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

It was a labyrinth of shelves, and being the basement, there were no windows. Youre talking about the kind of training that professionals receive. Empowering for LW, maybe. OP, pick whichever option works for you, but I would think explaining yourself in a firm, unwavering way would not only be empowering to you, but also eye-opening to your boss. Seconding the idea that there is an industry built around these things. EVERYTHING this guy says. Given the reaction youve gotten from trying to push back, I wouldnt bother trying to explain why this is a problem. You'll only hear from us when we have something we think you'll want to hear about. To this day I can remember everything about Columbine and it felt like there was this huge shift that altered the rest of my school experience. I interned at a plant that had an annual disaster training day where they would pick one scenario and do a full day simulation + training on it. My friend who worked at Harrods was in the Harrods bombing. Finally we learned they had just been required to offer an active shooter training by their insurance. Telling David a massive no straight to his face will come across as rude and will likely hurt his feelings in the process. He remembers Columbine and Virginia Tech and Aurora and Sandyhook and Parkland and Pulse . Whatever. Please take a sick day, or do whatever else you need to do to take care of yourself. There isnt a traditional HR department here, and this is an office where were really subject to the dictates of our boss. I have no polite words about your boss. Anything for a buck is pretty disgusting sometimes. Im surprised at the number of commenters who seem to reject calibrating reptilian-brain thinking. When I voiced my concerns, he made a few jokes about how he would simply redirect the shooter to a younger person They had to go door to door knocking to tell people to leave. Just be careful not to cough or sneeze or they could actually suggest a hospital visit. No. * I am at a loss as to how any sort of effective drill could possibly take that long. I spent a little time thinking about what I would do if we were robbed. They were upfront about wanting to meet everyones needs, and they made it very easy to select different options, such as being provided material to review on their own time or in private, write-ups vs videos, or just the option to opt out completely. Failure to call before you miss your drill weekend or immediately thereafter is considered an unexcused absence by the military. If you know WHO is conducting the training maybe they could give info about what is happening that day. Our society (U.S.) has gone around the bend and its valuable for reasoned voices to call it out. Seriously, I dont understand how it goes for seven hours. I HATED that we had to do these trainings it felt like being given a band-aid for a hemorrhage. I hope the party goes well; perhaps we could catch up on another day/ perhaps I could buy you a drink to make it up to you? I definitely feel safer that the administration deems it more likely that we need immediate access to bleeding control than an AED. Your boss is not a nice person. If this were a short (10-20 min) drill, Id say you might be out of luck. Afterwards, we did a Run/Hide/Fight video, talked about some specific places for it in our building, and listened/watched some videos from an actual active shooter event from a few years before, as the video showed what police response would actually look like. Children. :D, https://www.fox4news.com/news/officer-shot-during-active-shooter-training-forest-hill, https://www.kios.org/news/2022-08-25/arrest-follows-active-shooter-drill-gone-wrong, https://www.securityinfowatch.com/healthcare/news/21277863/three-more-nurses-sue-adventhealth-over-faked-active-shooting. I dont think I could do a drill again. this situation is hard enough without your boss being insensitive. Its not necessarily as private or discrete as you may prefer, and youll still see whats going on in the simulation. My father came close to being blown up in the Marks and Sparks Paris bombing. I could have written this post myself. My direct boss fought it and tried to get me excused, but her boss was firm that it was required. I dont need to sit through seven hours of that garbageagain. william lancaster obituary; how to open aegis bait station without key; rooms for rent in trenton, nj; Hello world! 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. You could call in sick that day. Lavender Baj, Culture What interests me is this is a mass shooting drill, not an active shooter drill. Were going to have people sit in a conference room and a deputy will speak. Are there many gossipers in your work place? Hey, apologies for flaking, but my babysitter just called and told me she couldnt make it today. Ive been participating in active shooter drills since high school, know about run-hide-fight, and know people who have died from gun violence. Everytown has some resources regarding that as well. If they can do it, so can anyone else. LW, your boss has shown you who he really is. They told the older members what to do. I didnt read through all of the comments, so perhaps this is addressed upthread. Wish me luck! In the last year we had a shooting at another campus in my district, and a lockdown on my campus for a suspected shooter (someone on the street with a gun who did not end up coming into the building). Thanks, Tell the host a detailed story of how hectic your last week was with all the office meetings, official tours, and prepping up for the big seminar that went great today. There have been several studies that have shown that the methods used in many trainings end up causing PTSD and trauma. If your employer doesnt want you to opt out of the subject matter entirely, they can provide alternatives to a shooter simulation like reading training materials or creating an individual safety plan. 3. I graduated high school a few years before Columbine, but can still completely empathize with what people who are younger than me have been through. Im a survivor of gun violence and Ive lost a loved one in a