Military
1. Mission First
I didn’t really care much when I was an e3 and wasn’t in a serious relationship. I had nothing better to do. But now that I’m in a serious relationship, and wanting to eventually start a family, I can’t fathom being in Security Forces. Our women go through so much while they’re pregnant and if they’re supervisors????? I just can’t imagine…. I want to be able to put my family first, NOT a job that will replace me in a heart beat.. I could speak more about this but I still have a lot to write
2. Getting contacted on leave
We have 30 days of leave granted the entire year. I hardly take leave, and when I do, don’t talk to me about work or what I need to do AS I’m with my family that I don’t see often enough. I took 2 days of leave and got contacted on both of those days. This also goes into when we have our scheduled off days. I’m not at work, please just let me TRY and have work life balance. Because I don’t. Absolutely do not.
3. Everything Tricare/Medical
We go to the clinic on duty hours. If we get sick and go into the clinic, more often than not, the doctors try to gaslight us into thinking we aren’t actually sick. Excuse me sir, I can’t keep food down and am running a 103 fever, but yeah let me go work the main gate and get everyone coming onto base sick.
Also, I don’t like medication. I want to find the root cause and correct it. Our medical doesn’t do that. They prescribe us pills and send us on their way.
If I’m taking to my PCM, I can only schedule for ONE issue, not 2 not 3. So we have to schedule multiple appointment when it all could’ve been accomplished in a day.
I could go on and on
4. 12-14 hours of wasting away.
Hurry up and wait for someone to f*ck up or violate traffic laws etc. but at my base, there’s not a lot to respond to. Multiple people do absolutely nothing but stare at planes or stare into the abyss. It’s the most unrewarding feeling. Not to mention most of the posts, we could be by ourselves in a small vehicle that’s barely functioning. Etc etc etc etc etc
5. Pay doesn’t reflect
On call 24/7, so calculating based off of what I get paid every check * 2 weeks in the month *12 months / 365 days/ 24hours====== $5 an hour
I’m an E4 and recently became a supervisor. I have several troops I’m accountable for on top of have x years in the military, they pay absolutely does not reflect the day to day bullshit
6. Leave.
If we want to go on leave, we have to first check with leadership and see if we can go that day or not. And if we are good to go on their own matrix, then we can submit a LeaveWeb request. Big AF doesn’t like LeaveWeb requests being cancelled so first we need to clear it with our section before routing it. I just don’t like the process.
7. Working conditions, if the heat or AC runs out, they’ll try to find a solution, but if they can’t, then too bad, we’ll sit there either freezing in below freezing temperatures or have hot flashes until the next shift relieves us. One time it was humid and the ac wasn’t working and one window of my vehicle wouldnt roll up. Mosquitos attached my forehead making it look like I had an allergic reaction happening all over my face. I was at the main gate the other day, negative degrees temperature, and the giant heaters were admitting smoke and diesel scent. It smelt like diesel so bad I had a headache for 6 hours of my 12 hr shift and ended up dry heaving in the bathroom because I was so nauseous. Anyyyyywaysssss
8. Ranking Up, EPBs
It’s FOWL how the EPB system works. Everyone’s bullets are written to be over dramatic, and most airmen’s EPBs are full of lies. This goes for LOEs and
9. Awards
awards. I’ve seen someone get airmen of the quarter in my early days, because they hit the Barrier button when someone ran the gate. They only hit the button but didn’t do PROPER procedures. They didn’t do what they should’ve done. There’s people who should be recognized and there’s people who shouldn’t. But some of those get chosen over others who are actually good at their job, and go above and beyond.
10. Favoritism
no need to hit this one. Just if you’re a supervisor or the sup of a sup. If you focus on the growth and the mentorship of only one person, you’re putting the other 24 kids at a disadvantage. Don’t do that. Give everyone chances, not just someone who strokes your ego just right.
11. Sexism
speaking as a female in a male dominated career field, half the men don’t care and half the woman don’t care. I know complainers on both sides and I know those who excel on both sides. The few women that use their “assets” to their advantage seriously make things worse for those of us who just mind our business. There are some men (lower enlisted AND leadership) who will prey on the young females who just joined who ruin it for the rest of their rank. I’m very weary of males in E6 positions. Leading up to
12. Sexual Harassment/Assault
like I said, I’m weary of some men in the field, specifically E6s. I had a TSGT on deployment get full in my face, screaming at me because I wouldn’t and didn’t sleep with him. I have more to say but I’ll stop that there
Most SA cases that I’ve seen have accounted to absolutely nothing. They just send one or both of them to different bases thinking that that’s going to solve the issue. Again that’s all I’m going to say.
13. If you’re not prepared for HS round 2 then don’t join. Everyone’s in your business. Rumors on rumors on rumors. At one point I even had a rumor count of how much I’ve heard about myself. I was in Tech School and there was like a 3 day weekend and I forgot what holiday it was but the next duty day, someone asked me what I did, and then they proceeded to tell me that they heard I slept with 5 guys at the same time?!??!?!!! Excuse me???? That’s news to me😭 but it started in tech school and hadn’t ended and I’m almost 4 years in now.
Bottom line is, your patience will be tested and peace will be nonexistent.
Military life comes with unique challenges that many service members find difficult to navigate. One major concern is the struggle for work-life balance, especially when leave days are often interrupted by work responsibilities. Many military personnel feel the pressure of being contacted while on leave or off-duty, making it hard to manage family time. Additionally, the medical care system, often characterized by long waits and inadequate attention to individual needs, leaves many feeling frustrated. Service members regularly encounter the issue of needing multiple appointments for different health concerns, which could be addressed in a single visit. The perception that medical professionals overlook serious symptoms adds another layer of stress. The pay discrepancy is another critical topic, where many believe that the compensation does not reflect the level of responsibility and contribution they provide. With the expectation to be on-call 24/7, service members often feel devalued due to inadequate remuneration. Feeling unrecognized is intensified by the ranking and awards system. Many military members note favoritism, where promotions and awards are sometimes based on personal bias rather than merit, creating an environment of discontent. Lastly, the issues of sexism and sexual harassment remain prevalent, leaving many service women vulnerable to inappropriate behaviors and limiting their professional growth. Service members, especially women, find themselves navigating a complex environment riddled with rumors and unprofessional conduct, mirroring high school dynamics. These topics highlight not just the personal battles faced by individuals in the military, but also the systemic issues that need to be addressed to foster a healthier military community.
It’s a patriarch and a lot of men never grow out of their high school mentality.