Wedding Blog: BD**2 - 24

[gsabc]

Panic Setting In edition

What I was going to write about today has been preempted by this important announcement.

FSIL's colonel, as I understand it (I'm getting this third hand; FSIL to BD to GW to me), does not believe he is getting married. He thinks that FSIL just wants a long vacation. This is apparently the current hang-up in getting leave approval. BD is frazzled because the colonel may want to speak with her, and she has no idea what he wants to ask or what she should say. GW did not sleep last night out of worry that the groom won't show up for this shindig. I slept, in part because I did not know the details until this morning, and in part because that's my own coping mechanism, i.e., escape through unconsciousness.

I have located as many wedding vendor contracts, estimates, receipts and cancelled checks that I can. They are all photocopied and ready to be faxed to wherever they need to be. I will Fedex them out to CA if we have to. We are seriously considering Fedexing the colonel his own invitation to the wedding (idea from one of GW's co-workers). I can't say I really want to meet the gentleman, but if that's what it takes to convince him ...

I have located the USPS and web e-mail addresses and the phone and fax numbers for both U.S. senators and our congresscritter, for both their DC and their local offices. The local television stations and/or CNN may also get involved. BUT before that happens, I need the complete story from FSIL. All I need is to go off on a public rant (more public than here, anyway) and then find out afterwards that my information is wrong and it's not the Army's fault, or at least not entirely.

Stay tuned.

[MarleysGh0st]

FSIL's colonel, as I understand it (I'm getting this third hand; FSIL to BD to GW to me), does not believe he is getting married. He thinks that FSIL just wants a long vacation.

BD is frazzled because the colonel may want to speak with her, and she has no idea what he wants to ask or what she should say.

"Are you getting married to FSIL?"

"Can you answer certain questions to prove that you're really his fiancee?" (In case he's really paranoid that FSIL has hired a confederate to pull off a deception.)

I can't imagine there'd be anything more involved than that. In fact, I hope the whole thing has been exaggerated in the third hand report. If not, photocopies of the multitude of wedding details you've arranged ought to be sufficient. Going over the colonel's head to Congress and CNN seems premature.

[christie1111]

colonel may want to speak with her, and she has no idea what he wants to ask or what she should say.

Colonel: Are you gettin married in 24 days to FSIL?

BD: Yes sir, we are if you approve his leave.



Did I miss something?

[sunflower]

Geez I would think one call to the rabbi and that would settle it.

They're certainly not making this easy for you! Are you sure you aren't being Punk'd???

[Here's Fanny!]

Panic Setting In edition

What I was going to write about today has been preempted by this important announcement.

FSIL's colonel, as I understand it (I'm getting this third hand; FSIL to BD to GW to me), does not believe he is getting married. He thinks that FSIL just wants a long vacation. This is apparently the current hang-up in getting leave approval. BD is frazzled because the colonel may want to speak with her, and she has no idea what he wants to ask or what she should say. GW did not sleep last night out of worry that the groom won't show up for this shindig. I slept, in part because I did not know the details until this morning, and in part because that's my own coping mechanism, i.e., escape through unconsciousness.

I have located as many wedding vendor contracts, estimates, receipts and cancelled checks that I can. They are all photocopied and ready to be faxed to wherever they need to be. I will Fedex them out to CA if we have to. We are seriously considering Fedexing the colonel his own invitation to the wedding (idea from one of GW's co-workers). I can't say I really want to meet the gentleman, but if that's what it takes to convince him ...

I have located the USPS and web e-mail addresses and the phone and fax numbers for both U.S. senators and our congresscritter, for both their DC and their local offices. The local television stations and/or CNN may also get involved. BUT before that happens, I need the complete story from FSIL. All I need is to go off on a public rant (more public than here, anyway) and then find out afterwards that my information is wrong and it's not the Army's fault, or at least not entirely.

Stay tuned.

Maybe he just needed to come up with something to top 'water dripped on my papers and smudged the signatures'?

I'd also wait to find out what previous and/or current events causes the colonel to think this. I doubt that they just automatically assume that anybody wanting leave to get married is making it up so they can have a longer vacation.

In either of the above cases (i.e. not just unfounded hassle out of the blue), I don't think CNN is really going to be interested in your plight.

And do colonels really get involved in such little issues as a couple weeks of leave? You'd think they'd have more important things to do.

[earendel]

Panic Setting In edition

What I was going to write about today has been preempted by this important announcement.

