hotei
Jr. Member
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Alrighty -- first off, I want to apologize in advance if this is considered off topic (which will be really bad considering it is in the off topic forum, heh) but I wanted to get something off my chest.
I consider myself a tolerant individual. The military is made up of a rainbow of talents, abilities, shapes and sizes. That is perhaps what makes us such a versatile organization. A spread-spectrum community held together by a common duty and profession, regardless of trade. I understand all of this, and in the parlance of today's youth, I am "down with that".
That being said, as my time ticks by in the military, I am also seeing a trend that scares the bejeezus out of me, and frustrates, nay, infuriates me: individuals who show complete apathy for their work, a complete disregard for "attention to detail" -- any detail at that! --, are as lazy as the day is long, and with all of this, still feel the need to complain about how hard-done-by they are, especially by the military, the very organization they work for! They seem to think they are entitled to "something" (what, I am not really sure), and that anything the military does that doesn't jive with their "vision" is persona non grata.
Case-in-point. An acquaintance recently graduated their QL3s. They requested a posting, and lo and behold, they got their first choice. Congratulations were in order, but not to them. To them it was a hardship that the military was packing their belongings at their expense, moving them across the country and setting them up in a house at minimal expense and with minimal effort on the part of the individual. What was their reasoning? They were going to have to start fresh, with a new routine, new friends, and a new city. Oh quel horreur!
This is not the only instance that I have run into. Another such acquaintance has their family halfway across the province. It is easily a 12-hour drive to their hometown and they have kids and a wife. Obviously this can be traumatic and heart-wrenching as anyone with kids can likely attest to. The military has offered (on more than one occasion) to move them up here, again, at little or no cost to the individual. Now, forgetting for a second that this individual is not QL3 qualified (but special exceptions were being made), this individual refuses the move on the grounds that it would upset his kids' lives in school. Funny, but (inconsequential anecdote approaching at Warp Factor 5) I moved far more than most military children ever have in my childhood, and this it made me a far better, more adaptable individual in the long run. Not to mention that as an individual in the military, his kids and wife can look forward to a life of radical geographical shifts. Then again, why start now?
Then we get to the work ethic of some individuals. These individuals seem to forever have a slack-jawed look in their eyes. They believe that while at work, it is in the Queen's best interests to allow them unlimited time to surf the web and veg. Now, I am all for using one's downtime as a way to recharge, and if those periods of downtime fall at work, so be it. It is another thing entirely though to avoid work like the plague for the sole reason that "you don't feel like doing that today".
Of course the rant does not end there. Next on the hit-list is the "appointment addict". These individuals forever seem to be persona absentia. MIR appointment? Check. Dental appointment? Check. Dog to the vet (nevermind the fact they don't have a dog)? Check. Got to go to clothing stores? Check. Got stuff to do? Check, check, and more checks, in a never-ending chain of appointments. Obviously people have to keep their lives in order, otherwise it injures morale. But when time at appointments (over several months) is greater than time at work, there is a problem.
Perhaps the most prevalent amongst all these ingratious ingrates is the 0930-1600 one. This is a person who sees their job as one delineated by perhaps some of the most generous "general work hours" ever. This is a person who, if asked to work overtime, weekends, evenings, or some other "inconvenient time" will give you perhaps the most incredulous look ever spied on the face of God's green Earth. Moi? Work outside of 0930-1600? Why ever would I do that! I have a life outside of work!. Discounting the fact that the Queen could order you into harm's way, how do you ever expect to accomplish that when you can't even work at a time that isn't "convenient" for you.
To these people, I say, wake up! You joined the military, not the freakin' postal service! You are paid an ungodly sum of money to (on average) do comparatively little work when held up to your civilian counter-parts. Of course, as a soldier, regardless of trade, we can be ordered into harms way, and are "on duty" 24hrs a day, so obviously there are considerations. However, when you probably won't lift a finger to help those around you, will not work outside of your convenience, will belly ache and moan about how hard done by you are by the military way-of-life, and show so little drive, discipline and deportment that a dog rolling in a mud puddle could out do you, this is perhaps a wake up call. You are serving your country, not just yourself.
