This morning I had a 0630 formation at the WTB (Warrior Transition Battalion) unit. Even though I just flew in from half way around the world and I'm still trying to adjust to a new time zone, there is no break at all. It wasn't just formation either, my day was busy from beginning to end. Right after formation an NCO took me to sick call to get seen by a doctor for an initial visit. There are a number of time sensitive things they have to take care of within the first day and this was number 1. The doctor asked some basic questions to see if I was a high risk factor for self harm. She then gave me some basic information and turned me loose.
I met with my NCO again and she drove me to Waller Hall which is where most of the major in-processing and out-processing is done for all soldiers except those in the WTB like me. I was shown a meeting room and told the finance brief will happen at 0900. It was kind of strange because there was a room full of people doing in-processing and I ended up just joining them for this financial piece. The brief covered our travel costs and I had to fill out some paperwork step by step as the briefer went over it. Once she was done everyone lined up and turned in their paperwork. There were a couple folks looking it all over and then stamped it and signed off on it. I asked if that was it as far as financing and the person who stamped my paperwork said "yup", so I left. I didn't care too much for just being dropped off with hardly any information, but I figured I would find my way through it all one way or another.
I then headed back to my hotel room for lunch with my wife. After that I headed back to the WTB unit and saw a social worker who also assessed my mental health situation. I guess there are a lot of folks coming into the WTB depressed and suicidal. Once the social worker saw that I was feeling fine and had no suicidal tendencies, she turned me loose. I then headed across the hall to see my NCM (Nurse Case Manager). I found out this person would be my single point of contact for almost everything. All appointments go through her and I will be checking in with her weekly. She gave me a list of appointments that she scheduled already for me. I was told who my squad leader was, this person will basically be my boss while I'm here. He gave me a bunch of in-processing paperwork to start on.
I found out that I'm assigned to HHC, which is basically only during the in-processing stage of my time here. Once I get through in-processing, I will be assigned to either Alpha, Bravo, or Charlie company here at the WTB. This means I'll be getting a new squad leader and everything shortly. I'm told in-processing lasts as long as a month.
I headed back to my room. I'm jet-lagged and very tired. I was in Germany yesterday and I've been going non-stop since I arrived here. I promptly passed out in our hotel bed.
I didn't go into detail about how pissed I was when I first wrote this, probably because I was so damned tired. I really can't believe that I did not get one day at least to recover from my trip. There were a few others in the same boat as me. Some from Korea and some from Europe, we were all tired as hell...pissed off and walking around in a sleep deprived zombie state that first day!
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