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Conference repair::reserve_forces

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Created:Wed Nov 15 1989
Last Modified:Thu Jan 01 1970
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150.0. "A little advice needed..." by BRABAM::PHILPOTT (Col I F 'Tsingtao Dhum' Philpott) Mon Feb 11 1991 14:50

I volunteered for activation last August. I work every other day, 1800-2400
on weekdays and 0600 to 1800 on weekends.

Last Thursday I was, as usual, due on duty at 1800, though I had no 
appointments until 1900. At [DEC] work I had a unit meeting in the afternoon. 
To add a little spice it was a day of heavy [for Britain] snow. I asked to 
leave the staff meeting at 1620, guessing that would get me to my duty station 
on time. My manager refused, asking me to stay to the end. In the end I walked 
out at 1715 to discover traffic stalled and snow bad. I rang the duty officer 
from the front desk and duly arrived at the station 48 minutes late.

My Major General Commanding was, to put it lightly, irate. Another Major 
General and three Brigadiers had waited to talk to me and were "upset".

It took my Major General several hours to exhaust his invective. Come Saturday
he was still angry.

I managed to talk him out of cancelling our order for the second VAX 9000 (out
of purely personal interest - I need that calculator), but when last I spoke to 
him he was still threatening to get the Ministry of Defence to write to our
illustrious leader (Geoff Shingles) complaining about the "arrogant and 
unpatriotic" behaviour of a "damned American" company.

So folks: what should I do in the way of damage control?

/. Ian .\
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150.1SSVAX::LEONHARDTMon Feb 11 1991 15:4110
    Maybe your manager could write the General and explain that to
    ensure he gets a great product, sometimes you must work at DEC,
    and that with the weather, it was unavoidable, and we hope he
    understands.....
    
    or,
    
    you could join the Navy.  We'd be glad to have ye.
    
    Dick
150.2If we could only control the weather :-)BRABAM::PHILPOTTCol I F 'Tsingtao Dhum' PhilpottMon Feb 11 1991 15:476
I'm hoping the general simmers down of his own accord...

incidentally the VAX 9000 makes a superb single user workstation :-)

/. Ian .\
150.3Start digging lads.PUGH::FRENCHSSemper in excernereMon Feb 11 1991 16:476
You could always get the Royal Engineers to do some of there handywork under
your managers office.



Simon
150.4DUCK::NASHDMon Feb 11 1991 17:453
    Arrange a meeting between the two of them.....
    
    
150.5BRABAM::PHILPOTTCol I F 'Tsingtao Dhum' PhilpottTue Feb 12 1991 08:528
Thanks Dave - I think that might be the best tack. 

I managed to calm my CO down last night (he's under pressure too I guess ;-} )
- at least he isn't going to lodge any formal complaint about Digital with the 
MoD over the issue ... this time!

/. Ian .\
150.6if i were in charge!KYOA::SCHWARTZRTue Feb 12 1991 16:548
    Here in the States we in the National Guard have a BOSS LIFT during
    our annual training period.  Making a long story short, that's where
    some PR types fly the bosses of "selected" soldiers around to see just
    what we do.  Sometimes they even get to drive an APC or shoot a real
    "gun" (oh, boy!). Any way, how about a reversal, DEC boss shows 
    military boss how important you are to him/her?
    
    randy schwartz
150.7subtle? answerWARHED::LIVINGSTONEFri Feb 15 1991 17:003
    
    Tell your CO it's only a hobby and you could leave tomorrow if you
    wanted to!!!!!!
150.8Rock + Hard Place = OuchDPDMAI::HYDERdb �ber alles OKO 487-2256Tue Mar 12 1991 22:1511
    I guess I was lucky.  In all my years as a reservist I never had to
    deal with Digital bosses or USAF Reserve bosses playing rock and a hard
    place with me.  Usually, given enough notice, both were flexible,
    especially when bad weather was a factor.
    
    Hopefully, you arrived early for work on the day you needed to leave at
    1620.  Hopefully, you have evidence of same.  As far as over-time
    meetings at Digital go, there is no better satire than Alice in
    Digitaland.
    
                                   Kurt
150.9DUCK::NASHDThu Apr 04 1991 15:075
    Ian,
    
    What happened eventually?  Is all well?
    
    Dave
150.10BRABAM::PHILPOTTCol I F 'Tsingtao Dhum' PhilpottSun Apr 07 1991 11:0413
    
    It appears to have gone away - though I am told that the unit adjutant
    contacted "the appropriate people" and placed on file certain papers (I
    take it that means a letter of explanation) for future reference...
    
    In any event with the change in circumstances I am now only working
    every other weekend, and not evenings, which was what caused the
    ruckus.
    
    All I can hope now is that the military government in Thailand don't
    decide to attack Cambodia...
    
    /. Ian .\