vmedley90

[vmedley90]

Presenteeism in the Workplace

So, I found out that showing up to work with a fever actually has a name. It’s called Presenteeism. It’s a phenomena that has become quite the buzz in the business world. As companies struggle to find ways to prevent absenteeism, they have found that presenteeism is just as rampant of an issue and maybe even a worse problem. Understand, presenteeism has a direct effect on the health of workers and health costs to businesses. In most cases, workers come to work with infectious diseases and viruses that can easily cause a whole department to take ill. In the worst cases, however, it can be the reason people end up with stage four cancer instead of stage two or three. They just kept pushing, slugging away at work projects despite feeling less than 100% and their issue grows from a mole hill into a mountain. Additionally, research has shown a link between BMI, obesity, productivity with higher BMI being negatively correlated with productivity. 

What this means is, the higher your BMI, the less productive you are at work. This could be for a number of different reasons and I’ll let you research those reasons on your own but think about that for a second. Most people gain weight due to hormones, overeating, and not enough physical activities. Most folks say that they don’t have time to eat better or to work out or to do what they have to do to balance their hormones (meditation, de-stress, doctor visits, better food, etc.) Why do people not have time to do these things? Family and work, I’d wager with work being the main reason. So, you can’t care for yourself because of your obligations but because you’re not caring for yourself, you can’t attend to your obligations with 100% of yourself. Where does it end?

So why do people do this? Why show up to work in such a deplorable state, healthwise, that you risk making yourself even sicker and having even more issues in the future? Well, some do it because they want to meet or exceed the expectations of their superiors and their coworkers. Others do it because they don’t want to fall behind. Still, others do it because they believe they can’t afford to NOT go. Maybe they don’t have the time saved up at work, or they are saving it for something more serious, or they can’t afford to have short check. Me? I did it because it was the thing to do I guess. Everyone else showed up, so I figured I needed to do the same. I’ve gone to work sick. With fever. With staples from surgery. Unable to eat. So tired I feel asleep at my desk. So stressed I read the same email three times. So anxious I had to stop every hour to meditate and ground myself. I’ve cried all the way to work, sat in the parking lot and put on make up to cover it. Regardless, I showed up. 

Completing my practicum though showed me a different way to live. It felt odd at first- then I embraced. Taking time. Giving yourself time. For psychologists, its unethical to show up anyway but 100%. Your clients will be collateral damage if you don’t. I had to learn to be mindful and realistic about my work performance given whatever my current state was, and then adjust my work schedule accordingly. Now, I will stand for nothing less and I’m really not concerned about the consequences. I had to ask myself, “ do I really want to work in a place where I can’t take a day off if and when I need to?”. NO; no, I do not. It’s toxic. It’s suicide. A lot of people are committing suicide by work and it shows. 

On heels of the celebration of our wedding, today’s my birthday. It is also the eve of me re-entering the workforce after 7 or 8 months of pure, blissful rest and relaxation and reflection. At first I lamented my situation- its hard to work when you don’t steady transportation. Then I accepted it- being a housewife has its fun moments. I can study for my licensing exam at my leisure; exercise as much as I want; eat whatever I want; wear whatever I want; watch whatever I want when I want; and drink beer for breakfast without restraint. Now, I don’t drink beer for breakfast but I could and not be worried about how it would affect my day. I think every couple should experience this at least once! But as always, I got bored and desired more from this whole experience of living in Germany. So I’m going back to work. A standard 9 to 5 deal that will allow me to work enough to save up for a car; add a line on my resume; use my degree and training a little; and just generally give me something to do. It’ll also finance my travel which is of the UTMOST importance.

