What's the consensus on dependents using rank based reserved parking at exchanges/commissaries?

Maj Joseph Osborne,
I definitely agree, sir. This reminds me of those handicap review mirror signs that came out in the 80's. People would use them just to get a closer parking space even though no one in the vehicle at the time was handicap. Now that they have handicap tags on vehicles you can't move the them from one vehicle to the next, but abuses still occur everyday. However, on Fort Gordon USASCoE&FG Regulation 210-3, clearly states "Commanders and parking lot custodians are responsible for the enforcement of the reserved parking spaces established within their areas. "...Law Enforcement Personnel will not enforce unauthorized parking in reserved spaces."

I say it's a no-go

Ain't been on any post in 25 years! But those spots are for the men that really earned it!!

Agreed, I’ve never used the reserved spots. Then again I park towards the back of the lots, as long as I’m capable of walking a little extra, why wait for a closer one?

At Langley it was enforced and dependents had to find a regular spot.. one day it was raining terrible .. and a vanagon parked in the Wing CMSGT’s spot.. she was in and out. She had s vag with a few items.. another dependent reported it to the base Cmdr.. usually them guys are pretty chummy.. This was another dependent.. turned out a Army dependent. .. it seems it was enforced at Fort Eustis too and she wondered if Langley enforced it.. she said she would go higher if need be.. whatever higher was.. So to keep things calm.. The base Cmdr invited her over to his office and had the Wing CMSGTs wife and a Security Policeman there.. He gave the Chief’s wife a ticket.. .. which she’d have to wait for the federal magistrate to come next month.. it all came down to her getting a slap on the wrist.. over at Eustis it was $15
(The same magistrate) money went to MWR(morale-WelfAre-recreation). So little miss pissy panties went back and complained toJAG.. their JAG called AF JAG.. Anyway, the Chief ended up forking the $15 over to the magistrate.
(Thing is a lot more went into chasing that $15 .. it’s the principle she said).. I wonder if the next time she went on Langley . Did they nail her for a $20 dollar seat belt ticket? (Base tickets weren’t the same as off-base, didn’t even get points)
Not when I was in ).. in early 80s..

I agree

I would never do this on Ft Hood those are spots for military specifically. I think maybe if the spouse I Big and pregnant or disabled then that’s the only exception.

My pardons in advance if this comes across more as a stream of thought ramble, but it's about the onlly way I can truly address this...

I see more than a few "Officer's spouse getting all condescending about 'hanging with' lower ranked spouses" complaints. Does anyone think that, since in a "good marriage", one is expected to put Spousey's desires on a level with their own - the POTENTIAL for "chain fraternization" can occur, and this attitude is a natural defense to prevent it?
You know, Enlisted Spousey "convinces" Officer's Spousey to have actual rank holder cut a break to actual Enlisted Peep...

Marriage is a LOT more than just a tax break, access to another person's information, and shortcut to inheritance. It is a very careful balancing act between the needs/desires of two people who have agreed to "act as one" and/or care for their "better half" as much as, if not slightly more, than themselves - part of the "to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." portion of the wedding vows (specifically, the "to cherish" part...)

"Abuse" of this train of thought is what leads to dependasaurus syndrome - yet, as others have posted, it is all to easy to overlook the sacrifices the spouse makes in order for the actual rank holder to advance - as their part of the balancing act of marriage requires. Such as, perhaps, the one I opened this post with, or other functions like "Officer's Spouse's Group cooking for the Unit Picnic".

These parking spots were, if I remember my time in right, a "perk (privilege)" granted to the high ranking SM "for use in cases when said SM needs to use the facility" - even in this day and age of "Officers eat last", wouldn't you rather said Officer have a reserved parking spot so they can get in - do stuff - get out, or waste 2-3 minutes of time walking to/from the distant reaches of the parking lot that could have been spent caring for a subordinate's need?

And is it just me, or is the difference between some "dependasauruses" and "great military spouses" just the demeanor in which they "pull rank" that a situation may require - say an unfortunate traffic violation in the spouse's haste to support their Ranking SO in a "family care crisis"... (Spousey who's a little.. upset... at the need to give up "family time" to care for an E3's family vs. the one who tries to quickly explain the full situation to the MP/SP)

I think it’s simoly called RUDE j - more than if a stranger did that- if you ask me... who do these people think tbey are? Thank you for your service

Deplorable, and disrespectful! I have blessed to be raised by,married to, and the mother of some of the finest military men. The men in our family have been to Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Not to mention deployments for peacekeeping. As a child, I learned to respect not just my father’s rank, but all ranks. I taught my children the same, as they are teaching their children. Our service members earn their rights to any and all that they are given. My husband’s military honors license plates are on my vehicle, as we use it the most, but that does not give me the right to use those plates to my advantage. Those plates are for my husband to use. He earned them, not me!!!