I Hate SATO

So we were supposed to get our commercial airline itineraries yesterday at 1600. We dutifully showed up at the WTP building only to be told, "come back in an hour" as SATO -- the US Government Travel Agency -- was still working on them.

We showed up at 1700. There are significant "issues" with our itineraries we were told; the few that had been turned in were largely incorrect. Oh, and the SATO office is now closed for the day. WTF? About the only thing I did find out was that I was on the scheduled for the chartered flight that would fly from Kuwait to Baltimore. Some people were told they didn't make that and instead would be issued commercial air tickets to their ultimate destinations.

We checked back again at 1830 and were told someone at SATO promised all itineraries would be ready first thing in the morning. So we checked back this morning. Only ten out of roughly fifty were ready.

Somewhere, someone screwed up; those of in Iraq I know put in our travel requests between forty-five to fifty days ago. Why are our itineraries being worked on at the last minute when surely there will be a paucity of available seats on desired commercial flights leaving Baltimore? As a result of this oversight, it's very likely many of us will be stuck in Baltimore waiting for flights that leave next day.

For frak's sake. This is how redeploying service members are treated? No wonder they had us turn in our weapons on day one.