But this time I’m doing things differently. I have a part-time instructorship with a local college. I’m engaged with a few other “money-making” ventures also. None of these have paid me yet but they will eventually and when they do, I’m saving differently, spending differently, and relaxing differently. Most importantly, I’m thinking differently. I no longer feel bound to just SHOW UP because I’ve realized the hard way that my health and self-care is tantamount to any job. If I have to give up one of these sources of income or if I’m let go from any of them, I have back up plans. If I feel the need to provide radical self-care for my physical and mental health, I’m shutting it all down and doing what I need to do. If my employers take issue with this, well, they can fire me or I can quit. Either way, I’m standing steadfast in this freedom and ending my practice of presenteeism and I encourage you to do the same. 

1) https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/41731858/Obesity_and_presenteeism_the_impact_of_b20160129-1720-1okceva.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1555632091&Signature=rGYo4DYbP6zmBF3lUlSbPTgMFFA%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DObesity_and_Presenteeism_The_Impact_of_B.pdf 

[vmedley90]

Ma’am- Staring is Rude!

One thing I’ve noticed is how often and how blatantly people stare. I vividly remember going for walks around the town having people stare like

And it annoys me! Now I have a few theories as to why I get the stare down and they all boil down to this-- I LOOK REALLY DIFFERENT! Whenever we go out to the larger cities, we typically don’t get the looks and stares; however, in small town Bavaria that has become intensely populated by Americans, staring abounds. I would think they would be used to seeing outsiders and strangers in their town by now. Obviously not. I’ve read on other blogs that Germans stare. Not to be rude but to investigate and explore whatever it is that has captured their curiosity in the moment. 

With this in mind and since I endeavor to be the picture of politeness and accommodation, I typically ignore their stares or say “hallo” and smile kindly. Momma taught me well. Often, I am met with a stern “hallo” or, as is the case with older folks, a turn away. A few people have smiled back kindly and carried on with their business as if I’m just another customer in the shop- which I am. Here’s my frustration: I. Am. Sick. Of. Being. Nice. I’m just a hair away from responding to those who stare like

[vmedley90]

What... language is THAT?

Another short post! 2 in a row! YES!

Once a week or so, I walk from my house up to the little convenience store and butcher shop to 1) become more familiar with the town and lifestyle around here and 2) to practice my German.

Welp, I’ve noticed that the people here are SUPER nice! Like- they will work with you and help you as best they can if they see you’re trying to acclimate to their way of life. I’m sure they are sick of me by now because every week, I’ve come to their establishment with my broken German and demanded goods. OK, well, not demanded but you get the point. I’ve waited patiently to be served while doing my best to communicate with them with my horrible Deutsche.  

Before or after they assist me with whatever I’m purchasing, they assist other guests. Naturally. But what I noticed is they talk to them differently. The dialect in Bavaria is literally a completely different language. I’m pretty good and listening to accents and understanding what people are trying to say (well, I used to be) but this here. I can’t. Literally. I’ve always wondered what African American Vernacular English sounded like to “regular” English speakers. Now, I guess I have my answer. 

[vmedley90]

Dear Lay’s ... We Need to Talk.

This post is short! And it’s got pictures! 

We went to Weiden a few weeks ago! We were looking for a mall to walk around because you know.. that’s what kids did in the 90s. Unfortunately, Weiden doesn’t really have a “mall” like we are used to back in the states. They do have, however, City Center, which is like an outlet strip mall in the downtown area of a city. We took a taxi (which was about 70 Euro) there and basically walked around until it got dark and we got bored. The modern “mall like” area was a few blocks big but after it ended, the town opened into the quintessential “German” town that one thinks of when one hears “Bavaria” and “Germany”. The shopping there was ... ok. They had your basic needs and an H&M. Don’t expect anything fancy because you will get your feelings hurt. If you need shoes, you can find a good pair that’s inexpensive. If you need a good coat and you aren’t bargain shopping, you can find it there. If you’re looking for a place to drop your kids off while you go do your thing- you can find it there. At some point the place became overrun with tweens trying to be teens and it became just a little too much. The main thing this tells me though is the area is safe enough for parents to trust their children to have free time without getting into trouble. 

