Someone asked me earlier if there were anymore weeds left on Fort Campbell since it seems to be the only thing I have been doing. The answer…, well a picture is worth 1,000 words. This was all done tonight and just on one side of the company.

Like every day in my life lately I manage to screw something up. Working late, doing whatever I can to make money, then coming to work and do the Army thing takes its toll.

The normal work day for me is simple, but long. I leave the house at 5:45am; do PT, the normal work day which ends at 5pm. Then I get started on my extra duty. That ends as early as 8:30, but has gone as late at 1am. Since I have not been the best of soldiers lately and because I am living in the barracks they are talking about regularly leaving at 11pm. Reminding me that I don’t have a family to go home too now.

I make an attempt to find someone to steal internet from in the barracks. I have a selection of 9 wireless networks. The strongest one being at the complete opposite side of the building. I managed to find one that I can pick up in my room, but it cuts in and out. Nine wireless networks create a lot of interference between each other.

After talking with the one SGT last night at my house I thought we came to an agreement that I am financially in ruins and I am forced to do everything to fix it so I can continue to provide for my family. So thinking that we will be able to work on a compromise together I went to work this morning in a fairly good mood. I got there and the PLT SGT that I have been having problems with tells me to come with him. We run to the company, grab a single piece of paper then to the MP station.

The whole time I am thinking that this is some kind of scare tactic, because they can’t do anything to me involving the MP’s. At least not until I go AWOL for 30 consecutive days. We sit there for around 30-45 minutes while he bites his nails and spits them out the window the entire time before calling the commander and ask what he was suppose to do. Then we walk into the MP station and he gives them the paper which requests to have my driving privileges revoked. I am thinking this must be a joke, how am I suppose to go anywhere on post and get anything done if I can’t drive? Well, that isn’t all they have planned for me.

After the MP station we go to see the Battalion commander (BC). I explain I can’t live like this I need a job or some other type of income, so my family can live. Showed him my LES which paid me $304 on the 14th this month, and will pay me $151 at the end of this month. The entire month of September I will have earned $455. I earned more than that in high school getting paid minimum wage at a fast food place, 12 years ago. He claims he took that into consideration when he reduced me in rank for “wearing unauthorized insignia”, which he agreed wasn’t my fault. Now he has no choice, for the better of the organization, and to make them mission capable, or in my words, so he can make an example out of me, he is now activating my suspended punishments.

I am now a PV2, and am fined another $864. Which if I don’t pay the fine before I get out of the Army then I will have to pay it after I get out, which it may be taken out of my income tax return if I don’t pay it by then. He continues by telling me that he was trying to consider my family but now he has no choice. I explained that I have been told that I am not allowed to go to any appointments or doing anything productive to assist myself with separating from the Army. My PLT SGT who was present didn’t make any attempt to defend himself at this accusation. Which was later proved my refusing to let me attend my 9am appointment for marriage counseling with my wife at the behavioral health clinic.

After I explained my financial situation and my obligation to my family, I informed him that I was working a second job and had earned a little over $500 this week. He asked me if I was sleeping and eating and made the comment that I looked like I was going through ranger school. I leaned over a little bit and noticed he had a ranger tab on his shoulder, which made it clear this was an analogy that he had personally experienced. I explained a little about the work I am doing, and the hours I am working and he assured me that he could tell. I am doing about 90% at night and getting little or no sleep. This also causes me to over sleep often resulting in me missing the first formation.

After the ordeal with the LTC, I went to the company where the company commander (CO) informed me of some new restrictions. My driving privileges on post have been revoked, I am restricted to post and can not leave post without permission and under supervision from someone in my chain of command, I am not allowed to wear civilian clothes, I have to sign into CQ every two hours, and I should be lucky that I don’t get another article 15 for having a second job. Which in order to work a second job I need approval from him.

I asked him how I am suppose to pay my bills, reiterating what I told the BC about creating over $7,000 worth of debt with a personal loan and credit cards since ShamSchool was exposed 4 months ago. He changed the subject like every other person in a command position that I ask that. I am beginning to think that they give these guys classes on how to change the subject when asked a question they don’t know the answer too.

He expressed his anger and told me “You are pressing my button”. On the brighter side this whole incident caused them to expedite the chapter. I signed the chapter paperwork today and was able to get the paperwork I need to clear without orders. They said that I should be able to be fully separated from the Army within two weeks. Which is great, except I haven’t paid my car insurance in two months and they will cancel it on the 30th. I have $66 left in my bank account and that is after I deposited the $500 I made this week. I have no savings in the bank, I have no method to move anywhere as they will only move my belongings and not provide me with the money needed to get a new place. I am looking at getting so far into debt that I won’t be able to recover for some time.

$455 for an entire month? This isn’t a joke, its an insult. If this were any other job I would quit on the spot and go look elsewhere for work. Some people have been in the Army so long, it seems they forget that its also a job and a way to provide for your family.

