10 Things That Happen When you Work On Post

Whenever I tell anyone that I work in the Army I get a LOT of questions. That's to be expected when the portion of the population that serves in the military is as small as it is and I'm perfectly willing to answer any questions that someone might have. I try to break it down and relate it to civilian life as much as possible but there are some things that just don't relate. That being said, I give you a list of ten things that happen when you work on a military instillation.

10 Things That Happen When You Work On Post:

1. You drive past billowing smoke, unconcerned, and remark, "Looks like someone caught a range on fire again"

2. No one at work jumps when they hear a large explosion or aircraft nearby

3. You can have an entire conversation that consists of only of acronyms, abbreviations and operational terms

4. It's easier to look up how much money your boss makes and their social security number than it is to find his or her first name

5. You don't actually need to know your boss' first name

6. Your perceived performance and potential rely heavily on your ability to run and look in-shape  whether or not your day to day job actually has any physical demand

7.  Anything and everything can be explained by, or blamed on, 'Joe'

8. Your day is regulated by a series of bells and bugle calls, surprisingly like that of a child in grade school- you even get a 5 minute warning for the end of lunch

9. No one can tell you anything about fashion or shoes but if you show up in a uniform with dirty boots or one string out of place you will be corrected. Quickly, in a less than polite way. And yes, you will be judged just as harshly as if you showed up to a business luncheon wearing black shoes and a brown belt

10. You can count on any one of your coworkers or your boss to answer the phone and come pick you up from just about any situation at any hour of the night.
Even if you're downtown and just got kicked out of a bar, you know that you have people that you can rely on. Through all of the regulations, rules and requirements put on you in the military you can always count on the people around you to help you in a time of need. Even if they make fun of you while doing it.

To sum it up, working in the military (or with the military) is like nothing you'll experience elsewhere. It has its ups and downs but the things you'll remember most are the weird quirks and traditions that come with it.
It's all about that Esprit De Corps