excuses to get out of drill weekend excuses to get out of drill weekend

Anyway Ive been thinking about it a lot recently because of the Oxford and MSU shootings. I suppose on some level I feel like, there is nothing I can do to prevent it if its going to happen, and I dont have the reflexes that drilling would train into me to be assessing or thinking about what I might do if it did. Theres just not that much to cover. Didnt we have one round up/commenter who had a super-nosy boss who wanted to know all the details for calling out sick, and she called the boss as she was praying to the porcelain throne? It really shook me up in ways I didnt expect. This article may contain affiliate links. Sure, but like, a real fire evebt would also take a lot longer than a fire drill takes, and I dont think anybody ever suggests that fire drills should be lengthened to be more realistic. I am old and also infuriated on your behalf. I hope she takes option #4. And a quality training, I cannot stress this enough, does not last seven hours. The MDARNG units I have went to, have a lot of MUTA 6s or 2x2x2. A person who cant handle those wouldnt be able to work those jobs. We do this because it means that most of our friends and loved ones will not have work obligations and will be able to attend and share the event with us. A professional email will be expected and it is often a great way to make a great impression with your professional counterparts. None of these excuses should be used regularly, because inevitably the second you say you need time off for dental work because you have a job interview, you then also need time off for dental work. It will not be possible for me to participate.. If theres a way you can make a suggestion for future years, our district moved to virtual trainings that we now have the ability to complete over the summer on our own time. The best way to make the most of your time in the Drill Army Reserves is to get involved with your unit and fellow soldiers. But I like a little theatre. I am having a hard time seeing why this is even necessary for a company so small it doesnt have HR. They were told that had this been a real event, they would be dead. A SEVEN HOUR drill would definitely be too much for me, too, and Id seriously consider quitting if I was forced to do that (especially if there were pellet guns like another commenter said, thats horrific.). I think it varies both person to person and generationally. I work for a public-facing government agency. I would imagine that it helps by not being another unexpected thing going on (if it came down to it) that might throw off someone even further. You asked about the information parts of the training, and I can say that I have learned some first aid in these sessions that provides a little peace of mind (wound packing, improvising a tourniquet, etc.) Just send me the information I need to know and dont make me go through it all again. A book that finally understands introverts! Since its not one ofthefrequently used excuses, people are most likely to fall for it. Officially remove hes a nice guy from the way you think about June because he is, in fact, not. And if you are not looking up for one, have a detailed conversation with him. Id call in sick the day before as well better cover story. I supervise a manager who falsified an employee write-up but I dont think she should be fired, getting out of shared intern housing, why are so many executives condescending, and more. I was eighteen when Columbine happened and wed had Dunblane here in the UK only three years before that. then you can divert questions with details also to the oh no, im afraid its a private matter, they asked me to not divulge all the details, hey mom, would you like to have an emergency where you slip and fall and twist your ankle next tuesday. We didnt find out until later in the day that it was staged. This includes a family event, religious obligations, volunteer work, having a side hustle, or simply needing to rest. BUT I also think theres a major difference between walking through lets all identify the doors wed need to lock and the spaces wed want to hide in [our offices / work spaces we frequent / etc. As the World's Most Accurate Online Grammar Checker, Grammarly Premium goes beyond grammar to help you ensure that everything you write is clear, engaging, and professional. A few years back someone actually did bring a gun into our building, attempting to commit suicide by cop. The builder is intuitive. Gathering up glassware in the science lab, students making comments about taking bullets for each other or even their teachers (which, just, no). Its similar to gallows humor. I wouldnt call in sick as I would let them know in advance Id be out. We watched a couple videos at my office, and had some PowerPoints. It really hit home how different of a world these kids are in even from the one we were in. Its basically go to X room if you can, use Y furniture to block the door, use Z panic code on the phones to silently call law enforcement to your location. or say youd been experiencing extreme menstrual/PMS symptoms. But I don't anymore. Make sure your office doesnt do retaliatory things like this. