Theft

I can remember when I was sending my boyfriend some things downrange, when he had first arrived in Afghanistan: a spare set of boots of his, his wireless computer router, and an army issue fleece sweater. I was just going to pack them in a box and a friend was going to send them for me (free military post). But another friend, who was in the army, advised me to insure the packages, since theft seemed to be rampant while he was in Iraq. He cited cases like a friend's X-box not making it back to Germany post-deployment, having found a new home between Iraq and Germany.

However, we never heard any stories of theft in the post while our unit was in Afghanistan. That is, until my boyfriend redeployed. He sent a total of 14 boxes back to Germany, with his gear, his sheets, clothes, towels, books, i.e. everything he had used or collected during the last year. Thirteen boxes made it back. And one of the boxes had been opened and a small electronics device of his, that he had forgotten to put on the customs slip is missing too. It was a smart and calculated theft: since it wasn't recorded on the customs slip, my boyfriend can't file any claim for it. Because technically, it wasn't even in the box in the first place.

The other box he will be able to file some kind of loss report on. In it was a compact computer printer, a cigar humidor I had sent him for his birthday and ALL the letters and cards he had received over the course of his deployment - the latter being irreplaceable.

That would be the first complaint.

The second: theft in the mail room here in Germany. I ordered something online, and had it sent to my boyfriend's APO, taking advantage of his US mailing address, so that I wouldn't need to pay international postage or customs. However, the package never arrived. A friend also mentioned that she had also ordered from the same company, and her package arrived, however it had been opened, and items removed. She assured me that the company was very understanding, and immediately sent her a replacement package.

Sure enough, I emailed them, and they offered to refund me or send me the package again. So I took them up on their offer, but had them send it to my mother in the US, since I am not ready for Round 2 of losing the same package. But that just doesn't sit right with me. I mean, it's obviously cheaper for the company to have a satisfied customer, so they replace the package no questions asked, but it irks me that someone is getting away with theft. Just taking what they want, and there doesn't seem to be the sense that anything will be done about it.

My boyfriend's commentary, in his typical tough stance, was: “Sometimes I wish they would bring back corporal punishment.” And I found myself nodding in agreement.