Issues

So I haven't posted like I wanted to this week. When I get back to Little Rock next week I'll have to post photos of the wedding I went to over the weekend. It was a nice wedding but way over the top and difficult to really enjoy myself.

Anyhow, upon returning back to Indiana I went through my 100's of emails. As a military wife I have the opportunity to be part of a Spouses Club. There are good things and bad things about this. This year I was asked to sit on the Spouses Club board again and I agreed. However, if things go the way I think they will, I will be stepping down shortly. I just really need to vent to someone who isn't military.

AMC bases (Air Mobility Command) participate in something called RODEO every 2 years. It's a competition to see which AMC organizations are the best in all of the Air Force. So the RODEO commmittee has come to the Spouses Club with a monetary request of $1200 for uniforms for the competition. The request was ammended yesterday to $700 for incidentals. The reason I really have a problem with giving any money to RODEO is this. The base knows that RODEO happens every 2 years. And as someone who has planned events and given advice to people who plan various events, the day after the last RODEO the organization should've started to think about raising money for the next RODEO. I truly believe that 2 years is more than enough time to raise money to send the 100 or so military members that compete (it's a rough estimate - I don't really know how many people participate). One of the arguments for giving money that some of the board members have is that it will bring recognition to the base and possibly bring RODEO back to LRAFB in 2009. If people don't already know that Litte Rock is one of the biggest AMC bases and THE largest C-130 base in the country then it's not going to make a damn bit of different now. Another argument is that it will bring revenue to the local community. How does that affect me? It only affects the businesses in the area that don't give back to the community. If I knew that the hotels and restaurants around the base that would see an increased amount of business during RODEO if it came to Little Rock would actually donate a large portion of that profit to local needs then I MIGHT change my mind. But I know it won't happen.

The Spouses Club works hard every year to raise money for local schools because as everyone knows Arkansas schools suck and also for scholarships not to mention a bunch of other really deserving causes. This past year we raised $47K. My other problem is that if you start giving money to things like this, every organization on base will take the easy way out and start asking us for money.

So if this motion passes, I will step down from my board position as I truly feel that the Spouses Club doesn't discern from organizations that are just looking for handouts and organizations that truly need the money. I've already emailed president and 2 vice's saying that I will step down if any money is given to RODEO. Does anyone think I'm being unreasonable? Lane already agrees with me. If it's that important for the base to make a good showing then the base needs to pony up the money the RODEO organization still needs.