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical activity improves your brain health, helps you to maintain a healthy weight, and reduces your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and even some cancers. Ive worked at a college for two years, administrative assistant to a Dean. An online training video should be an acceptable alternative. You haven't started studying for your exam tomorrow. I would call in sick. Seven hour long training/drill? My supervisor (largest waste of space ever) still talks about how much fun she had getting shot at with foam disks. When I voiced my concerns, he made a few jokes about how he would simply redirect the shooter to a younger person, then asked if I was saying I wouldnt be able to take it.. Im 38 now and I still think about that day with anxiety and sadness. This week theyre doing live action Run Hide Fight drills in their middle school. Seven hours is unbelievable, but sounds more like a training event for the police than your workplace. 5) Dont take drill too seriously. Afterwards, I refused to go down there alone again, and thankfully none of my shift supervisors gave me a hard time about that. Theres always That Guy who feels the need to comment. It's apart of my contract. I know you said your boss is normally nice, but hes being a bonehead, insensitive jerk about this if he doesnt allow you to quietly bow out. You have to wake up early, do a bunch of pointless things, and then youre exhausted for the rest of the day. For some unknown reason, my school decided to get all the terrible feelings trainings done at once, so wed be subjected to trainings on school shootings, teenage suicide, and abuse and neglect issues all in a row. Id feel the same way. He likely is superficially affable, but what you have related is not at all the speech of a nice person. Sometimes I go through that employee if I really want to raise an issue, but I cant always count on their support. There was a lot of push-back, not just from us, and now we simply have to do crisis drills (which could be anything from active shooter to chemical spill to emergency lockdown to student elopement) guess what we dont do? As it is a work emergency,no one is going to know that you are bluffing. It is a valid excuse to not attend a MUTA 6 or annual Training? LW, I am so sorry. Literally had preschool orientation for the older one the month after to the day. 2) Bring snacks and drinks with you so you dont get hungry or thirsty during drill. Oh, I just had a horrible thought. An excuse thatshuts down anypossible follow up questions. We had a minor fire in our building when it was new, and management discovered the hard way that the alarms didnt sound on most of the 6 floors. It ruined my entire week-end. OP call in sick if your boss continues to be a jerk about this. I full stop do not trust any training that requires multiple hours and comfortable clothes. Its also an opportunity for leaders to get some valuable hands-on time with their troops. Want to write a professional email at work? Because its unnecessary. Weve had enough fires in our building (five during 2020-2021) that everyone knows the fire sprinklers go off and the big problem is flooding. Children. Thanks to experiencing a variety of traumatic violence, I tend to escalate immediately to threat elimination mode. Have you been complaining about work lately? If its that long Im going to insist that they outline their full plan for workers compensation, life insurance beneficiary process etc in the event of an active shooter situation. Maybe you can convince them to reconsider? cristina's restaurant salsa recipe. September 10, 2020. single. -Use your weekends wisely. Sorry, I got a bit over-emotional here, but anyways you got what. Your goal should be TO LEARN during the drill, not avoid it. Its extra depressing and pointless when the core training package for a UK-based company with US offices includes active shooter modules. Because they want to LARP like something out of a movie. Please keep me in mind for the next book club party!" The Fine Print: When you say that you miss your partner, the hostess could reply with a suggestion to bring them along. It is such nonsense. Learn how your comment data is processed. you may be) and youve found that youve hit a certain point where things have taken a massive swing. I cannot fathom how it has happened that even young children are expected to learn to react to someone with a gun. I was home sick that day and watching messages pour in over our communication app on my phone; cant even imagine being there, but Ive heard similar things from coworkers. I would go with calling in sick the day of the drill. He might be trying to joke, of course, but. Don't be caught in an argument with someone, be calm and friendly with everyone. *sounds like a mass-shooter drill from the jokes the boss is making. I lost someone I knew to a mass shooter several years, and have been dealing with anxiety for these types of situations since, with professional help. I really cant imagine what benefit they are to adults. Something urgent came up that I need to attend to. I also grew up in the earlier era of school shootings, before they did things like training for kids. Also if this bunghole tries to make you feel weak for not being up for it, remember that standing up to him is a strong choice in itself. To effectively use these excuses, avoid any unnecessary long details, and stick to your story. Could we catch up at a less hectic week? So why not plan this up again someday?. They dont even have scissors at their desks. They were rushed out of the pool without their towels (not time, not with lives at stake) and had to hide in an unheated locker room for 2+ hours afterwards. Again, its like, well yes, I want them to have survival skills in this reality we live in. I bet too many people at work would opt if they could (even just for if Im going to be at work I have actual work to do) and make it not useful training. 