There were a few cafes in the City Center part and a few restaurants in the old town area; lots of little shops though and they all seemed interesting. From what I hear, some service members live out that way so I’m sure they have a different opinion than me but I think the area is a quaint little place for necessities if you’re sick of base and need to get a way without going too far! 

Here’s the thing that caught my attention the most...

bruh... Lay’s played us! I feel betrayed! They got all these unique and interesting flavored chips and I’m mad! Hot wing chips? With STRONG flavor? YES PLEASE! Chili lime? I got a sis that would LOVE THEM! I’d quite like to have all of these BACK IN THE STATES!! I know people would kill for a bacon chip and I’m sure my mom would love paprika chips! This is an outrage! They should be ashamed for withholding the good stuff and giving us the ubiquitous plain, BBQ, sour cream and onion, and whatever else! Yes, I am salty and yes, I am still mad, and NO I haven’t tried ANY of these flavors yet! hmph!

[vmedley90]

In-Processing and Housing

So today, I’m talking about how I, as a spouse, in-processed and our experience with housing. I’m putting these two together because they happen in-tandem; however, this post will be structured by topic. Feel free to read what’s most relevant to you.

TL;DR-

In-Processing: as a spouse, I didn’t do much to “in process”. First, I got every pamphlet from ACS that I could carry at one time. Next I got into IACS and got my SOFA stamp. Third, I rested. Haha! That was pretty much it. Everything else I’ve done and want to do is extra- not mandatory.

Housing: We shipped our HHG SUPER early- as in a month and a half before we left. So when we got our house, we were able to get our HHG the very next day. YESSSSS!!!!!!! We turned down our first offer and accepted the second. We weren’t picky; realized housing was trying to accommodate us as best they could; and military housing can never match your idea of “home”. 

The long story:

In-Processing: So by this point, you know that we couldn’t in-process right away. I can’t speak to this too much because he went through the process and not me. I can say that he went to a briefing early one morning and came back with lots of information and a two week schedule of briefings and such. Some of these included: setting up our APO (like the first day), getting into IACS (ID Card access), getting a USEUR license, and German language and culture. Be sure to speak with your spouse about things like TriCare coverage and what you would like in a house because he will more than likely encounter these things before you do as a spouse. Be sure to debrief with him each day of the in-processing because he will come across really good information that you can use to help get settled. 

He did the first step of the process which was to basically fill out some paperwork and get our name on the list. I was not with him for this. It will probably be the same for you and your spouse when you arrive as housing was on his in-processing schedule. 

As a spouse, as aforementioned, I really only had to get into IACS which required a trip to the Soldier for Life building in Graf. Super simple process. I also had to get my SOFA stamp because Bragg wouldn’t do it. That was also a really simple process that required a trip to the same building but to the Passport office. You can definitely get a lot of things done before lunch if you just get to the Soldier for Life building early that morning and just work your way through the different offices.

General note- the whole base basically shuts down between 11:30 and 12:00 for lunch. Handle your business before 11:30 or plan to wait until at least 13:00. Some places only open on certain days and at certain times so call before you go. Also, lots of places in the mall area of the PX and Commissary open at 10AM... some banks do too. Keep this in mind. I definitely got my feelings hurt thinking I’d be able to go do something at 8:00 only to find out it wasn’t open.

 In the first few weeks, you will be using your copy of the orders, a marriage certificate, passport, and ID fairly often so keep them handy with you if you plan to handle any official business. It is also good to have a Power of Attorney because some things can only be done by your spouse. For example, renewal of ID cards. Mine was about to expire so I went to the office to inquire about the renewal process. Babes had to be with me if I didn’t have a PoA. I was able to accept and deny housing offers without the PoA and luckily he was there with me to sign the paperwork for the one we accepted. So I’m not sure if it would be required for this step. Babes and I have decided to keep an active one even though he is home from deployment because it makes things super simple when we are handling business. I can handle whatever business I need to handle independently of him and he can focus on his daily tasks at work. 

