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.
