On Wednesday evening last week, I was informed of a conversation that took place at the "buddy bar" of one of the veteran's organizations that I belong to. It included the Post Commander, a Housing Committee member, a Trustee and some other members. It was a discussion on who and how to get rid of the rest of us that they don't like and how to keep out members that they don't want. The conversation was overheard by Ladies' Auxiliary members, one of which had to be talked into staying by the Ladies' Auxiliary President. That' the final straw for me. Let's be frank, telling lies about me, bypassing my due process and ram-roding me is one thing. I know who I am--overly fricking honest and a by the rules type. So no matter what lies are told there are two things I know for sure. One, I know who I am and can be proud of who I am, and two, the truth ALWAYS comes out.
On the other hand, I received an email on Thursday morning about ram-roding another member, because he bought me a beer at a formal function. First, since I am a "by the rules" type, let's be clear what I was told and what a letter with my ram job's punitive action states. It states that I am not allowed canteen privileges. I'm still allowed to attend functions and meetings. This was a function. I purchased nothing in the canteen and did not go into the canteen area except to use the ATM at the beginning of the function and use the bathroom toward's the end. The function was still going on, and I left before it was over because it looked like it was going to rain. Now to be clear: he wasn't the only member who bought me a beer. I was given two others by other members. The first was purchased because I had nothing to drink and when I was asked if the "discipline" I received specified if I could have a drink--soda, beer, whatever--given to me, I knew it did not. I didn't refuse the generosity of these members, nor did I stay passed the end of the function or use the canteen myself.
That being clear as mud, starting with a conversation on Tuesday night to an email on Thursday morning--an attempt to punish one of the members that bought me a beer. He was the last, not the first, to purchase me a beer. Yet, no one else has been brought up on charges. He was the first to leap to my defense when the charges were brought against me without any due process. Who will they go after next? I could probably guess just based on who has defended me.
All that being said, these veteran's organizations are worried about how to get new members in, how to improve retention, and how to best serve our veterans. Well, first, don't let the petty people get out of control. It's human nature for some people, but leadership defines what the petty people do. Adolf Hitler took over Germany with only 17% of the population being Nazis prior to him declaring himself Furher. Only 17%. Fear drove people to follow him, because they immediately started rounding up the opposition and slaughtering them as soon as they could get away with it--which in 1930s Germany was under 60 days. He was a petty little man, and even though good people saw him as such, he still took over their country. I personally find the actions of those people sitting at that buddy bar on Tuesday night deplorable. How to get rid of the people they don't like? How to keep people they don't like from joining? This is what I fought for and defended with my service? This is the comraderie that we earned?
When I got involved, I gave 110%--like I do anything that I do, but all this takes me back to the very first meeting I ever attended--for this particular organization, elections 2 years ago. I was mortified. I actually got so nauseated by the conflict that was being created--at the time completely oblivious to who the sh*t stirrers were--that I stood up and said that they were acting like a bunch of sorority girls and it was ridiculous. If I wanted that drama, I could hang out with my sorority alumni. Which brings us full circle to what started all of this in the first place--one woman's petty jealousy of another woman. Honestly, she's teamed up with the same people that hated her 2 years ago--enemy of the enemy is a frienemy? Damn, if I don't regret walking out of that meeting and never looking back.
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