Posted on Feb 5, 2015
Why do so many families that live on base feel so self-entitled and ungrateful.
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A duty assignment is what you make it. We've always lived off base, and I personally love the apartment that we have on base here in Germany. We don't have to pay rent or utilities, it's huge, it's a great community and we enjoy it. But, I'm so sick and tired of hearing the complaints on how they miss their homes and yards, and "I can't believe that so many Germans don't speak english." "I miss Walmart, " blah, blah, blah. What? Really? You are in a foreign country first of all,and many people never get to actually live in it, or even visit. I love it here. This should be a good one. Thoughts??
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Posted 10 y ago
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While we have a great opportunity serving overseas, we must remain realistic to some of the challenges we ask our families to endure. We have limited employment opportunities for our families while overseas, which can cause financial hardships as well as not getting out of the house and interacting with others. There are also challenges with the availability of goods and services that many have become accustomed to "back home"....and, while we are trying to get adjusted to our new environments, we often reflect on the place we just left - and begin missing all the little things that we really enjoyed. With that being said, we should embrace the change, enjoy our opportunities and make the best of it, like you said many never get this opportunity. Stay positive and you can always be selective of who your friends are....leave Negative Nelly alone.
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SFC (Join to see)
Your first comment says it all... "A duty assignment is what you make it". I have lived in a great many places over my career, some good and some not so. But each (even the bad ones) had good things about them that I was very happy that I got to experience.
Even after 28 moves, we were never assigned to a place that my wife wanted to go (even Hawaii, Colorado, Florida, Italy, Germany, etc.), but we were never assigned to a place that she wanted to leave, when it was time to do so. Again, it was home -- it was what you make it and, when it was time to leave, you did not want to, even if you did not want to be there when you first arrived.
What used to fry me a little were the retirees in Germany/other foreign countries who used to call my office (we were responsible for Customs Enforcement) and complain that they were not allowed to shop in the PX/commissary, use military medical facilities, or whatever that country's restrictions were on the non-active duty personnel. Many of them would say, for example, "If I was at Ft Bragg, I could shop in the commissary"... I would respond that they are not at Ft Bragg, they are in Germany (or whatever foreign country) and that they and the military must comply with the laws of that country. I reminded them that they made the decision to live there and that they were free to go shopping at Ft Bragg if they wanted to. Many became irate over my "lack of concern".
I lived 31 years of my life (14 as a military dependent and 17 on active duty) in overseas locations and I feel very, very fortunate to have done so. However, one thing that living overseas does is make you cherish the United States more, as there is no greater country on earth.
Your first comment says it all... "A duty assignment is what you make it". I have lived in a great many places over my career, some good and some not so. But each (even the bad ones) had good things about them that I was very happy that I got to experience.
Even after 28 moves, we were never assigned to a place that my wife wanted to go (even Hawaii, Colorado, Florida, Italy, Germany, etc.), but we were never assigned to a place that she wanted to leave, when it was time to do so. Again, it was home -- it was what you make it and, when it was time to leave, you did not want to, even if you did not want to be there when you first arrived.
What used to fry me a little were the retirees in Germany/other foreign countries who used to call my office (we were responsible for Customs Enforcement) and complain that they were not allowed to shop in the PX/commissary, use military medical facilities, or whatever that country's restrictions were on the non-active duty personnel. Many of them would say, for example, "If I was at Ft Bragg, I could shop in the commissary"... I would respond that they are not at Ft Bragg, they are in Germany (or whatever foreign country) and that they and the military must comply with the laws of that country. I reminded them that they made the decision to live there and that they were free to go shopping at Ft Bragg if they wanted to. Many became irate over my "lack of concern".
I lived 31 years of my life (14 as a military dependent and 17 on active duty) in overseas locations and I feel very, very fortunate to have done so. However, one thing that living overseas does is make you cherish the United States more, as there is no greater country on earth.
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SFC (Join to see)
If you can please tell any of those that if they miss wal mart and the states so much that I would gladly trade duty assignments with them, I would love to get stationed in Germany before I retire
If you can please tell any of those that if they miss wal mart and the states so much that I would gladly trade duty assignments with them, I would love to get stationed in Germany before I retire
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SFC (Join to see)
I hope you guys do get stationed over here. I love it so much that I requested to come back. I have been one of the fortunate one's to be here twice since I've been serving. You guys will love it. If you have the opportunity, definitely don't pass it up.
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