"I Got the Call Today!"

SBA is calling me in for training for Customer Service Feb 6 to 16th in Sacramento.  Actually I had the training in 2005 for Customer Service prior to Hurricane Katrina but I retired in 2006 and then rejoined in 2007 and this past year I switched from Loan Officer to Customer Service (taking applications in the disaster area).  When I rejoined in 2007 you could only join as a Loan Officer, no openings in Customer Service.  However, since they want to use locals as loan officers, if possible, there is little chance for work unless there is a major, major disaster (when you live so far away from Sacramento and Fort Worth). 

This past year my friend Mariebeth emailed me from Sacramento and said they were recruiting Customer Service Reps again and so I applied and got in.  Some of my other friends did it later and for some reason the positions were pulled, not sure just why.

When they first started the Disaster Reserve program in 2000 we were expected to serve wherever they asked us to be--either in the office making loan decisions or out in the field taking loan applications and we were all called loan officers.  I remember the first time we were asked to put our preference of which we wanted to do on a sheet of paper.  The leader was trying to convince me of all the reasons it was better to work in the office and stay in a nice, safe environment in Fort Worth.

However, I noticed the regulars were really excited when they were called to travel and they brought all their suitcases to the office and then took off together and had exciting tales to tell when they returned.   Luckily, I was able to experience both over the years and traveled to Maryland, West Virginia, Guam, Galveston, Texas and Louisiana.  I also enjoyed the many times I worked in Fort Worth and then the Sacramento office.  There are challenges and perks to both but now, there is no choice, it is one or the other.

Hopefully, there will be no fiasco with me flying from San Diego instead of driving from Lake Almanor--somehow the information you give one doesn't always get to the right person.  It will be fun to see Mitch and Melissa again, glad I will be there over the weekend, but I may miss the big event, the birth of Meagan and Matt's daughter...hate to miss that.