Hi, I'm Calling From...

As well as being a FRG co-leader, I am also a Key Caller for our company. The role of a Key Caller is to quickly disseminate information when necessary. A Key Caller also acts as someone who handles situations at their level before it has to get to the FRG leader. Can you imagine being responsible for answering questions for over 130 families?

Most of my Key Callers have ten families on their roster. One wonderful gal has twenty because she wanted more. I have about seventeen. I've been making phone calls to each soldier's person of contact (POC) for the past week and a half, and it has been frustrating to say the least.

It's amazing to me that some people neglect to let their FRG know when they move. If we don't have the right information for you on file, then how will we be able to reach you if some disaster happens (knock on wood)? Even getting the right phone number is tricky business. Give us the right phone number, people! We aren't going to sell your information or anything like that. We just want to be able to reach you!

And it also surprises me how many people don't return phone calls. I have left about eight messages and only one person has returned my call. Sure, if I were trying to sell you something then I would understand you erasing my message right away/ But I'm calling from your grandson's/son's/cousin's/husband's unit. Aren't you at all concerned about what I have to say?

When I finally get somebody to speak to me, I am typically shocked by the bad manners I encounter. I understand that receiving a phone call from a complete stranger is awkward, but it is just as awkward for me, too. Do you think I want to call you? Do you think I get paid for this shit? I don't want to take up a lot of your time so can you at least be polite during our three-minute conversation?

But, thankfully, I also get to speak to family members who are easy to speak to. The nice ones are typically parents or grandparents. I can tell that they are just itching to talk to somebody else who can relate to what they are going through. They are the ones who thank me for what I am doing and ask me how I am doing.

"Thank you for your service. How are you doing? Sometimes people forget to ask how you're doing because you're always asking how everyone else is. I want to make sure that somebody is watching out for you."

Thank you, father of one of the soldiers in the company! Why, yes, sir! It is rather nice to know that somebody else cares. Because my soldier is deployed, too, dangit!

I know I sound like a completely awful person at this point, but I'm just really frustrated. I'm upset at people who are ungrateful for all the behind the scenes work we do for them. I'm astounded by the horrible manners some have over the phone. Is this because everyone texts now? Or am I just a ridiculously nice person who is thinking too highly of the human race?