For a few weeks now my spouse has given me a heads up about "home visits" that the RDC is planning. They have been extremely vague about the how, the why and the when. On multiple occasions I have said to several folks that they will make an appointment if they wish to come to my house.
I haven't liked a majority of how this RDC functions so when someone says they are just going to show up at my house, I am not thrilled. It just seems like an excuse to see whose entitlements they can cut off for being out of country for more than 30 days.
We had an option this week to ask any open questions of the RDC, since I can't stand the RDC, HHC, Company Commander due to response or failure to respond to previous incidents, I politely asked the O5 about the home visits. When I requested that they make an appointment his face looked like I had asked him to kill someone. According to him by regulation he doesn't have to give me notice, this is a home visit. So under the guise of ensuring they can find my house in the event of casualty notification you are going to do what? Oh yes that's right they are actually making a health & welfare visit. I am familiar with these. My husband has had to make a couple of them during his career. H & W visits are normally made AFTER someone files a complaint that the dependents of a Service Member are somehow being neglected - dirty house, dirty kids, or other signs of neglect.
Needless to say I am quite perturbed that they are using the regulations of a H & W visit to show up unannounced but are claiming its to verify my address for casualty notification purposes. The next thing I posed to him was that I work outside the home, go to grad school at night and am never home. I do not need someone showing up unannounced, thinking I have left the country and killing entitlements from my spouse's paycheck. He assures me that this won't be the case since they "see my face" around and at FRG meetings. Let me tell you, if any entitlements are gone on any paycheck coming up shortly, I will be camping out in that man's office, raising kane like there's no tomorrow!
I also have no intention of being late to any class in order to let them in my house. If I am walking out the door then I will wave "hello" as I drive off to class. Otherwise they will need to show me a warrant, allow me to verify that a complaint about me abusing myself (the dog doesn't count as a dependent) has been filed so that an actual H & W visit is in order or take the time to just make a frickin' appointment!
3 comments:
Isn't it nice that some have so much time on their hands to drive around and check addresses? I had heard of this when I was in Germany but thought it was only for those who really needed it . . .
Hi! Just found your blog while browsing around and wanted to let you know I'd visited. I, too, am an Army wife in Germany. I've read a few entries and have bookmarked you to be able to visit again. (Hope that's ok!) I really like your writing style, and well, thinking as a newer wife I could probably learn a lesson or two from you.
Have a most wonderful day!
Lauren
p.s. I don't have a blog, myself. Years ago before blogs were heard of I started a diary on a freebie site, so that's where I still write. I've listed that as my 'home page'. Feel free to visit anytime. But if you do, fair warning, bring your sunglasses! ;-)...I just recently went from black to lime green!
You are correc they exist both in Germany and the states. It's a health and welfare visit. These nomrally only happen when someone files a complain with Social Services.
That's what irks me is that they are using a H&W regulation in order to show up unannounced - but say it's in relation to casualty notification purposes. I can see being able to find my house, hell I will even give directions but don't mix the two as an excuse to go looking for ways to kill entitlments.
HH6
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