Like I said, I apologize, and now back to our regularly scheduled discussions...
*sigh*
I consider myself a tolerant individual. The military is made up of a rainbow of talents, abilities, shapes and sizes. That is perhaps what makes us such a versatile organization. A spread-spectrum community held together by a common duty and profession, regardless of trade. I understand all of this, and in the parlance of today's youth, I am "down with that".
That being said, as my time ticks by in the military, I am also seeing a trend that scares the bejeezus out of me, and frustrates, nay, infuriates me: individuals who show complete apathy for their work, a complete disregard for "attention to detail" -- any detail at that! --, are as lazy as the day is long, and with all of this, still feel the need to complain about how hard-done-by they are, especially by the military, the very organization they work for! They seem to think they are entitled to "something" (what, I am not really sure), and that anything the military does that doesn't jive with their "vision" is persona non grata.
Case-in-point. An acquaintance recently graduated their QL3s. They requested a posting, and lo and behold, they got their first choice. Congratulations were in order, but not to them. To them it was a hardship that the military was packing their belongings at their expense, moving them across the country and setting them up in a house at minimal expense and with minimal effort on the part of the individual. What was their reasoning? They were going to have to start fresh, with a new routine, new friends, and a new city. Oh quel horreur!
This is not the only instance that I have run into. Another such acquaintance has their family halfway across the province. It is easily a 12-hour drive to their hometown and they have kids and a wife. Obviously this can be traumatic and heart-wrenching as anyone with kids can likely attest to. The military has offered (on more than one occasion) to move them up here, again, at little or no cost to the individual. Now, forgetting for a second that this individual is not QL3 qualified (but special exceptions were being made), this individual refuses the move on the grounds that it would upset his kids' lives in school. Funny, but (inconsequential anecdote approaching at Warp Factor 5) I moved far more than most military children ever have in my childhood, and this it made me a far better, more adaptable individual in the long run. Not to mention that as an individual in the military, his kids and wife can look forward to a life of radical geographical shifts. Then again, why start now?
Then we get to the work ethic of some individuals. These individuals seem to forever have a slack-jawed look in their eyes. They believe that while at work, it is in the Queen's best interests to allow them unlimited time to surf the web and veg. Now, I am all for using one's downtime as a way to recharge, and if those periods of downtime fall at work, so be it. It is another thing entirely though to avoid work like the plague for the sole reason that "you don't feel like doing that today".
Of course the rant does not end there. Next on the hit-list is the "appointment addict". These individuals forever seem to be persona absentia. MIR appointment? Check. Dental appointment? Check. Dog to the vet (nevermind the fact they don't have a dog)? Check. Got to go to clothing stores? Check. Got stuff to do? Check, check, and more checks, in a never-ending chain of appointments. Obviously people have to keep their lives in order, otherwise it injures morale. But when time at appointments (over several months) is greater than time at work, there is a problem.
Perhaps the most prevalent amongst all these ingratious ingrates is the 0930-1600 one. This is a person who sees their job as one delineated by perhaps some of the most generous "general work hours" ever. This is a person who, if asked to work overtime, weekends, evenings, or some other "inconvenient time" will give you perhaps the most incredulous look ever spied on the face of God's green Earth. Moi? Work outside of 0930-1600? Why ever would I do that! I have a life outside of work!. Discounting the fact that the Queen could order you into harm's way, how do you ever expect to accomplish that when you can't even work at a time that isn't "convenient" for you.
To these people, I say, wake up! You joined the military, not the freakin' postal service! You are paid an ungodly sum of money to (on average) do comparatively little work when held up to your civilian counter-parts. Of course, as a soldier, regardless of trade, we can be ordered into harms way, and are "on duty" 24hrs a day, so obviously there are considerations. However, when you probably won't lift a finger to help those around you, will not work outside of your convenience, will belly ache and moan about how hard done by you are by the military way-of-life, and show so little drive, discipline and deportment that a dog rolling in a mud puddle could out do you, this is perhaps a wake up call. You are serving your country, not just yourself.
Like I said, I apologize, and now back to our regularly scheduled discussions...
*sigh*
