Another Friday, another wound!
Well, isn’t that special? Now not only do I hate Septembers, but I am growing a deep hatred for Fridays as well.
I got an email this evening from one of Bryan’s fellow Candidate’s fiance. She was offering her condolences and wanted to know if I was OK. She also said she hoped my husband’s surgery had went well, and he was recovering. She is a very sweet lady and was just checking on me. She thought that for sure I would have been contacted by now.
I had not been informed of any of this of course. Not one word. I was in the dark until I read that email. I read it over and over and over again.
I called the emergency number I had. I was given the OCS number. A very kind Captain listened to me rake the Army over the coals over the fact that I was not even considered for a freaking phone call when my husband was headed for surgery. He was kind. It is not his fault. I reassured him that I was not blaming him. He took it. I was very upset, but I maintained an air of respect.
I was told that it is policy that unless the injury is life threatening they do not call the next of kin. Gee. Thank you. If I never felt like nothing more than a after thought in the Army I do now! Bad policy, bad decision and not a good move! With all of the talk about winning the hearts and minds of people, maybe the Army had better think about how policies like this can isolate, infuriate, and turn a wife’s heart very much against an institution. Don’t get me wrong. I am not going to start slamming the Army. I am not trading in my combat boots up top for some radical hippy sign. Not by a long shot. I am just very angry and very upset right now.
I don’t know anything else. Now, I get to try and go to bed soon. I get to try and get some sleep so I can drive 7+ hours tomorrow. I don’t know what I will find when I get there. They can’t tell me anything. I am left in the dark until I can hit the road tomorrow and get to Benning.
Claire, I am keeping you and your family in my prayers. Here is a big hug. I am here to hold your hand.
Dang Claire. Please know that I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us posted if you can. If I can do anything, please let me know.
I’ll keep you and your men in my prayers. Keep us posted if you can…
You are in my prayers and be safe.
Poor Miss Claire I hope he heals quickly
always sux when you find out from someone else — but you s/ ask your spouse to check his “notification” card — one that they all fill out thinking they’ll never be “hurt” — that says in case of “minor” injury (which is anything non-life threatening), he chose “do not notify NOK”… which 99% of the guys choose ’cause it has a tendency to needlessly worry spouses and parents if they cannot get to a phone (like out in the field or the sandbox) and you’ve been notified that they were injured — which might be anything from a deep paper cut to… well, a broken hip.
I will have to have him check it. I don’t think that the Cadre even considered calling me though. They had no idea that he was going to go into surgery. It really pissed me off in the beginning, but I am slowly seeing that I think I fell between the cracks — The hospital staff thought that the OCS Cadre would call me, they thought the hospital or Bryan would call. He wanted to call but was never able to between xrays and drugs.