FSIL's colonel, as I understand it (I'm getting this third hand; FSIL to BD to GW to me), does not believe he is getting married. He thinks that FSIL just wants a long vacation. This is apparently the current hang-up in getting leave approval. BD is frazzled because the colonel may want to speak with her, and she has no idea what he wants to ask or what she should say. GW did not sleep last night out of worry that the groom won't show up for this shindig. I slept, in part because I did not know the details until this morning, and in part because that's my own coping mechanism, i.e., escape through unconsciousness.

I have located as many wedding vendor contracts, estimates, receipts and cancelled checks that I can. They are all photocopied and ready to be faxed to wherever they need to be. I will Fedex them out to CA if we have to. We are seriously considering Fedexing the colonel his own invitation to the wedding (idea from one of GW's co-workers). I can't say I really want to meet the gentleman, but if that's what it takes to convince him ...

I have located the USPS and web e-mail addresses and the phone and fax numbers for both U.S. senators and our congresscritter, for both their DC and their local offices. The local television stations and/or CNN may also get involved. BUT before that happens, I need the complete story from FSIL. All I need is to go off on a public rant (more public than here, anyway) and then find out afterwards that my information is wrong and it's not the Army's fault, or at least not entirely.

Stay tuned.

That's one pretty paranoid colonel, if you ask me. Generally one would think that he would take the word of FSIL at face value. But surely one call from the rabbi (or the faxed wedding invitation - nice touch) would convince him.

[tlynn78]

The colonel is an ass. SOunds like you've got a good handle on how to proceed. I would inundate him with all those faxes, etc. If the colonel is being an ass, it'll serve him right. If FSIL is playing games, he'll have some 'splainin' to do. FWIW, I'm in the "the colonel's an ass" camp.



t.

[MarleysGh0st]

The colonel is an ass. SOunds like you've got a good handle on how to proceed. I would inundate him with all those faxes, etc. If the colonel is being an ass, it'll serve him right. If FSIL is playing games, he'll have some 'splainin' to do. FWIW, I'm in the "the colonel's an ass" camp.

We're probably all falling into the overreaction camp, now. How about if BD sticks to the simple and polite response that christie suggested, first?

[sunflower]

I would be careful not to send too much unsolicited.

You potentially are not getting the whole story and/or are getting a skewed story.

You don't want to be the one to piss the colonel off by going over the top. Let him ask for information before you send it, if he does call BD just have her ask politely what documentation will help him the most.

Just my two cents...find out the real situation before responding to something that may or may not be reality.

[earendel]

I would be careful not to send too much unsolicited.

You potentially are not getting the whole story and/or are getting a skewed story.

You don't want to be the one to piss the colonel off by going over the top. Let him ask for information before you send it, if he does call BD just have her ask politely what documentation will help him the most.

Just my two cents...find out the real situation before responding to something that may or may not be reality.

An excellent suggestion - no need to get FSIL's colonel mad at him after being deluged with paper and stuff.

[gsabc]

I am doing nothing beyond the photocopying until and unless told otherwise.

I am trying to get the complete story from FSIL directly.

CNN came to mind because of a previous issue, where FSIL and his entire squad/troop/battalion/whatever were not getting mail. FSIL's mom, herself former Army, called the base to get things fixed. They weren't. The second call went to the base commander, where she threatened to call CNN in 48 hours and tell them that soldiers currently based in this country who had been in Iraq, were training others for Iraq, and might be sent back to Iraq, were not getting their mail. They had their mail within 24 hours. FSIL's mom does not sound like a woman to be trifled with.

Oh, GW's comment about FSIL in all this: "This is the guy who will helping to raise our grandchildren?"
My response: "Yes, but he doesn't have to requisition the Army for that."

[sunflower]

I do have to bring it up again...as delicately as possible...

This really is NORMAL for the army?? It's not a story he's telling? Because I just can't wrap my arms around it, it defies logic that 3 weeks out he doesn't have an answer.

But then again, much of what the army does defies logic...but that is a conversation for another day.

I just hope, hope, hope...that he is in fact trying his hardest to get this leave, and that you're not just hearing a bunch of stories.

My fingers are crossed for you and your bank account that that is not the case.

If nothing else, you could tell the colonel he can either grant the leave for the wedding or he'll be granting leave for an appearance on Judge Judy, when you sue him for all the money you've lost if this wedding doesn't happen!!

[mellytu74]

Hokey smoke!

I agree that it's a skooch premature to worry about Congressional intervention.

Christie's very direct approach -- backed by a FedEx/UPS o'night copy of the wedding invitation -- should work. If not, a call to the rabbi should work, too.

Have the photocopies of the receipts on hand just in case (not a bad idea anyway).

[peacock2121]

Maybe fsil needs to do something.

I picture him just shrugging his shoulders.

Maybe he needs to kick it into gear.

maybe