Posted on Apr 30, 2015
What's the consensus on dependents using rank based reserved parking at exchanges/commissaries?
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What's the consensus on dependents using rank based reserved parking at exchanges/commissaries? I believe these spots are supposed to be used by the member to rapidly get in/out of a store and get back to work, not as a RHIP reward. To me, it smacks of dependents "wearing" their sponsor's rank.
Dependents
Commissary
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 341
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When I was the CG's driver, his wife always asked me to park in those spots with only her in the car. I told her that it wasn't allowed, that her husband was the one who put out that rule. She was not a happy camper, and I was standing in front of him the next day to explain, why his wife had to walk 4 extra spaces. I explained to him what had happened, he said to just drop her off at the door and circle til she came out. The next time I had to drive her she apologized for what had happened and that she'd wait at the doors til I could pick her up.
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SFC Nicole White
I have a question. Your CG authorized the use of a military vehicle to transport his wife and you a military member as HER driver? Therein lies the problem!
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SFC William Adamek
I caught that CG-less transportation too. LOL. Was definitely trying to figure out situations that this would be permissible.
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Bunch of good points raised. I seem to recall at one point designated parking spots, especially for position (CG, Cdr, etc) were a bad thing for OPSEC purposes anyway.
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SrA Ryan Schaff
I don’t see how it’s bad for opsec when as soon as any one steps out of their car their rank is displayed to the world.
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SFC Robert Walton
I have a short story. I was assigned over seas, civilian clothes assignment a pipeline through the embassy. We had a very small PX etc. It had assigned parking. Needless to say we were a large family and everyone knew everyone. It was a weekend for us so most folks went to the PX, Class 6, so on I took that morning and went with my wife as well when I got there the parking lot was full except two spot The embassy commanders spot and one on the very end so I was passing the reserved spot and the embassy commander was standing there directing me into his parking spot not to be one to disobey and order verbal or hand signal I parked there. When I got out of the car I still had a confused look on my face. But Greeted the commander with a hand shake, Curious as I could get. I ask what's up with the parking Sir? He Smiled and said "if they blow up your car you get an early trip home, If they blow up mine all hell is gonna break loose". Then looked over his shoulder as he was walking with his wife to the PX and said I just saw that guy he left and went home. All I could do is laugh and go shopping.
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As was stated by someone previously in this discussion by not parking in that space you are taking away from everyone else who legitimately can’t park there. I’m a Lcpl and I’m not about to try parking in an officers parking spot. But if a retired officer or a spouse of an officer wants to park there good. Then maybe that frees up a spot closer for me. Look. I don’t agree with the whole spouse thinking they are the same rank as the service member thing but it’s just a friggin parking space. It’s not that big of a deal. As long as when he or she gets out of the vehicle they don’t expect me to salute them and start yelling at me in the parking lot, saying their spouse is so and so, so I should know them and salute them I really don’t care.
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SGT (Join to see)
Finally found one I agreed with. I thought I was the only one who could care less if a spouse parked in a reserved spot.
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CAPT Michael Toleno
I'm surprised the opinion on this is so apparently one-sided. I had always tacitly assumed the reverse (i.e., that the space is not restricted, unless it's for a specific job holder; see my more detailed comment). Maybe it's just more likely to raise emotions and cause one to post, if you hold the opinion that something should be more restricted, and that restriction is violated, than the reverse. So perhaps the number of "votes" is skewed. In other words, thinking that the space is less restrictive would give you less to be irate about, and thus make you less likely to vent your emotions and post about it.
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I am a MAJ married to a COL. I would NEVER park in an O6 slot if he wasn’t with me. And it equally pisses me off when I see perfectly abled people with handicap parking plaquards parking in handicapped spots or males w/o a pregnant wife parking in pregnancy spots. I have seen all versions of lazy.
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C Laughlin
You don’t know what the underlying conditions of someone with a hadicapped placard are. My husband had stage 3 colon cancer and was on strong treatment he tired easy and was very weak. He was given a placard but to just look at him getting out of the vehicle you would have never known.
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I was a security police officer working a super busy entry one morning when an officer's wife pulled up and just sat there. I knew she wasn't the officer and I waved the car through. She just sat there. I had a line of cars out to the highway and this lady says "I'm waiting" and I respond "waiting for what?" And she has the audacity to say "my salute"!! I got a little salty and told her she could park her car in the detention area until my traffic died down and I'd come over and salute her sticker. She got pissed and drove off. I figured I'd hear about it from my flight chief but I never did. Lol
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Absolutely, it is for the person wearing the rank, not a civilian that has no rank. Spouses who use their others rank is pathetic.
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Dependapotomis’ do it so often! It is the members rank not the spouses!
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I was a dependent and later active duty then a dependent again. No dependent should assume the rank and privileges of anyone in the military!! I consider it scraping the edges of stolen valor!!
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TSgt David Whitmore
Thank you!
Your comment was both short and directly to the point. And absolutely correct.
Your comment was both short and directly to the point. And absolutely correct.
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CAPT Michael Toleno
Perhaps to many it's not a matter of "assuming the rank"; perhaps it's a legitimately different way of viewing something that is not made sufficiently clear. (If it were so clear, then we wouldn't have all these posts about it!)
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