{"id":300,"date":"2009-01-13T08:36:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-13T08:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2009\/01\/another-story-supporting-the-troops-is-real-here.html"},"modified":"2017-01-06T21:07:27","modified_gmt":"2017-01-07T04:07:27","slug":"another-story-supporting-the-troops-is-real-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2009\/01\/another-story-supporting-the-troops-is-real-here.html","title":{"rendered":"Another Story…Supporting the Troops is Real Here"},"content":{"rendered":"

This one is about the the incredible support structure at this base. Permanant Air Force bases have an assortment of “services”: a fitness center, lounge\/bar\/club, library, laundry\/dry cleaners, a finance office, movie theater, food service, chapel services, and medical services. They usually operate at hours similar to civilian versions.<\/p>\n

All of that stuff has been made available to us here 22-24 hours per day, 7 days per week! Since I’m working nights, it’s fascinating knowing that I can grab a Starbucks coffee* at 11pm, check out a book from the library at 6am, cash a check at 3am, or see “Marley and Me” at the theater at 8am! The fitness centers are open around the clock, laundry drop off\/pick up is available around the clock and many of the other services are closed 1-2 hours per day just for cleaning.<\/p>\n

The WiFi here is great, by the way! It’s a decent connection, but I’ve been plagued with having to find an available power outlet…along with everyone else with laptops whose batteries don’t last that long. So my first day here I dropped about $100 on not one but TWO batteries (I have two battery ports, since my DVD drive is broken). I can’t wait till they get here…I can plant myself anywhere in the “base services” area and blog or post Facebook statuses…<\/p>\n

I’ve attempted the webcam thing with the family just once so far, my work hours have made it hard to merry up with Dave’s and the boys’ school and sleep schedules, but I think that’s going to improve as my schedule settles in better. We have a couple of prime opportunities on weekends…when my battery arrives it should be better. I can plant myself near the WiFi source and get better signals.<\/p>\n

When I was younger I used to balk at the limited hours other base agencies would have and the premium placed on morale services available to the troops. Remember, I’m a weatherman…and weather stops for no mission!<\/p>\n

The Air Force is often ridiculed by the other services for how laid back they seem — think about it: Air Force troops historically have the best quarters and best services in any given war…<\/p>\n

…and because of it, the best morale of all the services and (in my opinion) the most fortitude to work their tails off when it comes time to do so! Like here at this base, right now!<\/p>\n

The last time I was in a hostile fire zone, I was a 1st Lieutenant. I was working 16 hour days — and expected the same from everyone around me and didn’t think it was fair that I had to work 16 hours per day, and others on the base only had to work 12 hour days.<\/p>\n

I’m now older and I wiser, I guess, and since I’ve arrived I’ve been constantly processing my information as a leader instead of a follower. I’m watching the younger troops’ well being like a hawk and constantly asking if they’re happy with the food and dorms, if they’re getting enough sleep, can they communicate with their families enough, and is there anything more they’d need in terms of morale items? Yes, even in the 4-5 days I’ve been here!<\/p>\n

That being said, here’s a link to a photo album I’ve started <\/a>that covers some of the morale and quality of life items we’re provided over here. You also can enjoy the stunning scenery here. We have strict restrictions on what we can\/can’t photograph: no operational stuff, such as aircraft or buildings that contain mission-related stuff and no foreigners without their permission. Some of the things I’d want to photograph often have foreigners around so I’m avoiding it.<\/p>\n

*Yes, you read right: We have Starbucks<\/a> here. See the photo album if you don’t believe me! YUM!<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This one is about the the incredible support structure at this base. Permanant Air Force bases have an assortment of “services”: a fitness center, lounge\/bar\/club, library, laundry\/dry cleaners, a finance office, movie theater, food service, chapel services, and medical services. They usually operate at hours similar to civilian versions. All of that stuff has been […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[1],"tags":[622,13,63],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5ycQ0-4Q","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4575,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2016\/08\/a-love-letter-to-my-local-library.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":0},"title":"A Love Letter to My Local Library","date":"02 August 16","format":false,"excerpt":"A version of this post originally appeared on GeekDad.com in May 2016. As you know, we've gotten around quite a bit. I am on my 8th home since graduating from college, and our sons are now on their 5th home.\u00a0Each move brings new discoveries. With each new community we learn\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"books\"","img":{"alt_text":"Image credit: P. Vollmer","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/geekdad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/ArmadaLibraryBook1200x600-1000x500.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":34,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2008\/01\/but-no-one-is-chasing-you.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":1},"title":"But No One is Chasing You….","date":"11 January 08","format":false,"excerpt":"I run.\"Why?\"Several reasons. I guess reason #1 is because the Air Force said I have to.\"But the Air Force said you only have to run 1 1\/2 miles for its fitness test. You've run as many as 26.2...why?\"I guess my routine running is 3-4 miles at a time...once upon a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"air force reserves\"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2138,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2013\/06\/the-dallas-airport-uso.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":2},"title":"The Dallas Airport USO","date":"07 June 13","format":false,"excerpt":"Whenever I fly to Nebraska for my Air Force Reserve duties**, I tend to rotate among the three airlines that fly between my local airports here and Omaha: Delta, American and United. **Once we get to Colorado, flying to my Air Force duties will no longer be my only option.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"air force\"","img":{"alt_text":"It's tradition.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/IMG_6344-e1370577295812-1024x378.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":20,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2008\/01\/patricias-other-life-a-qa-session.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":3},"title":"Patricia’s Other Life, A Q&A Session","date":"04 January 08","format":false,"excerpt":"The crisis seems to be averted for now.\"Which crisis? A sick son or a sick computer?\" Oh yeah -- both! Jake had a late lunch which seemed to have the same effect as watering a wilted houseplant. He perked right up and enjoyed an afternoon playdate and then even went\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"air force reserves\"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":331,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2009\/03\/the-worst-thing-in-the-world-is-to-try-to-sleep-and-not-to-f-scott-fitzgerald.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":4},"title":""The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to." ~F. Scott Fitzgerald","date":"07 March 09","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm seem to be suffering some sort of insomnia. I've not gotten more than 3-4 hours' sleep per night this past week, except for one night -- a night off -- where I made things worse by sleeping right through till almost morning. This is bad because I work nights\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"air force reserves\"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45,"url":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/2008\/01\/laundry-day.html","url_meta":{"origin":300,"position":5},"title":"Laundry Day!","date":"17 January 08","format":false,"excerpt":"It's laundry day in the Vollmer house. For those who don't know, I HATE laundry. Always have. I was quite lucky as a kid -- I did a lot of chores in my house growing up (washing dishes, mowing the lawn) but laundry was never one of them. I think\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"housework\"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=300"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4907,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/300\/revisions\/4907"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=300"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=300"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thevollmerfamily.com\/MajorMom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=300"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}