mass shooting. Our active shooter training is online, so you can just play the video and ignore it & still get credit. My work has a (pretty upsetting) active shooter training video they play at new employee orientation. What if theyre going to do it several times? The most serious consequence of missing a drill weekend is getting drummed out of the reserves. You could also make up a fake relative, or say that you knew someone who died in x major shooting event. Would you mind if I took you out for some drinks another time? Dear god I have done this too. Its a big box store, just a series of giant open rooms! I work in emergency management and these drills are NOT helpful nor necessary for the public. I know you dont want to do that, being the only woman and all, but I find that sometimes I spend too much effort holding myself together, and an honest reaction sometimes solves the issue. Heres my example: I was working the midnight shift in a chain retail pharmacy. update: is my future manager a bigoted jerk? He sounds gross. otherwise you are going to end up in a more awkward situation. How do you say no to working on a weekend?. Heck, I would probably nope out of any training that long, regardless of topic. Yeah, plans with MYSELF to do nothing but LIE ON THE COUCH with a family size packet of LIGHT & TANGY CHIPS. There wont be people storming into the building. My all-women department once went to a shooting range for a super fun team building event at one of their self-defense courses. This knife-edge behavior, scared enough to schedule drills, not scared enough to take it seriously it has to stop. That way, you have the documentation if you need to go to HR. This individual lived through a civil war in their country of origin and understandably was not keen on the idea of triggering difficult memories in a professional setting. Therefore, an entire weekend can add up to four unexcused absences. It was on my mind constantly. Wanted to add that I agree the real problem is in the proliferation of guns and the lawlessness favored bycertain politicians. To enhance the dramatic effect, you can fill up your voice with tears and can have a catharsis you were longing for. When the drill ended, they came back, all laughing how they had been shot and if they were dead, could they go home for the day. I will never, ever attend one of these againit is worth *any* political or professional price I might pay. I have to do the Run, Hide, Fight video at work. Best practice is to allow people to opt out, for any reason. I could see someone thoughtlessly approaching it like rehearsing a play. Typically blanks are fired inside of the building (sometimes without specific warning) to simulate real scenarios. I have AT starting Aug 7. The session before it was about what to have in your desk emergency kit in case of an earthquake. 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? Yes. So, maybe next time? Nothing can really prepare you for this. Yes, its a well-known fact that the most effective way TO LEARN is during a state of abject terror maintained over multiple hours. Burying your head in the sand wont change reality. You also get children with really poor emotional regulation (like, toddler level) and they absolutely need the practice. It was a practical tour of the various ways out of the building and a review locations of fire extinguishers, first aid kits, and defibrillators. But having mentally rehearsed what I would do, based on their previous robbery pattern, helped me get through that. Heck see if you can schedule an appointment JUST FOR THAT DAY. This is your time to show that you are the best and that you can definitely take the weekends off and enjoy the weekend. Only if you think the person will understand. Either, they will be worried, or angry, or blatantly say 'no' to your suggestions of going away. Literally every soldier here has multiple stories they can tell similar to this. What I really want is to skip it entirely but if I can, how do I explain this request/decision to my boss without disclosing my mental health struggles, explaining (in vain) the anxiety I feel about this training, or looking like the only person not tough enough to participate (as the only woman in my department)? As a former company commander in the NG I routinely let my personnel miss or make up drills. Also, we do have accommodations for those who cant watch the video. For example, an evacuation drill might reveal that the intended exit route is actually inaccessible because its blocked by blackberry thicket (true story), or a fire drill could show you that the fire alarm isnt audible in one part of the building (also true story). Understanding how to tell your boss you are not working on weekends professionally can help you to say no, with confidence and courtesy. For more information, please view our Privacy Policy and Earnings Disclosure page. Move away from windows? Hey Im really sorry I cant make his evening. I think many people would freeze. Call out sick. There is a solution that has worked just about everywhere else in the world, and its not this. You dont even have to do it well! The company policy for RST is that it has be approved 30 days before drill (Aug 5-6). Pretty sure it wasnt the entire day but it wasnt a full day of school anyways (minimum day). The idea that I could be leaving them behind AND as a result, might never see them again because a twit with a gun he should never have had access to shot up their school is utterly unfathomable. Im almost 24. All The Funniest Reactions To Facebook And Instagram Shutting Down For Six Hours Be patient. Welcome to teaching in America! This article may contain affiliate links. We were about 1hr 25 min away. This is a good perspective I can take to my leadership to let them know that while SOME of our employees might want this, it could also be detrimental to others. Ah, I bet you live in the same city as me. Thats a totally reasonable length for something so complicated and so intertwined with our everyday work, especially where we may be needed to provide specialized assistance to professional EMS/Fire personnel who have less experience with the particular hazards involved. When someone says, "We should get brunch this weekend" respond with "I love brunch!" This way you have successfully. Essentially, it is suppose to identify potential issues ahead of time; example, local, state & federal departments all using different radio frequencies and needing to figure out what they would use together in an emergency (this was an issue during Katrina). We also have a conscript army, which means that the vast majority of young men and an increasing number of women who volunteer learn to use firearms appropriately. Same. My only other thought is, that if this simulation might happen more than once, it could be useful to go the formal accommodations route so you have a standing reason to not attend any sessions. Thank you for sharing them! 