Thomas Johnson is writing to request that he be waived from attending a month-long refresher training course at Fort Leonard Wood. Five years ago, Johnson left his job as a firefighter with the City of Marietta, GA to take a higher paying job at Fort Rumsfeld after becoming a widowed single parent in need of better childcare support. When he started, he was told to attend a six-week basic training course, but was never informed he may need to return for additional training. Attending this month-long course would be difficult as his daughter has no one to care for her since his sister moved overseas. Johnson has an excellent work record at Fort Rumsfeld and believes he does not need the

1. THOMAS JOHNSON
222 Northeast Peachtree Mews
Apt. 14-G
Atlanta, GA 30309
March 22, 2014
Colonel (Ret.) R. J. Tibedeau
Director, Facilities Management
DoD Installation Management Service
One Hundred Wolfowitz St., Suite 1050
Ft. Rumsfeld, GA 30308
Dear Colonel Tibedeau:
Five years ago I left a good paying, secure job with the City of Marietta, GA,
Fire Department to come to work for the Department of Defense when Fort
Rumsfeld was opened. At that time, I had been recently widowed and needed the
higher-paying Federal job to pay for my child care costs after I became a single
parent.
I was told that I had to attend a six week basic Firefighter’s Course at Fort
Leonard Wood even though I was an experienced firefighter in the State of
Georgia. I was able to make arrangements for my daughter to stay with my sister,
who was completing graduate school in California. My sister told me at the time,
that she would not be able to take care of my daughter again because she and her
husband were moving overseas since my brother-in-law had just accepted a
position in the Foreign Service. They now live in Asuncion, Paraguay.
Absolutely nothing was said to me about having to ever go back to Fort Leonard
Wood, and certainly not for a month! If I had known that, years later, I would be
expected to spend another month in school in Missouri and could not bring my
daughter with me, I would never have left my position with the City of Marietta.
I have an excellent work record at Fort Rumsfeld. I am an excellent, highly
skilled, firefighter, and, to be honest, have no need for refresher training. I was
an Assistant Training Officer as an additional duty and, truthfully, could easily
be the instructor at a refresher course. I request that this training requirement be
waived.
Sincerely,
Thomas Johnson