Another thing I did to “in-process” was go by ACS and assess the services they offer and they offer ALOT!! It was overwhelming how many different services you can take advantage of through ACS. Like I said, I took EVERY. SINGLE. PAMPHLET. (Thanks for showing me the way Grandma!). Literally! That was the only way I could process what I needed and what I didn’t. It was all really good information and if I ever get a car I will definitely take advantage of all them. I also got a Spouse Checklist that was super helpful! I would advise giving ACS a good gander when you get here. They really take care of you out here! Everyone felt like family. They many opportunities to learn the language and culture, become acquainted to the area, and meet other spouses.

That’s it. I really didn’t do much to in-process but I believe the steps I did take were key to getting settled so quickly. Knowledge is key here!

Next up is Housing! HURRAYYYY!!! Everyone’s favorite subject!

We shipped our HHG extremely early. We scheduled our HHG shipment prior to our flight so we had no idea when we were leaving as they packed our things. We simply discussed how we would live after the goods were shipped and where we would stay until we left regardless of when that was. With that information in mind here is our timeline:

Nov 19: HHG Packed up

Dec 14: Move out of house

Dec 26: Car shipped from VA

Dec 27: Flight to Germany

Dec 28: Flight landed and bus to Graf

Jan 2: Begin in processing

Jan 7: Initial housing offer

Jan 11: 2nd housing offer

Jan 14: Accepted housing offer and got keys

Jan 15: HHG delivered and move in

Jan 21: Set up internet with Jobst

Jan 30: Internet hardware installed officially set up

So roughly 2 months after packing up our house we were resettled and pretty comfortable. Naturally there are a few creature comforts that we still lack- (wifey needs her face creams!!) but we are home for the most part. 

I think the key to this was shipping our goods super early. We decided to basically camp out in our living room to ensure our goods got here when we arrived if not before. That way, we wouldn’t have to wait too long to get comfortable again. We had two camping chairs and a good blow up mattress, blanket, and pillows. We used Styrofoam plates and plastic utensils. Food was kept to a minimum and we basically ate what was in the freezer. We only bought the healthy essentials like greens so we didn’t constipated from all of the noodles and junk food ahaha! Another key thing we did was pack our bags early as well so trying to decide what to wear was easy. We did this until we moved out. We left the bathroom the way it was when the movers came because we knew we were getting rid of most of those items and we wanted a little stability to our living situation after all of our things were gone. Everything that was left in our house was able to fit in his Wrangler and my PT Cruiser. We rented a small U-Haul because we had the washer and dryer to move but if we didn’t have those two large items, we wouldn’t have needed the U-Haul at all. 

The HHG pack up process was really simple. Someone came to the house about a week or so before we were due to pack up to look at the main items we had. We try to live minimally so we didn’t have a lot of stuff. A living room sofa set, a dining set, two bedroom sets complete with a vanity and tall chest of drawer, a book case, an L-shaped desk, and some closet racks. The moving company came super late- SUPER LATE. Apparently, they are always late but they are also very thorough. First they came in and started putting everything in boxes. For about an hour all we heard was boxes and packing tape. They packed up everything except our bathroom. EVERYTHING! A few pieces of trash included. I had heard they would, but having never experienced it, I was unprepared. We didn’t have to do anything but sit back and watch, we answered questions and gave guidance where necessary but we basically just tried to stay out of the way. 

Take pictures of everything major that is being shipped because if it can be taken apart- it will be. They dismantled everything and assured us the moving company here would put it back together which they did. Some items were a hassle because we didn’t know which table leg and screw went to which end-table-top. So, make sure you have pictures of your items to make this process easier and ask the moving company to label things as well. As they took things a part they packed it in small crates. In total we had about 6 or 7 crates. I think living so lightly also made getting resettled easier because you won’t have much to ship and unpack. OK, next on to how we got our house.

