Tag Archives: military installations

Hessen, Military

Time for another ID update…

Yesterday, Bill and I had an appointment to update our ID cards. We’re kind of cutting it to the wire, as our old IDs were due to expire June 25th. German authorities were taking awhile to update paperwork that allows us to stay in the country legally. Then, there was another person in Bill’s office who had to complete a procedure before we could get the IDs updated. Next week, we’re going to Lithuania, to be followed by yet another long planned trip to Switzerland…

Fortunately, everything came together, and Bill was able to pick me up and take me to the ID office yet again for new identification credentials. Had he not been able, he had another appointment for next week ready… but that would have REALLY cut it close. We also have to update our SOFA cards, which are basically the permits that allow us to be here legally.

The appointment was for 1:00 PM, and as usual, Bill got me there too early. It’s unusually chilly for June right now, and there’s nowhere to sit near where our appointment was, as the door leading to the waiting room was closed. We didn’t want to sit in the car, because that might signal that we’re about to vacate our parking spot and attract lurkers.

Bill and I went to Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) and picked up six donuts for this morning’s breakfast. We haven’t been to a Dunkin’ in years. Although the donuts were tasty this morning, I’ve noticed a downturn in quality. But at least it was something different… a nice treat for today. Bill also showed me the concessions at Clay Kaserne, which is where he works. Aside from Subway and a couple of other fast food restaurants I’ve never seen before, there are also a couple of food trucks that looked pretty decent. I had already eaten lunch, so there was no need to visit them.

On the way off post… I guess a bunch of these are rolling into DC now.

Eventually, I spotted a picnic table on the other side of the road, so we went over there… and we actually found two picnic tables, but they were mostly covered with dried bird shit. One of the tables wasn’t as bad as the other, so we sat at that one until the wind grew too chilly. By then, it was close to 1:00 PM.

When we got back to the ID office, there were a bunch of people waiting at the door. Bill whispered with some disappointment that they were going to open right on time. “You expected anything different?” I asked.

It was lucky we had an appointment, because there were a bunch of people at the office, hoping to get in for an ID update. Most of them were walk-ins, and the lady who took care of us warned them that her co-worker was unavailable because of mandatory training. We ended up being the first ones called in, and the worker turned out to be very friendly and professional.

As we were filling out and signing paperwork, I noticed the “retiree spouse” military ID I carry, but don’t use over here, had expired in April. So I got that one updated, too. I would use that ID in the United States, if I’m ever there and need access to military facilities. They’ve gotten pretty strict about ID requirements. I had to show my passport and my Texas driver’s license, which is a “Real ID”. As I handed over my old IDs, which had my name on them, I realized how absurd and overkilling the requirements are these days, but God forbid an undocumented person get access to anything. SIGH…

Anyway, I’m glad that chore is now done. It took about an hour. I wonder how many of those folks who walked in got their business taken care of. Bill brought me home and I soon ended up taking a nice, long nap. Once the SOFA cards are updated, I can feel safer about leaving the country. Don’t want to end up like the people who have been detained in the USA right now.

Below are a few signs for upcoming events in the neighborhood. We will be in Vilnius when these are going on…

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customs, Hessen, Humor, Military

It was that time again… driver’s chores and informal newsy signs!

This morning, Bill had to take me on post to get a new driver’s “license”. Actually, it’s not a license; it’s a special permit given to Americans living in Germany, courtesy of the US military. My Texas driver’s license is my real license, but I also have to get a card from the military, which grants me the right to drive in Germany. When we go to other European countries, technically, we’re supposed to have an international driver’s permit.

I don’t know what we’re going to do if we stay here for much longer, because once my Texas license expires, I’ll have to renew it in person. And that will mean somehow establishing a residence there, when we live here… I think it might be time to trade the Texas license for a German one, or move back home. Or maybe do what a lot of contractors and their spouses do, and just drive on an expired license, which is risky, because it’s illegal. I remember back in 2015, there was a huge fiasco when German cops cracked down on American drivers with expired licenses. It did eventually get worked out, but this is a problem that a lot of folks like us eventually have to confront, if we stay in Germany.

Personally, I think we should just get German licenses. Since we have Texas licenses, we can just exchange them. But Bill worries about doing that, because anytime one does something official in Germany, it puts one on the government’s radar, and that could threaten our status as non German tax paying “temporary” residents. But I don’t see how getting a proper driver’s license is any worse than putting a child in a local school, which a lot of military folks do. I myself went to a British kindergarten, when my dad was serving his final years in the Air Force and we lived in England.

Anyway… today was the day to get a renewal, and due to Bill’s busy work schedule, we had to go today, which is a “walk-in” day. It’s lucky that we got there when we did, because there was a huge influx of people in the few minutes we waited. We were lucky enough to score chairs to sit on. While we were waiting, I was reminded of how much the military loves signs… and I couldn’t help but take a few photos of the ones posted in the building we visited to take care of today’s chore. I know I’ve written about this topic before, but I figured today was a good day for a reminder. Some of these signs are especially “newsy” (and some are reruns from the earlier post)!

Behold!

I actually wish I had this poster at home.
I was confused by this… but Bill explained it was a relic from the COVID era. It made me think of condoms.
I liked how the person who made this sign mentioned “common sense.” Yep, that can be lacking in some places.
I wonder how many people take this initiative to heart as they wash their hands.
A good reminder for public health.
Another newsy sign that made me guffaw.
Loose lips sink ships!
They are “totally understaffed”!
A rare multilingual sign. On the other side of the door, there is a sign that says “WOMAN”, as opposed to “WOMEN”.
Another newsy sign!

We saw the same guy who helped us the last time we renewed (in August 2019), but we were actually served by a different guy, who wore a Hawaiian shirt. Apparently, the office is “totally understaffed” right now… You can read all about it in the newsy sign requesting that people make appointments instead of walking in. We would have obliged, but Bill’s office is also “totally understaffed”. After filling out the paperwork, taking a quick eye test, and handing over $30 (up from $20 five years ago), we were all done. The line for licenses had gotten longer while we were taking care of business.

After we took care of renewing my USAREUR license, we headed back to the car, and I was reminded of how I’ve been in this system for most of my life. It occurred to me just how many military installations I’ve been on, due to the fact that my dad was a career Air Force officer, and my husband was a career Army officer, and now he works for the Army. It wasn’t my plan to be in this military life… but yet, here I am… a lifelong “dependent” (I refuse to refer to myself as a “dependa”, because that term is offensive.)

It also occurred to me how attracted I am to men in uniforms… There were quite a few handsome young guys standing in line, looking quite “hot” in their OCPs. The ladies also looked good. It made me miss the days when Bill wore a uniform to work every day. Hubba hubba!

I don’t even drive very often anymore, even though I have a car. I don’t see the point in going somewhere just for the hell of it. But I do need the legal license, because when we get back from our vacation, I have to take Charlie to the vet for a heartworm test, since he came from Kosovo. We want to make sure he wasn’t infested down there before we have him anesthetized for a much needed dental cleaning.

Yesterday, our neighbors brought over some cake for us, because that’s a tradition among some Germans on the first day of school. You make a cake, and share it with neighbors. I actually only heard of that tradition when this particular neighbor brought it up a couple of years ago. Anyway, it was nice of her! We had it for breakfast this morning.

Well… I think today, I will take care of a few routine chores, so I don’t have to worry about them tomorrow, before we jet off to Iceland. So ends today’s blog post! The next one will probably be written from an island in the northern Atlantic!

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