I have over 45 days of leave right now, would it be so hard to let me use them to find a job and manage my family? I thought so, but they laughed at me and informed me I must be out of my mind. I am so confused right now I don’t know which way is up.

In the 6 months I have been in this company of about 30 people, I will be the fourth one to get chaptered. I was going to be the 5th but he went AWOL over a week ago. At least I didn’t try to slit my wrist with a dull blade that couldn’t get through the first layer of skin, jump on a blackhawk as it was taking off, or down an entire bottle of pills to cry for attention like some other people in my company. They all got plaques, going away parties, and honorable discharges…, I built a website intended to help faceless soldiers because I loved being an NCO and helping others. This is my thanks.

Today started off as a bad day. I was able to do a little bit of work but it only paid about $50, was expecting twice that. I lost one job making a website that paid, and picked up a new one that doesn’t pay. The new website will help me in the long run with the publicity it already gets but won’t help me now.

Later this afternoon I had my PLT SGT come here and tell me how everything is going to be and express how much he doesn’t care about my family for the hundredth time. Made an appointment that I had in the afternoon and then went to talk to the Chaplin.

Expressed to the Chaplin everything that is going on, again. He agreed that I am in a unique situation. He started to explain that I need to do what my SGT’s are telling me just so I can get out of the Army without incident. I interrupted him and explained in more detail that if I do that then I have to let all my bills become delinquent, risk getting utilities get shut off, and have my cars repossessed. This will also mean that I have no savings that I will need to move to San Fransisco after the Army. He finished with telling me again that I am in a unique situation.

On a plus side he found out about this new program designed to help soldiers this morning called “USA Cares“. He gave me a card and told me that I was the first one he was able to tell about this program, since he just learned of it this morning. They don’t give you money like AER, but instead contact your creditor and work directly with them including paying that bill for you.

AER is a great resource but they don’t always give you money, they give you a loan. I have heard rumors of soldiers getting a grant from AER for car trouble for $1,000. They take the money and buy a car for $300 take the other $700 and go party. Then the car breaks down and they have to go get back to AER and get another grant. Tomorrow I hope to be able to visit AER and with any luck I will get a grant and not a loan. Loans are interest free however I don’t have anyway to pay anything back.

After leaving my meeting with the Chaplin I drove by the company and everyone had already gone for the day. So I had basically blown off work for the entire day. I got a lot done, but didn’t show up at work at all.

Later this evening the acting 1SG showed up to my house and asked what happened today. This being the third day I have blown off work. He explained that if I am not at work tomorrow there is a strong possibility that I will be restricted to post and they will process me for a court-marshal. Which I didn’t think was possible until I was AWOL for 30 consecutive days. I am not sure how they would do that anyway with the system used at the gates. But I don’t want to call his bluff if in the case I am wrong.

I explained that again that I feel that I have been given an ultimatum, Do wrong to the Army, or Do wrong to my family.

I say that and he pauses, and a minute or two longer he is back to the “You’re a soldier” speech. If I stay at home, or work late on the computer I can make money. $500 so far this week. I showed him my paypal account where I receive most of my income and he seemed a little bit surprised. However, I think the thing that made him mad was that I didn’t talk to him first. Which I hate to agree, but that is something I should of done. I am going back to work tomorrow and hopefully after talking with the 1SG and the Chaplin they will grant me just enough freedom to manage what I need to do in order to get everything prepared for when I get out of the Army.

Yesterday I finished my Phase II physical. This basically places me on a dead man profile. Which prevents me from doing anything that may injure me. One of the biggest things is “NO MORE PT”! PT being the one of the things I hate most about the Army. Just the idea of doing organized excersize that is focused on what the group needs to do and not what you need to do as an individual.

Today would of been my first day of falling out of PT because of this. Except I was suppose to go and do some work at the office. I went to go grocery shopping at Wal-mart at 9 last night and didn’t get to sleep until around midnight. This late night life that I have been living all week finally caught up with me and I over slept this morning.

So I had another visit from my PLT SGT. This time he had a piece of paper that was some kind of military order. Looked at it and said that I needed to gather some uniforms, PT’s, and shower gear. I made an attempt to look at the paper and informed him “I am not moving on post”. I don’t know why but seemed confused and puzzled by my response. Stepped back outside made a phone call and said he needed four people. What does he plan on doing? Physically remove me from my home?

I asked him about the paper and he told me it was a military order. No shit. I figured out that by reading the large headline. After about 20 minutes he left and informed me that tomorrow morning at 0630 I would be AWOL.

I may be a PFC, but I am not a dumb private. In order for them to officially classify me as being AWOL I have to be gone more than 30 consecutive days. I don’t know if he was trying to scare me or what.

I wasn’t trying to sleep in this morning, but I was so tired I slept until 10am. I have an appointment today at 1:30 then I will stop by the company and talk with my commander. He has always been reasonable and understanding maybe I will have better luck dealing with him.