and this misery will be over! Can I last that long?

Anyway, I'm in the middle of two projects. One, a final jab at politics in my traditional halloween post, which will be nonpartison and poke fun at both sides, and of course, my halloween costume, which I've wanted to put together for a long time and never got around to doing. Until now. It's a secret, I shall unveil it on October 31st. If it turns out alright. . . I hope.

What am I saying? It's going to kick ass!

Meanwhile, the military, in all their infinite wisdom and glory, has ordered me to yet another SRP, a soldier readiness briefing for reservists. They have the habit of having one every four months or so. I picked up my uniforms from the Supply Sergeant with the backwards flag on the sleeve and also my TA-50, which I will bring with me, show everyone that I have, and then turn it in as soon as I get back. Which will basically negate the reason for me having it in the first place.

The crux of the issue? My dilemma. I want to go Active Duty. I have to get out of here. I need my independence (ironically, with the military). And I have to wait for my Higher Headquarters to pull their head out of their fourth point of contact and release me from my reserve contract so I can even talk to a recruiter. Ok, so I put in the paperwork, and sat back expecting to hear from them anywhere from two to four weeks.

Nope, wrong, two weeks to three months, minimum. Some people, apparently, are still waiting five months to go active.

Um, hello people. If you have me in the military and keep threatening to send me somewhere, SEND ME SOMEWHERE!!! I'm more then willing to go! Hell, I'll go in the heart of the Sunni Triangle if it means that you will actually utilize me in the crux of the mission. I want to do my part, I've volunteered about a half dozen or so times and the army keeps telling me no, or tells my unit to stand down, or some other crap. Now they're saying my unit will go NEXT year. That's what they said LAST year. I am sick of this! If they are going to keep putting my life on hold and telling me that they are going to send me somewhere, then I demand to be put on active duty and getting paid to be stood up and stood down. Hey, at least I can guarantee that I have a job. Meanwhile, I'm working retail in a dead end job waiting for the army to pull there head out of there ass.

As you can see, I'm a bit sour on the subject.

How can you take one person willing to serve and keep them on the backburner for three years, while other people are on their second or third rotations? Talk about an axe to the morale.