Duty, honor, respect
I’m Being Deployed
Be careful what you put on USAJOBS
I’ve worked for the feds for a “few” years and am now technically a reservist. Even though I’m paid by the federal government, I’m “treated” as though I’m military. I have had and still have a security clearance. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Because, well, you know, security clearance.
If it hadn’t been for good old COVID, God only knows how many deployments I would have been on by now. But with most areas on lockdown and various points in time, for the most part, our deployments have come to a screeching halt. I can’t say that I’m upset by that all things being what they are currently.
However, in the last few weeks, my spidey radar has been slowly but steadily increasing. I keep hearing the oath I took playing in my head. One part in particular.
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
I’ve been selective in choosing to whom I break this news and have done it in person. This isn’t the type of deployment I’m used to. This is quite different. I’m being deployed to Virginia to investigate the death of a county police officer. They want an independent, third-party outsider to do the investigation. To say that I’m less than thrilled about this is a gross understatement.
If I go down there and decide it was a homicide and not an accident, then what? Will I be in danger post-investigation? Will those that know me then be in danger as well? Will I be stepping on toes? What if I uncover a coverup? What if I send an innocent man to jail? What if... What if… What if…
They have deployed me before, and I actually love being deployed. I love the challenge, the possibilities of being able to help people who are most in need. This time is different. Maybe I should have never listed on USAJOBS that I had studied criminal justice with an emphasis on forensics.
I have GOT to stop eating ranch-flavored Pringles right before bed! Sheesh, what a helluva dream that was!
#gotcha