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BLUF: Showed up 2 minutes late to a retention brief for the reserves. Big sarnt said kick rocks come back next time. Elaborated on why I was late, big sarnt doubled down. Now disgruntled and my outlook on the reserves and my service are further tainted.

Long version:

Last thing I gotta do before finishing SFLTAP is attend a mandatory retention briefing, no biggie, hour and a half class and I'm done pretty much. Show up, attend class, go home and begin setting up Terminal Leave, housing situation, outprocess here and there, etc.

Where I work is about an hour and a half away from where the class is held. We're understaffed, whatever I can make it work, I have a great command team and work environment. Civilian counterpart let me they're gonna be out till later today so I hold out at work until I can shutdown for a more reasonable time until they return.

I leave, sure enough it was an hour and half. Made it just in time, maybe a minute or two shy by the time I make through the door. After surveying the entrance for directions on where the class is and asking the other enlisted type at the desk where the brief is, I make my way to the classroom.

Almost immediately greeted by big sarnt, "what are you here for?" "The retention brief sarnt." Unreasonable levels of butt hurt ensue. Big sarnt informs me of my tardiness (exactly 2 minutes) and I, attempting to salvage the situation, explain the circumstances that have led me to be late. He doesn't budge, doubles down in fact. I explain that I have already scheduled my capstone for later this week, just need this brief out of the way. Sarnt asks how long I have until I ETS, I answer, Sarnt says I've had plenty of time and still have time left, come back next week.

As much as I'd like to agree, there is no class next week, they don't hold briefs after holidays, I'm on leave and busy the next few weeks, it's always something or another. At this point I don't care, I'm almost done anyways, this guy already doubled down, "I'll be sure to let my command know what's up." ...Oops. Big sarnt shockingly just says "cool, I want a memo."

I still can't wrap my head around, it's just so profoundly counterintuitive. Is it the kool-aid? Why? Were the first 2 minutes of the brief that integral to my decision? I guess I'll find out next time when I waste another 3 hours of my time just so I can tell them I don't want the kool-aid.

Honestly should have expected I'd have been late, didn't think somebody would care that much though. Am I tripping? Should I even bother taking it further? Honestly I think I'd rather just move on and deal with being set back at least another 3 weeks, it shouldn't matter too much in the long run.