We’ve been married for almost four years now and this is our fifth address but our first PCS. Out of all those moves, this is the first time we’ve been able to choose a house together. We didn’t have a long extended conversation about what kind of house we wanted; we just felt it in our gut which is how we tend to do things in our relationship anyway. When we got our first offer, we were able to go there together and check it out and neither of us felt it was home. It wasn’t bad at all. In fact it was clean and modern. Very nice. So nice in fact it felt like a hotel room. Which is one reason we turned down. Our first offer was a 3rd floor apartment. Big no no for us. The outside looked like the barracks. A turn off. The ceiling was low and there was a huge support structure in the middle of the living room. We’re kind of tall and preferred not to hit the ceiling every time we stretched. Jeez. It was 2 bedrooms with a playroom/office and 2 bathrooms. No carpet. Modern and up to date appliances. Seemingly new flooring. Walking distance from the commissary and other frequently used services. It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t for us. And that’s ok. 

Now, it’s just me and him; so, we knew we couldn’t be too choosy. You can take that route if you want; but, trust me it won’t end well. While I was declining the first offer, there was a different service member there desperately explaining why he needed a 3 or 4 bedroom house even though he wasn’t qualified to have it. Housing was like “nah bruh”. Not sure how that turned out. If you know you’re picky, just go ahead and find your own housing through a German realtor. There’s more work involved in getting resettled but it’ll be worth it because you’ll be more comfortable (in theory). We, however did not want to go through that hassle- we really didn’t have a reason to do so and it just didn’t seem worth it since this isn’t our forever home. Plus having the “rent and utilities” come directly from his check was and still is more appealing to us then having to have a foreign bank account with enough money to cover these necessities each month. Not that we couldn’t afford it but just the whole process of transferring funds and such didn’t (and still doesn’t) sit well with me. Hiccups happen and I prefer not to get burned on a technicality- know what I mean? 

Anywho. Back to the story at hand. We turned down the first offering immediately and while I was there the agent told me they had something else they could offer us that Friday. Pure luck. It was off-post (which we were trying to avoid) but it was quiet, more spacious, and would probably suit us. We viewed it and feel in love. It’s not perfect. We prefer a stand alone single family one story (ranch style) home and this is a duplex townhome but it’s spacious. Has carpet. A little older but has character. It’s got two bedrooms plus a playroom/office and two and a half bathrooms. I fell in love with the huge laundry room (huge to me at least) and our little cute back yard. We’ve had backyards before, of course, but each time they’ve had trees or a woodline at the edge. which makes the grass grow a little weird IMO. This is all soft, lush, green, grass. I may regret this when spring hits but for now I love it. We gave ourselves some time to think on it- you have 72 hours to accept or decline after viewing- and decided this was probably the best we could get, so, we accepted. Plus we were about sick of staying in the hotel room which for us was like living at a Comfort Inn. 

Note: there was a weird smell in the house which I thought was indicative of needing to be cleaned. They sent someone to look at it and that person determined it was fine. The house had been empty for almost a year and almost everything was replaced after being thoroughly cleaned after the last tenant. It was as close to new as we could get. I say that to illustrate this point:  If you want a house but think something is wrong with it, they will do what they can to make it more livable for your including new carpet, another cleaning etc. Just express your concerns and know that they can work with you within reason. 

So, after accepting, the agent asked when our goods would arrive to determine if we needed loaner furniture. I called the moving company and they informed me they could deliver the next day if we wanted them to so naturally that was the option I took. Your move-in date will depend, in large part, on when you can get furniture. Had we taken the loaner furniture, it would have been another week or so in the hotel because the loaner furniture wasn’t ready for us immediately. They really try to take care of you as best they can IF you are reasonable and willing to work with them. 

... and that’s it! Once we got our household goods, we were set. 

