#ShutdownProblems

 For those of you with tender ears/eyes/dispositions who would prefer not to read excessive profanity, this entry is not for you. Actually the whole blog isn't for you. Who are you? Are you an adult? I hope you're an adult. I wouldn't want my kids or anyone else's kids to read this shit.

Fort Lee has not keeled over and died from the government shutdown. There was a solution to keep paying active duty military and “essential personnel” (civilian instructors and other contractors required for training). All of these people are being paid like normal. However, every reserve unit is shut down because they don’t have any money. It just so happens that my pay (at the active duty rate) comes from my unit back home. Therefore, I’m one of the few (probably like ten) people who aren’t getting paid here. I’m guaranteed to receive backpay whenever the government gets their shit together, and I’m not exactly living paycheck to paycheck, but the belligerent part of my brain is urging me to refuse the boots and utes run tomorrow morning at 5am, just to make a statement. Realistically, any open protest would be unsuccessful, so I’m reverting to guerrilla tactics by stealing and hoarding insignificant items like pens in order to be compensated. I’m calling it “interest.” 

The shutdown also prompted a huge “fuck you- oh nevermind” from admin to us LAT-movers. Within the span of two hours, I was told that I was probably getting dropped from training and sent home, and then told that I will be staying because Master Sergeant thinks I should complete the training even though there isn’t funding. You know, I could have used the second answer first. Because for two hours I stood in my welding booth thinking: “If I’m getting sent home, why the fuck am I still welding.” Part of me said: “No! This is bullshit, I’ve been here for over half the course and now they’re just dropping me, I’ve wasted two months.” But then the smarter part of me thought: “Haha wow. Why am I upset? This is great. This place fucking sucks. Who cares if I have a welding degree from the Marine Corps, we aren’t even legitimately certified.” Then I started thinking about my car and school and beer and I felt that maybe this government shutdown wasn’t such a bad thing. Thanks for setting things straight Master Sergeant, all that excitement was ruining the shittiness of my time here, no don’t worry it’s cool, I don’t mind not being paid. Also I didn’t get promoted.  My other Lance Corporal buddy (now “Corporal” buddy) did, I missed it by like twenty points (out of about 1600). Oh well, there’s always next year.

Happy fucking October. 

The issue of me being here is apparently still volatile, but rest assured, if they do send me home early it will be a week from now and just a bit too late to catch up on Fall term classes.