Not that this is really putting a cramp in my social life or anything, but it’s the principle of the matter . . .
On base, alcohol is sold in the liquor store and in the grocery store, but it’s not as easy as going in, selecting your bottles, and plunking some money down on the counter. Alcohol purchases are limited using a points system, with individuals getting a certain amount of points per month, based on rank. I think a 6 pack of beer is 1 point, a bottle of vodka or tequila is 5 points, etc. I think as a Major Josh gets 25 points per month and as his dependent I get another 25. (At those limits, why bother having a points system anyway?!) He might get more than that, but I’ve never bothered to keep track because we don’t go through that much tequila and triple sec in any given month. More like a bottle every few months and a bottle of wine here or there.
Besides, using the points is a pain because you go through the checkout line, show your ID and then they have to leave the register to go look your name up in a different computer system to verify and deduct your points all while holding up the people in the line behind you. I don’t do things that are a pain so I don’t ever buy alcohol. Today I was standing in line behind a sailor who had just arrived on the island who was trying to buy a 6 pack of beer. The cashier had to tell him that since he hadn’t registered for the points system yet he wasn’t allowed to purchase alcohol. Poor guy. And then I realized that even if I wanted to, I couldn’t purchase alcohol either since my ID isn’t registered in the system. It requires a copy of your orders and the permission expires when your orders expire. Since we’ve extended, we’re on new orders. I guess Ramadan is a dry month for me after all.
I’m 40 years old, responsible for the lives of 4 humans and 2 animals while my husband is deployed to another foreign country while we’re here in this foreign country, but I can’t even buy a wine cooler. (Yes, I know technically I could jump through hoops to get into the system again, but it’s funnier this way.)