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. If youre a party person, in your teens or early twenties, a party at Davids is news that will stir a lot of excitement. This week theyre doing live action Run Hide Fight drills in their middle school. Thats insane. I work for state government and am my agencys safety coordinator in addition to my regular, full-time role. When I was at job from hell, looking at a full day meeting from hell that would solve nothing and put me in a similar place to the OP, I seriously considered getting takeout with my allergen in in, dramatically puking in a trashcan, and leaving for the evening/next day. Most of the others sat around, out in the open, chatting quietly. Im so sorry and I hope that things can change, because this is so cruel and unfair to OP, to the kids, to you, to everyone. CLICK HERE to get your copy from Book Depository. Absolutely, the outdoors are great! An avian flu outbreak was even the disaster they had to simulate! I think this is one of those things that is worth burning political capital for- its annoying to be only woman and the only one opting out, but its pretty important to stand up for yourself in this. Call in sick, OP. We then had a staff meeting to discuss their concerns and a number of my staff expressed anxiety about mass shootings, workplace shootings, and what their kids went through with drills at school. It really hit home how different of a world these kids are in even from the one we were in. If you have an awkward situation that youd like example templates for, request a topic here. Most workplace active shooters are targeted. My mom worked for a large company and has to deal with several (not at her location, thankfully, but as HR she had to deal with the aftermath). Hey, would love to come tonight- would you mind picking me up? Sick of this a-hole you work for! Not-really-jokes aside, call in sick. Im a big proponent of safety drills. Pretty much this. Law enforcement continues to train others and practice drills. Cookie Notice as a manager, should I not wear a childless shirt in my off-hours? by or say youd been experiencing extreme menstrual/PMS symptoms. Its much, much better. (And get a pizza delivered to your address. A book that finally understands introverts! This goes on your permanent military record and can affect your career negatively. Get involved in your unit. My daughters friend since pre-school was killed in a mass shooting during her freshman year in college. 4 You have religious obligations . Mass shootings have been happeing for years im sure he remembers sandy hook, Virginia Tech, etc. Im sorry for the loss of your loved one and for your own experience too. But last summer I had to attend one of these trainings at work (though much shorter) and I completely melted down. I have never ever called in sick for any reason other than actually being too sick to leave my bed. The active shooter training was performative and to tick off an insurance requirement. Are you willing to orchestrate an elaborate tale about a fake aunt and her knee surgery? 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.) Now that my eldest is in school, I am grateful every day that I married a British man and moved to his hometown. I full stop do not trust any training that requires multiple hours and comfortable clothes. This scenario sounds like the boss just wants to live out some of his first-person shooter video games and wants to drag everyone along with him, regardless as to their comfort level with shooting games. I have been battling car issues for over a week now. In the meantime, read through these comments and know we are all standing with you. The active shooter training was a short part of the overall agenda. Three cups of black coffee and a gas station burrito will do the trick, too. If you play dumb Yeah, I dunno man, it came out of nowhere youll have them feeling sorry for you and totally fine about cancelling. If you have a doctor's note stating that you are too ill to participate in drill, this is a valid excuse. The conference was originally scheduled to take place during AT but when they learned I couldn't go they rescheduled it for specifically me. Ive even had to go so far as to use a very light dusting of a slightly purple-y matte eye shadow to emphasize the dark circles under my eyes for one job (company was populated by a LOT of ex-military). Definitely. I could possibly be out all day for medical reasons planned in advance, but that wouldnt actually work for the specific reasons I have to list (medical appontment or illness dor myself or a family member). But the other options could be better in some situations. The whole realistic reenactment thing makes people in charge feel like theyre doing more than they are. same, but I would leave early on the day before because of said flu/stomach bug/whatever, take off sick the day of the training, and take off the next day, too, to avoid the followup chatter around the office, and maybe mitigate some of the where were you, you missed its. And WTF is a pencil going to do against someone with an AK47. It was a tough meeting. I know the whole flight/fight/freeze thing. 