Friday, April 30, 2010

Home again

I was just in Dallas again for three and a half days doing work training, I have to laugh because until last year when we went to visit Richard's brother and sister in San Antonio I had never stepped foot in Texas, now this month alone I have been to Dallas three times! the sad thing is I still have only seen the airport, the coorporate office and medical center and the training center and my hotel, no time to sight see, so I could not tell you much about the city other than I have become quite the expert on the airport (fairly easy to get around thank goodness, I know right where Starbucks the USO and the book stores are).  Richard and I will be heading back there for the day on Monday, we have an appointment with the passport place)long story I will save for a post tomorrow, so we hope to go see all the JFK stuff while we are there and maybe the Cowboys stadium if we have time since Richards Loves the Cowboys! 
I got back just in time to run off to the Company (Richard's) safety day at the park, that was nice, lunch some PT activities and just all the soldiers and their families spending some relazing time together.
Home now and of course have a million things to do, Levi had prom tomorrow, luckily "her" mom went shopping and found him an affordable suit so all I have to do is write the check, and take him to get her flowers tomorrow.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Are you kidding me!!!

For the most part the switch over to American at work is going great, I love my new schedule, the new people we hired are working out great and the ones who stayed and transfered over are as awsome as ever, so that being said I enjoy going to work again, but it still has it moments from time to time.
We have a policy (company wide) that states you must check in at least 30min before your flight, we close the tkt counter at 30min before not only that but our computers quit allowing you to check people in then so even if we wanted to stay open longer it won't let you. (I can override it in certain cases but try to stick with the 30min policy).
We have an average of three to four people a day we have to move to a later flt because they missed the cut off time, some are great about it some not so much!
A couple days ago I got one who was "not so much" he was very irrate when I walked out to help people as the flt was closing, since the plane was still on the ground he felt he should be able to get on I keep trying to explain to him that he had missed the cut off time, security was closed and I would have to move him to a later flt, he keep yelling and telling me he was there on time, (they all say that) I informed him I had left the counter open an extra 7min and he was not there so the best I could do was move him to a later flt (this costs people a 50.00 change fee) he keep yelling and got inches from my face and called me some really ugly names I will not repeat and said you are -----------who would not do anything to help the military (yes he was a soldier in civilian clothes) I have been yelled at a lot over the years, I have had dozens of classes on dealing with irrate people it usually is not a big deal to me but his comment left me speachless. all I could say was my husband is in the military and you have no idea what I do every day for the military and I turned and walked away, I went to find security with the intention of having him removed from the property, but they had already left so I went back and told my employess that he WOULD NOT fly, they were not to move him and I told him he could leave or I would have him removed.
I have spent years donating time and money to the military and veterans, even before I met or was married to Richard.  I orginized letters to soldiers, sent care packages, I am the co leader of the FRG, I spend a good portion of my spare time in meetings or doing some sort of project for the unit and their families here, I still have a few Vets who call me to get advise or help dealing with their VA claims (and I have not worked at the VA for 3years now) I have given countless new soliers a ride to in processing on Post from the airport when they have flown in and did not want to wait for the van, I have bought food out of my own pocket and brought it in to feed the ones who have been on delayed flights and are stuck at the airport, I have even brought soldiers home who have not had anywhere to stay because of delayed or canceled flts and let them spend the night at our house then driven them back in for their flts (I only do this when Richard is home of course just to be safe) I deliver their delayed bags on my own time and so on. I do not need or want any special attention for the things I do, I do them because I feel it is the least that I can do for those who give so much everday to ensure we have a safe and free place to live and raise our families.  I recieved an award from the LT Col of the Battalion here a few weeks ago and I just heard I am getting another one from later this week from the next higher up level for volunteering time to the company, I appriciate that and find it to be a great  honor to recieve, but I do not do any of the things I do to get an award.  I was very hurt by this soldiers comments and needless to say when I told Richard he was furious he wanted his name, I cannot give it to him even if I wanted to since all our passengers are covered by the privacy act.
Anyhow the story ended ok, he came back to the counter about 20min after I told him to leave, apologized to me for his behavior and asked if I could help him, I waved the 50.00 fee and had one of my employees put him on a flt for the next day, that was yesterday and then when I walked out after sending that flt there he was late again, looking very upset but this time at himself not at me, he showed me a speeding tkt he had got on the way in and asked me very nicely if I could help him, I moved him again to today and strongly encouraged him to arrive an hour prior to the flt, we had a nice talk about the things that have been going on in his life that had caused him to have the stress level that made him behave the way he had and I even offered to let him sleep on our couch for the night when he was worried about having a place to stay (he declined and I suppose that is for the best since Richard is still upset I won't tell him the name) I hope he gets there on time today and I do wish him the best.