Always something

It had been quite some time since my last deployment bureaucratic roadblock. In the military world, as a spouse, your power-of-attorney can be your means to problem solving.

In my recent case, Max received a request from some bank claiming to need his social security number for tax purposes. Well, since he didn't have an account with this bank, I telephoned them to clear it up. Something seemed fishy.

I called the bank and explained that my husband is deployed for a year and asked to get his name removed from their mailing list. The woman on the phone told me that she could not discuss anything about this with me and that Max would have to call or write a letter requesting to be taken off of their contact list. Again, he had no affiliation with this bank.

I've run into scenarios like this during previous deployments.

I laughed and told her that he wouldn't be able to call from Afghanistan nor would he have time to sit down and write a letter to some bank with which he has no account. I explained next that I have power-of-attorney. It turns out that once I mentioned this, progress was made. I'd have to go to a local branch with my paperwork. Fair enough and I did. Of course, my word wasn't going to get me anywhere this day and age.

Max laughed when I told him about this exchange when he called recently. I pictured him shaking his head in disbelief. He told me at one point last year, he called to inquire about that bank because it was a military bank, but decided not to open an account with them. Apparently, inquiries can lead to social security number acquisition. Not interested, thanks. Thank goodness for my power-of-attorney.