Reporting in

I mentioned the calls and emails from the wives in a previous post and I figured it warranted its own entry. As I’ve also mentioned, I have no idea is this is normal since it’s the first real assignment we had after pilot training.

These situations took place the first year we were here. We arrived here in late January and my husband’s squadron had to deploy in early August. Since I had no idea what I was doing, I thought if I didn’t comply I would get my husband in trouble.

The spouses organization said they needed all of my information while my husband was away. They explained that this was in case of an emergency and they needed to notify me about something… I had no idea at the time that our ideas of an emergency were very different. They also told me they needed to know anytime I was out of town in case something happened to my husband during deployment. I now know that it’s not the spouse organization that notifies you if something happens on deployment, it’s the base. It’s not based on the information you give the spouse organization, but what is on your husband’s emergency contact card in his file.

During 2008 a tropical storm was approaching the coast. I’m from Florida and I’ve lived through more hurricanes than I can remember. I started getting panicked emails from the “lead spouse” and my “key spouse” that I needed to share my evacuation route with them and the phone number and address of where I would be. They kept referring to the TS as a hurricane, which bothered me because there is definitely a difference. Plus, I think the unnecessary use of the word hurricane was causing panic. I jokingly said in my reply that in Florida we actually have hurricane parties (because we do) and that all you need is a little rum for a good hurricane. I got a response back from the “lead spouse” saying I should take things more seriously.

The TS didn’t actually hit the coast, in fact, we didn’t even get rain from it. It was a Friday night and I’d had a long day at work. I was fighting a sore throat and looking forward to a bottle of wine and a chick flick that night. I got an email around 5 saying I’d need to “report in” either by phone or email on Saturday morning before 8am. Seriously? The storm didn’t even hit and we don’t live on base. I emailed my “key spouse” and told her I wasn’t feeling well. I asked if I could opt out and she said if I didn’t report in, she’d call the police. I had drafted several nasty responses, but I thought better of sending them.

A few weeks later, I got the most ludicrous call… A hurricane hit thousands of miles away on the coast of Texas. My phone rang at 8:00am on a Sunday morning. I ignored it, because I would have probably said some choice words to the person on the other line. It rang again… Seriously? What is it about these people and not sleeping in on weekends? It was my “key spouse,” they were requiring everyone to report in and say they weren’t in Texas. We live no where near Texas. I have never given any indication that I have anything waiting for me in Texas. Am I being punked? This was just crazy.

It went on like that throughout the deployment. My favorite moment was when I went on a cruise. I got to send an email to my “key spouse” that I would have absolutely no access to email or phone.

The squadron underwent an inspection after they returned from deployment and they shredded a lot of old papers, including the spouse contact list. They still had my email, but they no longer had my phone number. It was awesome.

When it came time for another deployment, the emails started again asking for my information. I ignored them and got an email from the “lead spouse” and she had copied the commander! Really? I think the squadron commander (getting ready to deploy) has better things to do! My husband contacted base legal to find out if I really had to give them my information or not. They said I wasn’t required to give them anything as long as my husband’s emergency contact card was up to date. I emailed the “lead spouse” back saying I was not going to give her my information after my experience with the previous deployment. They have my email and I will reply at a time convenient for me. I also mentioned I had contacted base legal. She didn’t ask for my information again.

I still got annoying emails, but I didn’t have to “report in.” I’ll share some of the emails in a future entry. Yes, I realize these people are unpaid volunteers, but I think it’s a bit ridiculous to ask me to “report in” for a tropical storm that didn’t hit or a hurricane that hit thousands of miles away. Sorry, but enough was enough for me.