Suck It DoD!

Let me just say that my only beef is with the DoD as an institution where it relates to civilian ex-pats. I love all branches of the military, but am currently irritated with the DoD for personal reasons. Okay, I get that only military people can go to church and grocery shop and all of that other stuff on the base. I wish I could grocery shop, but I get they don't want a bunch of randoms wandering the base...what I don't get are things that don't make sense. For starters I don't get why I was denied any volunteer opportunities with the Red Cross and Education Services when there are many German civilians that actually work for the different bases. Since I don't hold a DoD card they won't let me work for free for my country, even though I do hold a bachelor's in health promotion and education. That was clearly confusing, disheartening, and irritating. So any way I was just starting to get over that defeat when I find out that there is a 4th of July celebration that civilians cannot attend because you have to have a DoD card. I don't get it...it is the birth of my nation too and I have a very valid passport. In fact, there are a ton of us here just with TJ's company and unless you have a card...you can't participate. I think its mean. I think it is mean because there are a ton of US civilians living in this area and they don't have the celebration in an area where all Americans can go. Next year we will take a trip instead...we would still be in a foreign country, but at least we would be more than 15 minutes away from a party for the US, by the US, but isn't inclusive of its citizens.
I know this is a rant, but I think it is a good one!
Auf Wiedersehen