Name:   Talullahhound - Subject:   My point Date:   2/23/2016 7:08:52 PM

You know, I'm not saying that government people should be put on a pedestal or that they are better than anyone else.  But in a 32 year career, I have worked in a number of government offices and with a lot of civilians and military people, and I believe for the most part, people were trying to do a good job.  Yes, there have been jerks, there have been slackers, there have been people that were just a bad fit.  I've also known a lot of people in industry, and I know that they have the same.  People who did things illegally on purpose, people who knifed others in the back, people who didn't act when they should have. 

I feel like y'all are judging a broad spectrum civil servants on a few people that you have dealt with - we always remember the ones who weren't doing the right thing or who weren't helpfu and not so much the ones who really helped.  The people who cared.  I had a secretary once who sounded like she was dead when she answered the phone.  People asked me what her problem was.  So I had a talk with her and asked her what she expected from the electric company if she had a problem. We all want someone who is committed, helpful and concerned.  We want to talk with someone that is going to do their best to fix our problem. 

Years ago, when DH and I were still living in NJ, we had to go to the VA in Newark, NJ.  We waited, we got the run around, and were treated poorly by a clerk.  I was disgusted.  But I got curious and looked up what kind of jobs were being recruited in the VA.  What I found out - low paying.  I thought about if I would be willing to do what they do and deal with all the different kinds of people they deal with for that salary.  And I said, no I wouldn't.   Same thing at Social Security.  I had a really good experience with a young man at the window in SS when I was in Virginia.  He was helpful and resolved my problems quickly.  A couple of years ago, I went over to the SS office in Alex City.  First, I was not of the impression he knew what he was doing, and second, he was not able to help me at all.  But I don't judge SS on one person.  I have a friend who was a lawyer with them working SSDI in Tennessee  She had a huge workload and was always frustrated when cases would come back and come back until they were finally approved because some lawyer got involved.   

My experience is with DoD.  I had professional relationships with people in State and Commerce, NSA, CIA; and to a lesser extent with staffers on the National Security Council.  I could give you good and bad examples in all of those places.  For the most part, people care, they want to do a good job, they want to make a difference.  Just like people in the private sector want their company to succeed - to get contracts and have satisfied customers.  They care too.  It's not so different. 

But, don't expect not to get a little testy when you start bad mouthing something I did for 32 years.  I had more than my share of 14 hour days, the reinbursement for travel was never enough to cover expenses; and I've dug money out of my pocket to pay for meals for foreigners because my protocol said the government would only pay for 1 lunch, with a 3 day visit.  I'm proud of what I did, just like you are probably proud of what you did.  I made a difference sometimes. 

I'd like you to realize that everything you have read, heard or maybe even experinced does not represent the whole.