And Speaking of "Customer Service"...

I was all set to attend a 3-week Army training course next month...orders in-hand, travel and lodging arranged, physical fitness level improved to acceptable levels, and military leave arranged at work. However, once again "Murphy" raised his ugly mug, and all plans came to a sudden halt. The cause of this? Why, it should come as no surprise to regular readers of my blog that the lumbering, slow-witted bureaucracy that is the U.S. Army threw itself once more across the pathway of progress. Specifically, I needed to have a current "Over 40" physical exam, complete with an EKG, in hand when I reported in to Ft Leonard Wood, MO. When I discovered this requirement several weeks ago, my unit administrative dude attempted to get it authorized through our battalion (located in Southern California), since our headquarters reserved that authority for themselves. (It apparently wouldn't do to have old geezer-warriors having EKGs at the drop of a hat, or something?) What our own admin guy could have no doubt accomplished in an hour, the staff weenies down south advised would require at least a month. Heilige Scheisse!  I also tried to arrange an appointment through the local Army hospital, but that route presented an entirely different set of roadblocks. So, with time running out, and no apparent solution in sight, I had to cancel going to this course, which meant I also had to cancel all of the airline, rental car, and lodging reservations, which took two weeks to arrange through the "less-than-awesome" Defense Travel Service website.

The one upside to this defeat is that I will be able to devote more time to a work project which is fast approaching an immovable deadline...but on the whole, I would have much more enjoyed shooting, ramming cars, and driving fast than being hunkered down in my cubicle, cross-referencing nuclear regulations. (Who wouldn't?)