1. Do you know what are the common types of spam email messages? If their is no way to get internet or their would be no time they could complete their assignments, i would approve the SUTA - I started out enlisted in MNARNG and have two AC/RC assignments. The trainings have been optional. Then laughed. Its about 80% victim-blaming) with an actual drill, andI would not be able to. You can also request a leave of absence for personal or medical reasons. Ugh you mentioning the scary videos just reminded me that my old jobs (fairly long) active shooter training involved straight up showing us footage from Columbine. There are plenty of hours in the day to work, but youll only get one chance to attend that special occasion. Read More Why Quiet Quitting Your Job is Not All Wrong?Continue. The premise is that if all these relevant gov/emergency services drill together that theyll be better prepared to work together even if the true emergency isnt an exact match to the drill. You dont even have to do it well! It is also a less confrontational and frightening way to approach those issues, putting the onus to explain on him rather than on you. Use the same contact for this.). Ive never been through any kind of shooter drill. I mean, it had a helicopter so that the cops could bill the school board or the city for helicopter deployment. Its almost perfect. Somehow, the solution is always more guns. No?). Now the thought of visiting my friends in the US on holiday absolutely terrifies me. I know I would. No one will want you near them or ask any more questions. This boss is unreasonable and is likely to suspect the real reason; the fewer things he can attempt to disprove, the better! Read More 7 Common Types of Spam Emails and How to IdentifyContinue. You can report an ad, tech, or typo issue here. and if i got any pushback id say it was a mental health day. Weekends are usually the time when we schedule important family gatherings like weddings, christenings, birthday parties, and anniversary get-togethers. The US is particularly bad because of its gun laws. If you have a doctors note stating that you are too ill to participate in drill, this is a valid excuse. This boss is not ok, and you deserve better. Im a boomer and if I can understand I dont know what your bosss problem is. Not sure if this is the case for the OP, but when my previous employer planned a mandatory active shooter drill, they sent a liability release/waiver that we were expected to sign. I have no idea what kind of training could possible take seven hours. 10 Reasons Why You Should Work From Home Today! Some of them can be a lot of fun if the team already works well together, but I dont think any of them are useful if the team dynamics are bad. Generally if you submit early enough in advance and have a compelling reason, it will be approved. Well. If not, I would call in sick the day before and after to solidfy the excuse. Plus,no one wants to hear the details. And if it is, there is a huge possibility that the other people wont show up either. Guessing they will breakout into groups and tour the building to find safe places to hide or ways to block paths. No one in management cared. Everytown has some great resources and statistics you could show your school about these trainings. Content warning for anyone who (like me) was curious about this and did google for the original news story: many of the top links I found in the google results included detailed descriptions of the fake-shooters other, unrelated charges (abuse of a minor). Find out more about Divi Cake here. That means if you click and buy a product, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. So. Hope you dont get cornered! This! I found out by accident that our in person Non Violent Intervention training at another facility was PHOENOMENALLY triggering for me and I am keeping all of these in mind because I would have to get an accommodation. Its not worth getting worked up over. *Deep breath* Many triggering statements made below, please be advised. He has to fly armed. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your experience in the Drill Army Reserves: The university police ran the session and they were very professional yet laid back, which made the training far less stressful than it could have been. Hes a cruel person, who happens to be nice to you. Precisely, More Training Needed. Im a teacher and have been in charge of children during these drills. Agree. I feel for commanders and NCO on this issue because the people at the top REFUSE to truly find ways to resolve this issue because a number on the books is all that matters. That way, you have the documentation if you need to go to HR. I am not quite old enough to properly recall the gun buyback of 1996. Even I could tell how hard it was for him to keep it together. I absolutely think you should absent yourself from these in future (regardless of how open to it the boss, is, call out sick if you need to). Im not against well-designed, appropriate active shooter drills but I cant believe this one is well-designed or