I know this was another really long post but I hope you were able to get some information that is helpful- or you were at least somewhat entertained. I’ll try to get some pictures up of the house soon but OPSEC and stuff make it difficult. Next up... Our trip to Weiden!

[vmedley90]

What’s open?

Picking up from our last story, this post will discuss our first few days here.

TL;DR: In short, we got here during the holiday break so everything was different for us. Once we got here, we just sat in the hotel because everything interesting was closed or off post. We couldn’t in-process, so if we left base, it would be a hassle to get back on and we would need a few sensitive documents that we didn’t feel comfortable carrying with us in an unfamiliar area. Add in jet lag and lack of sponsor and well... It was just easier to stay in bed  LOL!

Now the long story...

As we were leaving the Welcome Center in Graf, the PFC who was our “sponsor” asked if we were hungry and wanted something to eat. My response: “I’d like something but prefer not to eat any more fast food.” Sadly, that was all that was open. I gave it a hard pass thinking there would surely be something that better suited my tastes once we go to the hotel. I was wrong. Once we got to Vilseck and got settled in, I began to try and figure out what was open, hoping to get a hot meal that wasn’t fast food. Everything was closed. I settled for a snack and promptly passed out from travel exhaustion afterwards so I guess it all worked out.

First rule about living in Germany- everything closes fairly early on base. If you want food after about 7 or 8PM, you will have to go out on the economy which means you may have to pay in Euro. Which is fine if you got it, if not, you’ll have to find an ATM. Which means venturing out in the cold and snow and ice. Which then makes you question is it even worth it and are you really THAT hungry. If you’re used to this weather then it’s no big deal; but you see, I’m from Eastern North Carolina. At the very mention of the chance of snow, ice, or sleet, everything- yes EVERYTHING- shuts down and we prepare for a cozy day inside watching movies. Everyone said it was cold and it snowed here but I wasn’t ready for this. Despite all of the warnings and gifts of gloves, hats, and scarves I just wasn’t ready. Anywho, the moral of the story is, if you’re gonna eat out on post, go early. Off post, plan ahead always have Euro. You can use your regular debit card at the ATMs on post to get Euro- we didn’t know that at the time.

We were informed that almost everything was closed until after New Year’s Day and all we had was the “mini” Commissary (as I call it)  and the food court. Service here wasn’t reliable either as some days the only restaurants open were Popeye’s and Charley’s. There were food trucks that were open at various times but we almost always missed it. There was a Burger King and Subway too that seemed to open in rotation with the other restaurants so there was always at least one restaurant open. 

Since everything was closed we couldn’t OFFICIALLY in process until that Wednesday after New Years Day and if we wanted to leave base we had to have orders, a passport, and some other document that was too precious to carry around haphazardly. Now to some, this was no big deal, but to us, it was just too much! TEW MUCH. So we stayed on base, mostly in the hotel room, for almost a week. Each morning we would get breakfast, come back to the room and try to figure out how to make the best of the day. We ended up sleeping most of the time because we were so jet lagged. I never thought I could sleep so much but travel can really wear you down! Especially if your body needs extra attention like mine does. 

So what did we do for those few days? We walked to the commissary and got snacks and food that we could make with a microwave to save a bit of money. We ended up visiting the food court at least once a day, anyway, if for no other reason than to just get out of the room. Since the room had good strong WiFi, we were able to research the area, and do other necessary tasks. I was able to apply for more jobs and peruse the various Graf, Vilseck, and USAG Bavaria Facebook pages for as much information as I could gather. We also started working on our license. 

That’s pretty much it. Pretty boring. I know; but without a “real” sponsor, this was the best we could do. Let me be clear, the PFC we had was helpful and willing to do what he could to make things a little easier for us. However, there was information and privileges afforded to a proper sponsor that the PFC simply didn’t have.  

So, all of that being said, once we landed and got to the hotel, we didn’t do much because:

1- we didn’t have any Euro and weren’t aware that we could get some from the ATM 

2- leaving base was a hassle because we couldn’t in-process 

3- JET. LAG.

