We Need to Talk

Dear Army National Guard,

As you are aware, I am very fond of you. I am a frequent wearer of your personalized clothing. My refrigerator is decorated with your magnets. If you were a football team and played the Navy, I would be in the stands shaking my green and brown pom-pom. I like you. I must because after all I married you and one of your soldiers. However...we need to talk.

I am quite upset with you at the moment. How is that an organization can plan and win an entire war, but it can not pay its soldiers in a timely manner? I realize you are quite busy. In Pennsylvania alone you have over 20,000 soldiers. So how can one measly little army wife expect that HER husband will be paid in a timely manner when there are so many others that need paid as well?

Allow me to explain what I expect. A few months ago you sent Stonewall on TDY. However, even though YOU were ordering Stonewall to TDY, WE had to pay for it. This included hotel, food, and some travel. As our paychecks are already allocated to savings and paying bills, we had to put his trip on our credit card. Finally, as per your instructions Stonewall submitted his travel voucher no less than five business days following his return home.

As you can see, we have done our part. Yet, you have not done yours. Months later we still have not recieved the money that is owed to us. While I realize there is nothing Stonewall or I can do, but write this letter as a blog post, American Express does not feel the same. AE still expects payment every month (with interest) whether or not the ANG provides us with the money to make those payments. And once again, while I realize there is nothing Stonewall and I can do, but complain to one another and my wonderful readers, if we refuse to pay AE until the ANG pays us, AE can and will send our debt to a collections agency.

I do believe two months is enough time for you to have processed Stonewall's travel voucher and return our money to us. I also don't think its too much to ask to expect re-payment in under two months. If you can make a phone call and expect soldiers to be locked and loaded in under 24 hours, I don't see why with a flick of your magical AK-47, you can't have your financial wizards reimburse us in under two months.

I appreciate your attention, if not expediency, to this matter.

Sincerely,
(army)wife