Patience!

Work last night was very interesting and a great lesson in patience and the importance of communication. 

When I arrived at work yesterday, the night LT was still in the office working on his resume for when he leaves the Army in his past and is left to fend for himself in the civilian sector.  I drove him back to his room and discussed our options seeing as it is around the time to switch from day shift to night shift again.  We decided that we would wait until the first of April. 

After dropping him off, I returned to work and heard from the new LT that the night LT was complaining to the boss that he wanted to return to day shift.  I didn’t think anything of it until the boss approached me saying that we needed to shake up the day and night shift.  I felt like I had been stabbed in the back.  When last we talked, the night LT wanted to wait until the first of April; it was his decision completely because quite frankly, I don’t care.  I sent him an email and expressed that if he wanted to change immediately to simply tell me a date.

I walked home after my shift instead of waiting for a ride from the night LT like usual because I didn’t want unwarranted anger to be expressed from the alleged backstabbing.  I needed to cool off and clear my head.  I didn’t have all the details and needed to be patient.  I arrived to my room to find my roommate in bed and anxious to hear why I was angry.  She has a very good sense of people’s moods.  We decided to work my anger out at the gym.  We picked up the Personnel NCOIC and went off for another two hour workout.  I felt a lot better afterwards.  It is amazing how a little PT can do so much for your well-being both mentally and physically.

This morning I arrived to the office and the new LT announced that I had an email from the night LT.  The night LT sent a message back to me, and cc’ed the new LT, detailing what his discussion was with the boss and it doesn’t seem as petty as the new LT put it.  He simply told the boss that if he expected quality work from him, then he needed to be in the know and on the day shift.  I understand that.

My project for today was developing a new schedule for the “shifters,” mainly the Battle Crews.  With the help of the new LT, we have rotated people while keeping myself and the night LT on the Day shift.  Turns out the new LT wants to work nights and my former NCO wanted back on nights as well.  Our additional CPT arrived today too, but he will not be a part of the “shifters” crowd.  He will work the normal 9-5 and doesn’t have a specified job.  He is very happy to be with us though and offered to work whatever hours we didn’t want to work.  I think he was very unhappy with his previous position.  I look forward to seeing what he has to bring to the game.