The Army calls me a "dependant", that is my official title. You have the service member, and his or her "dependants". So for the purpose of say our medical insurance, I am not a beneficiary, I am a dependant. When you live on post, this can all get very weird. You need permission and papers to enroll your children in school, fuss with your house, or register your car. It all gets a tad bit silly. I guess you can't blame them really, after all they'd much rather deal with the service member who has to do what they say, than a "dependant" who does not work for them and can tell them to stick it.
Add living overseas to this mess, and you have a whole other layer of issues. I of course, only have permission to reside in Germany on the basis of my status of Curtis's "dependant". Just like in the US, you can't just decide to come from another county and live in Germany. After all, we wouldn't want any foreigners (aüslanders) to receive federal benefits. I am allowed to use the commissary, medical facilities, the bank, and many other things based on the fact that my husband, an American, is allowed by the German government to work in the country. Or, as the US Army would say, I am a "dependant".
It's an interesting system, one that hits you full force when you are living overseas. Because while you are a "dependant" you are expect to take care of every imaginable thing, and every imaginable thing directly involves the Army when you live on-post in a foreign country. They encourage their spouses to be independent and take care of themselves, freeing the service member to say deploy 3 times in 4 years -- you just need a power of attorney to do it. For example, when a child turns 10 they must be issued their own dependant ID card. As Curtis is deployed, I had to use my power of attorney to authorize my own child to get her ID card. Since his school in Rhode Island starts so soon after he returns from deployment, I have to conduct much of the move myself; and you guessed it, I need a power of attorney to do it.
Ok, whatever, most of this isn't news to me, but recently, they made me very, very angry. Back in September, I scraped a car, in a parking lot on post. I hunted down the owner and exchanged insurance information and such. The other party decided that we need to file a report with the military police for the insurance to pay, we didn't, but who was I to argue. I figured the MP's would show up and tell us that a report was unnecessary, but I guess they were bored that day so we spent a delightful hour filling out paperwork. They needed to know several really important things like: where my husband works, his social security number, his height, weight, and eye color . . . You did get that I was driving the car, and not only was Curtis not in the car, he wasn't in the country. . . . Anywho, I did the usual things with the insurance company and went on my merry way.
I, of course, marched my oh, so happy self down to eat someone for lunch inquire about the situation. I am rather certian that the words "I am a grown-up" (in case you missed the crows feet) came out of my mouth. Along with many, many others. After giving me some half-baked explanation that no rational mind could ever understand, I got a lecture, from someone who was still in high school while I was attending my 10 year class reunion, about how I hold my drivers license as a "privilege" as my husband's "dependant". Funny . . . and here I thought the State of Washington awarded me one about 20 years ago. I seem to recall them renewing it every so often, when I pay them to, without my husband's approval, but I guess I'm mistaken.
So, there you have it folks. I need a keeper, and have been convicted of a federal crime without due process. Cool . . . does this mean they have to send Curtis home now?
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