appropriate if it takes so long. Ive been through multiple safety courses (as in, semester long professional courses, not one-day training) and I still froze with a phone in my hand the one time I had to do it for real. Relax away. No one processed the paperwork and the slot got filled up every single time. There is a solution that has worked just about everywhere else in the world, and its not this. But youve already established your workplace isnt likely to be reasonable. Agree. But more than that, your boss thinks it would be funny to direct a terrorist or mass murderer to go kill someone younger? Read More How to Write a Professional Email At Work (with Examples)Continue. It sounds like they just decided to do an active shooter drill. I got volunteer hours and free pizza, and I was 12 so I was very excited to mess around with fake blood and brains. This is considered a valid excuse and your commander should work with you to find an alternate solution . I remember going to a 4th of July party thrown by a combat veteran friend-of-a-friend. And honestly, shes been doing them her whole life in school. Who should I talk to for that?, If he mocks you or implies youre a delicate snowflake, consider saying: You and I are coming to this with a very different frame of reference. I hope LW is able to realize his insensitivity is plenty of cause for reconsidering her stance on him and using all her effort to pushback on such terrible behavior from him. They played it in the background or had it up during lunch and walked away in order to get credit for watching it. They dont call us a generation of flakesfor nothing. We have to let the videos play and take multiple quizzes to get a certificate, but Ive now done them enough that I can let the video play while not really paying attention, and my anxiety has disappeared over the trainings. Our population is very low-functioning, so having them do an active shooter run-hide-fight type of drill is pointless. Id develop a migraine toward the end of the day before and call in the next day. Hey really curious, since I am in a tangentially related field; is the same true for fire drills, earthquake drills, etc. I worked in a call center. Attend events and functions, volunteer for leadership positions, and just generally be a positive presence within your unit. Several of their colleagues/friends were injured, and the shooter (another colleague) died. Learn more about NTRW here. Im so sorry your workplace is putting you through this. A teacher friend told me shes never been so proud and so sad as when one of her students went to the supply closet and distributed scissors and protractors to his classmates during a suspected active shooter event. Amazing- they hire someone to assess risk, then ignore what they have to say about risk to staff in the lobby. There are a few reasons why your absences might not be able to be excused. Pretty sure I called in sick that day. The most serious consequence of missing a drill weekend is getting drummed out of the reserves. This knife-edge behavior, scared enough to schedule drills, not scared enough to take it seriously it has to stop. Just FYI, likely the accommodation would be You dont have to complete the training, but then you have to work in an admin role/non-direct care role. Because then a bad guy could find them. And weve had a former employee fired for making death threats, who did come back to cause trouble at least once, who would know where all the exits are if he was going to do something worse, I also have been dealing with bomb threats and shooter drills since middle school. Since OPs boss says the training is mandatory, any pre-submitted PTO requests would probably be denied. Everyone knows how to call 911. The two are not the same. I told her that going forward, I would like the opportunity to work remotely on the days of drills or just use my leave entirely and she seemed open to it. Were in the same school district as the Tree of Life shooting, which happened on a Saturday, and the following week was Halloweensomeone called in a threat to my kids elementary school that day, and my oldest was in swimming at the time. This will make the time go by faster and itll be more bearable. What if theyre going to do it several times? The self advocacy takes its own toll. I know many of them are probably fine, but many are also horror themed. What could they possibly need seven hours to cover? If you miss your drill weekend without contacting the Reserve unit and securing permission in advance, you incur an unexcused absence. There is a huge possibility that they wont remember asking you later in the hustle of all the guests. They say that the time for RST has passed. If youre outside the immediate blast radius, being killed by a falling ceiling tile is preventable that way. My problem is my unit has decided that not enough people will show up so they moved Sept's drill to Aug 5-6 and made it mandatory. You dont need her permission to Nope out of the next one. Plus employers (not mine, fortunately) discourage/forbid their employees from reporting assaults on their person and tell them thats part of the job. I felt so absolutely enraged and panicky by the first 5 minutes of this asinine presentation by a law enforcement officer that I just left. I wish very much I had opted out. You could also make up a fake relative, or say that you knew someone who died in x major shooting event.