4- No sponsor. 

Hopefully, if you’re PCS’ing during a holiday, your experience is better than ours!

[vmedley90]

Getting here...

Hi! Thanks for reading this post. If you are here, something brought you. Whether it was a quest for more information regarding upcoming travel, curiosity, or boredom- I hope you find the thing for which you are looking. If there is something in particular you would like for me to discuss, please do not hesitate to ask. 

This is the first of a series of blogs. I will publish them here for now until my website is up and running. They will all be transferred there. I’ve tried to keep the sentences short in the interest of time but it was a long journey and therefore it’s a long story-so let’s get started. 

We began our journey in my hometown. The first step in the long process of our official “move” was to ship our vehicle. We drove from my hometown in eastern North Carolina to Norfolk, VA. From Bragg, you can ship your car from SC or VA. We chose VA because it was closer to my hometown where we would be staying during his leave. We left around 10 or 11AM and arrived in VA around 1PM. He (my husband, the service member a.k.a babes) dropped me off at the hotel with ALL of our luggage and checked us in. As I literally drug all of our luggage upstairs he took the vehicle to the port. Even though he prepared the vehicle according to the instructions, there were still issues at the port. He had to go re-wash and scrub it clean once more before they would allow him to drop it off. 

He caught an Uber back to the hotel and we rested and prepared our things for the flights and bus ride ahead. Our hotel had a shuttle to the airport with just enough space for our luggage. Luckily we were the only passengers. 

Each of us had 4 bags total- 2 large checked and 2 small carry-ons. Yes, they were heavy. In total our bags weighted almost 270 lbs (AMC- Air Mobility Control- weighs your bags when you check in). Enough about the bags (packing list available upon request). Our first flight was with American Airlines. We flew from Norfolk to Philadelphia. It was about an hour- nothing special. We went up, got a snack, and came down. End of story. 

There was a short lay over until our next flight from Philly to BWI. The plane was teeny tiny. It was scary how small the plane was. It was probably a little bigger than a privet jet. Anywho. This flight was delayed by almost an hour. We were stuck on the tarmac for almost an hour for a 15 minute flight. Yes, 15 minutes. Not even enough time for the attendant to hand out water and soda! 

Once we landed at BWI, we had a long lay over until our next flight. Here is where things got a little dicey for us. We landed with American Airlines and our next flight was with AMC. Two completely different airlines. This didn’t register with us so we didn’t think to go get our bags from the luggage claims. Instead, we got some food and lounged a bit before heading towards the AMC check-in area. Babe- there’s luggage claims. we should go check for our bags. 

Me- yea sure.

As we approach the luggage claim area, I think to myself  “o those bags look familiar. Those are our bags. Why are they in the- LOST LUGGAGE??” Lo and behold, we were supposed to come and get them after we got off the plane; since we didn’t, they had been marked as lost. Luckily, we were able to claim them but then we had to lug them around the airport. We decided to just go to the AMC counter to see if we could drop them off. 

On the way to the AMC counter, a helpful USO volunteer helped us re-tag our bags and told us they may take them, they may not. We got to the counter and checked in. Here we were able to choose our seats. We opted for a two seat row near the back. It was spacious enough for us two long-legged folks (he is just over 6′0 and I’m about 5′10), my overpacked bag, coat/blanket, all the other accouterments I thought I needed to be comfortable. Was it luxury- no, but it was better than some of the other planes I’ve been on. More on the actual plane ride later. 

