Well you can count on the Marine Corps for making life real stressful. I am beginning to re-think my career choice. I bought great tickets for the upcomng round in Valencia, bought my plane tickets, reserved a killer hotel room for a killer deal and sure enough my "Gunny" sees fit to deny me my leave for that period. I don't know what to do. I have almost $2200 invested in a week of fun and motorcycle racing. I am at my wits end and the only thing he can say to me is you can take those plane tickets and shove up your ass. I am not even a bad Marine. I get high marks on all my fitness reports and do without question what is told of me. He did say that if I have a class in session (I am an instructor at a fleet aviation school) that we couldn't take leave. He told us this 2 weeks ago after I had already purchased my plane tickets, reserved my hotel room, and got the tickets to the race. I know grown men aren't supposed to cry but I feel sooo stressed out right about now. What can I do?
Go AWOL. Then hook up with a couple of "terrorists" and say you were abducted. It worked for the cat that tried to bug out to Jordan!
Just "frag" 'em! (only kidding). Seriously, I had similar issues when I was in the service. I was the only person in my unit with my MOS and that could handle my responsibilities (as an E2 no less) so my commanders didn't want me to take any leave. They argued that the operational readiness of the unit would drop. Luckily, I had a cool Section Leader that went to bat for me. It's hard to do, but try going over the guy's head and also be able to show that your absence will not compromise your unit. Good luck! (lucky bum, going to Valencia and all. . . . )
Sell your vacation as a package deal. Even if your airline tickets are "non-refundable" you can still change them for no more than $50 per ticket. This is just a drop in the bucket when your spending $2200 on a vacation. I know it wouldn't be a show stopper to me.
shit luck Hate to try to capitolize on your pain, but if you end up not being able to go, I'd consider buying your race ticket's from you. I'm kinda pissed myself. The reason I'm not at GNF is because my boss told me I had to be in Pamplona this week, which really pissed me off. To make things worse, I did no planning or anything to be at GNF, and now the Pamplona trip got delayed. So I could be at GNF, but I'm here at my desk because I my bike isn't even ready and my team isn't going now either. The only possible plus is that if I'm in Pamplona, I'll probably take a day off and drive myself to Valencia. I don't have tickets to the race though. I figured I'll try to watch from a bar or something and partake in the pre and post race partying. Let me know if you need to dump those tickets. I'll send pictures of me and Rossi.
I guess they are going to let me go anyway knowing that I have already bought the plane tickets also with a stern warning not to do it again. My wife and I love to travel to different places so I guess this stern warning will prevent me from doing that anymore. I also had to take a level 1 anti-terrorism brief, I guess their is some obscure order out there that says I have to have that.
Just glad to see that you're going to be able to go. Gotta remember, it's not the military if you don't jump through hoops. Just doesn't make it fun. I feel for ya. Grew up with a dad and two brothers that were Marines. Made life an absolute riot. Have fun at Valencia.
Wow... I really can't say that I miss it... Yeah, you should just send your wife in there to talk to the zeros... Works everytime! Officers are scared of wives!
Just make sure that next time you make plans you check with command BEFORE you get out your checkbook. Take care.
I would have explained to your Gunny that you had did not realize that this would be a problem and that you had already made all the arrangements before he issued the not leaving policy. If you are tight with your First Sargent then I would maybe talk to him about it. For $2200 I would definitely talk to him about it, but I would not go to him and outright complain. I would tell him that I have a problem and that I would like his advice on what he thinks I should do. That is only if you are tight and he is a good shit. If that did not work it is right as a Marine to request mast up through your chain of command in order to resolve a problem that you feel that your problem was not resolved. Under the articles of the UCMJ no one can refuse your right. You might not get to see President Bush on this matter but you can certainly go up over the Gunny's head. If anyone has a problem with this then screw them, but just remember that the Gunny is going to be around to make your life miserable. I had to request mass twice while I was in the Corps and due to unreasonable prick section heads and both times I was told that I was being screwed and that I was right to request mast. One section head did not really care, but the other one was a real dickhead about it but he was a dickhead beforehand and that is why I requested mass. And like someone else said, try check your plans out ahead of time. Semper Fi.
I remember taking leave overseas and I was required to show round trip tickets before my request would be approved. I was wondering if this was the same kind of deal. I remember thinking when I bought the tickets, ($1400) what the hell am I going to do if they don't approve me now???
Okay. I was wondering what this "request mast" thing was. Why would using the chain of command to resolve an issue hurt your career? Is the Corps that political? Glad you get to go now, it would suck to lose that much dough and a chance to see the MotoGP races. Have fun!
It's not that the Corps is that political. This is just the kind of thing known to cause problems throughout the military and civilian world. Essentially, you piss off an immediate superior by going over his head and if he has a childish mentality, which many do, they consider this a slap in the face. As such, they have a tendency to make life hell for those that have jumped the chain of command. Again, it's not the Corps, this is prety much anywhere. It's unfortunate, but there are a lot of a**holes in the world that we must deal with, and it sucks when you get one as an immediate superior.
Re: shit luck Just like my transfer to Japan. Now I go on Nov 1. Bike is mothballed in Lansing, and I'm sitting at my desk instead of on a 160mph bike. Fuck.
GP plans go amuck!!! Hey, you shoulda known the 'gunny' KNEW you were up to something, and it was his job- no,no, it was his absolute mission in life- to deny you this leave, which you shouldn'ta asked for in the first place, knowing that 'gunny' would KNOW and logically deny you the leave... I SAY: go anyway, tell em when they catch you that "the devil made me do it" and that you intended to catch Osama at the GP... Regards, Charles