100% agree with Alisons statement that active-shooter drills are counterproductive. Not only does a well-designed drill help participants remember what to do in a real scenario, it gives you the opportunity to identify critical issues before an emergency. Im late to the post, but you dont even have to be a kid for it to be all you know. Whether or not your weekend work is a regularly scheduled shift or some overtime thanks to work that was not completed during the week, asking for time off to attend an important family event is perfectly justifiable. Not a drill, but my church employer, with school and preschool attached, had us all watch a video of a shooting simulation at a school. LW, your boss is being extremely blas about his staffs mental health. But since you happen to be the person who. This excuse is exclusively for ladies and its fantastic because nobody asks questions. All The Best Squid Game Memes For Those Still Reeling After That Twist Ending Either way, Im very sorry youre dealing with this horrific BS. but never a real simulation. I was voluntold to participate in my companys active shooter drills and I said straight out NO. Im a teacher in a state where this type of yearly simulation training is a state requirement for school accreditation (it always happens on an in-service day without children in the building). And then, afterwards, we got the WORST LECTURE EVER from a crying teacher telling us that if this was real wed all be dead because of our collective inability to JUST BEHAVE OURSELVES and BE QUIET for half an hour. If you get any pushback, then escalate it to whoever has authority. He likely is superficially affable, but what you have related is not at all the speech of a nice person. Exactly. Call in sick. Maybe there are social consequences to that, I dont have enough context, but they wont be more severe than triggering yourself to this extent. You can approach the second-in-command, if you believe that person will be more receptive than your boss. First responders and EM do exercises to improve our side of it. I rarely wish for a like button. You want to spend the time with your family and friends, It has a positive impact on your physical and mental health, You have the opportunity to develop networking opportunities, Yor provide a service or goods to the community. I have a parent in emergency preparedness who talks about how a lot of these simulated trainings came out after what happened during Hurricane Katrina. For many units, one of these traditions is Drill Weekend. Drill Weekend is a chance for soldiers to get away from the daily grind and focus on training. All-day training puts it in a very different category. It may help to know as a 5th option for opt out that the law enforcement facilitators will almost always offer the opportunity for individuals to opt out of simulation portions by self identifying at the very beginning of the training. Somebody is implementing this program, and is either intending it to be voluntary (and your boss is going rogue) or intending it to be mandatory and *really* not thinking it through, and either way I would think the CEO/Owner would want to know about it if you cant get anyone else to listen to you. They dont even have scissors at their desks. You might still be able to get them to modify how they do the drills, and who they choose to be the instructors, etc. Im just so tired of worrying. Im sorry you have personal experience with this. This sometimes makes it extremely hard to complete college assignments by their due date. According to the United States Census Bureau, around 13 million workers in the United States have more than one job. When you miss nine drill weekends in 12 months without contacting your commander or the Navy Operational Support Center to which you report, your commanding officer can declare your . I resent our new hires for setting better work-life boundaries than our company normally has, hairy legs at work, my office sent me a random TV, and more, heres an example of a great cover letter with before and after versions, my employee cant handle even mildly negative feedback, my new coworker is putting fake mistakes in my work so she can tell our boss Im bad at my job, insensitive Diversity Day, how to fire someone who refuses to talk to us, and more, weekend open thread February 25-26, 2023, assistant became abusive when she wasnt invited to a meeting, my coworkers dont check on people who are out sick, and more. They dont call us a generation of flakesfor nothing. Health care employees come under a ton of violence/assaults, from verbal to physical to sexual, and generally experience it at a rate that rivals most other professions. Theres always That Guy who feels the need to comment. Sorry, I'm Late, I Didn't Want to Come follows author Jessica Pan's hilarious and painful year of misadventures in extroverting, reporting back from the frontlines for all the introverts out there. Also on the 7th floor so its not like we could break a window. -You have a family emergency (documentation may be required) Nope , its not. And seven hours long? Same with mine; customized by law enforcement but the only customization was Oh yeah all your doors are glass so hiding isnt an option! And a quality training, I cannot stress this enough, does not last seven hours. And you know theyll treat it all as a big game because its all fake anyway. My kid survived by diving under their desk and huddling there, shaking, as the shooter stalked the room looking for more targets, listening to the screams of their colleagues who had been shot, and expecting to die in the crossfire once law enforcement arrived. (Funny how this rarely happens when the rental office is open; some hapless security guard has to try to decode the alarm system fault codes and tell the fire department what happened.). Seven hours of that ought to bring him to his senses and lead him to apologize, profoundly, with tears in his eyes, if he has any decency at all. Its amazing how many men who dont know how makeup works will be like wow, are you okay, you look tired., Expectations around makeup in the office are unfair so I think its reasonable to use it to our advantage on occasion :P. My daughter had mono in HS and was going to talk to the guidance counselor to see if she could get out of quarterly tests I told her not to wear her makeup that day and she got out of those tests.