So after we checked-in and chose our seats, the attendant was gracious enough to take our bags so we didn’t have to lug them around. Babe and I made our way to the USO lounge and promptly passed out. We took turns getting up to walk around when one of us was awake but ultimately we slept a lot. I more than him. The USO lounge in the BWI airport was full but seemed spacious enough. There was a sleep room in the back for those who needed uninterrupted shut eye. There was also a play room for kids complete with cribs sleeping areas for children. There were games and toys and computers. At some point, someone brought in pizza but they had a stock of microwavable cheeseburgers and other snacks one could have. Everything was “free to the patrons” but a donation was encouraged. If that didn’t float your boat, you could get food from a limited number of restaurants outside of security. The USO lounge was outside of security also. You could go through security to get to the main food court but honestly who would want to go through that hassle. BWI had a food delivery service that would bring food to wherever you were in the airport. I used it. It’s handy. Not sure how long it will exist though. 

We spent about 6 or 7 hours in a dazed coma in the USO lounge- in and out of sleep. The flight was due to take off at around 8:30 PM so we headed up to security at around 6:30. It took awhile to get through because it was a really busy time but we made it. Once we got through security we made our way to our gate. We were pretty far removed from everything and everyone else in the airport- almost secluded but I guess it was for the best. OPSEC and all. 

We boarded the plane in an orderly fashion. There were both uniformed and un-uniformed service members both alone and with their families. The plane was absolutely huge. Pets and fur babies were loaded under the plane and you could hear their pitiful whines and barks before the plane took off. Each row had about 9 or 10 seats across. Towards the back of the plane, the rows tapered off to 4-6 across. There was plenty of overhead space and leg room for me and him. The ride was long (about 7 or 8 hours) but smooth. There isn’t much to see out of the window and its best to either focus on some activity or sleep. I would advise you to sleep because once you land, you will need to be able to focus. Meals were served but I was sleep the whole time and didn’t eat anything. Didn’t even need the ZZquil I brought with me. Babes stayed up and watched a few movies and fell asleep right at the end. If I remember correctly, the movies were fairly up to date. For the most part, the plane was quiet. There was one child who screamed the entire flight. THE. ENTIRE. FLIGHT. I felt bad for the parents and child both. 

The landing was smooth and uneventful. There was a short briefing over the intercom before we were let off the plane. It didn’t start until everyone was in their seats. If I remember correctly the instructions were only given once so you had to be able to listen carefully so you could remember what you were supposed to do. This is why it is important for you to be able to function once the flight ends- you have to get certain documents out and have them ready immediately upon exiting the plane. You exited the plane according to your flight plan. If Ramstein was your last stop, you were in the last group to get off. 

Once we got off the plane, we were at the Ramstein Airforce Base. We were herded into a huge “welcoming facility” for lack of better term. Maybe “processing” facility is a better choice of words. Either way, we went to a place and had to clear 3-4 different stations before we were able to get our bags. The lines were long and the children, cranky. The building was drafty. It was a long process. We landed around 10AM and didn’t get our bags until about 1 or 2 PM. The dogs barked the whole time. THE. ENTIRE. TIME. Here is where our story differs from the rest.

Since we came during the holiday, we didn’t have the luxury of staying in Ramstein for a night which is the norm. Once we got our bags we went to another holding area for another briefing and was then taken to our bus. The ride was 4-5 hours long with one stop about half-way through for food. I slept half of the way here too. We had a choice of McDonalds or local fare. We got to Graf around 7PM. We were taken to the Welcome center at the Soldier for Life building. Babes went to a special briefing while I spoke with USO volunteers and drank coffee. They were spouses also and gave me lots of helpful information. 

Once the briefing ended I learned that our sponsor, who had been silent for most of this process, was not here. He left us with a PFC who seemed nice enough but it was obvious he really didn’t know ALL that he was supposed to do and rightly so- this wasn’t his duty. His car couldn’t hold all of our luggage so he called a buddy and together we all went to Vilseck where someone, somehow, managed to get us lodging. If I recall correctly, the PFC lucked up on getting us a room there at the last minute. The check-in here went fairly smoothly and we were then able to go to our room and rest. Got to the room. Drug the bags in. Found PJs and other necessities. Showered. Snacked. Slept.

... and so, we were finally here.