Census Enumerator

Today I became a Federal Employee! I will be a Census Enumerator for 4-8 weeks. After hearing stories from my neighbor about his pre-Census experience I was worried as to where I would be sent. But I am fortunate...I will be assigned an area not far from home. It will cover basically 1 mile x 1 mile square. Houses and 2 schools. Not bad! Come to find out that 17 of the 18 fellow workers all come from the small town where I live! Who knows...we might be able to car pool.

We had our training today in a Navy Facility - who would have guessed the Arizona Desert would have Navy! But alas...it is a small base with a guard shack, barbed wire fense all around it. So today at my training...I was the only one prepared (I brought my lunch) while everyone else had to dash out for their 30 min to find food and return.

I must pause in my story here to give some back ground. I grew up Air Force. I went in and out of Guard Gates my whole life. I always thought that would be fun to do! Listening to the recruits who work it..it can be boring. But not so today! I was asked to handle the shack and let the Census Workers in and out for the 1/2 hour. I guess the Navy was busy. It was great! My half hour of controlling a base entrance!

Because of my willingness in class to help people (who were totally not there mentally) find the correct place in the book, etc... I was asked to be the "Assistant Crew Leader". No extra pay, but get to do some administrative duties for our group.

So...next week I resume training and then the entire month of May will be out tracking down those individuals who didn't mail in their Census!