Returning Soldier Finds Belongings Sold!

[markomalley]

Here is a terrible article about how a soldier got treated while he was deployed. If, after reading the article, you are so inclined, there is some easy action you can take to help this soldier out!

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — After serving a year in Iraq, Army Reserve Spc. Patrick Rogalin came home and found that everything he had put in a storage locker _ essentially everything he owned _ had been sold.

Several payments for the locker had bounced because someone emptied his checking account while he was gone.

"It's really insulting, after all I went through over there serving my country, to come back and have to deal with this," Rogalin said.

Rogalin, 20, said he put his belongings into a Public Storage unit near St. Louis before shipping out and set up automatic payments with the company. But while he was in Iraq, he said, someone accessed his checking account and cleaned it out.

After learning of the problem from his bank, Rogalin opened a different account and resumed making payments to Public Storage.

"When I got back I called Public Storage to find out the status of my account and they told me the contents of my storage container had been auctioned off in June because the bill hadn't been paid," he said.

Rogalin said Public Storage never told him his account was in trouble, or that everything he owned _ clothes, books, electronic gear, furniture and other property _ was going to be sold.

He said he had to move in with his girlfriend. "Otherwise I wouldn't have anything."

Ron Ramler, regional vice president of Public Storage, said company policy prevented him from talking about Rogalin's case.

Rogalin said his contract with Public Storage, based in Glendale, Calif., says the company is liable for losses up to $5,000, but he said the company offered him only $2,000 and an apology. Rogalin estimates his belongings were worth $8,000.

"I called them back and told them this isn't anywhere near right," Rogalin said. "They upped their offer to $2,500 and gave me seven days to accept it or get nothing."

He said he rejected the $2,500 but does not have enough money to fight the company in court.

Rogalin still has his car and clothing he brought back from Iraq. His girlfriend, Jaimie Alonzo, 21, and her parents bought him clothes for Christmas.

"At least now I'm not wearing the same three things every week," Rogalin said.

Rogalin said he plans to attend Missouri State and join the university's ROTC program, so he can resume his Army career as an officer after he graduates.

Source: AP

What a situation. The guy is identity theived while he is deployed and, as a result, gets all of his possessions sold out from under him.

Public Storage's customer service number is: 1 (800) 567-0759.

I imagine that if Public Storage gets enough phone calls from aggrevated consumers, they may realize what a public relations disaster they have on their hands and may change their attitude. If you are so inclined, you may wish to call them up and tell them how disappointed you are at their attitude toward this soldier. (Of course a subtle reminder that Public Storage is not the only storage firm out there may help, as well)

In addition, if you post on other boards, you may want to spread this word around to those other boards...

(To the mods: Sorry for posting the entire article. But I thought it was worth it)

[Linda Z]

It's horrible that this young man lost all his things, but I have to wonder if posting the storage company's number here, with the implied purpose being for everyone to call and (in their view, I'm sure) harrass them, is a legal liability for GS.

[markomalley]

It's horrible that this young man lost all his things, but I have to wonder if posting the storage company's number here, with the implied purpose being for everyone to call and (in their view, I'm sure) harrass them, is a legal liability for GS.

How would calling up a company and saying that you're disappointed with them and implying that you will keep that in mind for future business endeavors with them be a legal liability?

It's not that anybody is implying that somebody blow up public storage locations...it's not that anybody is suggesting that their networks get hacked into and disabled.

What it does is to let them know that they may have a public relations disaster on their hands.

The implicit threat is that they saving that $8,000 may end up costing them more than $8,000 worth of business in the long run.

I am not sure how individuals calling this firm up would cause a liability to this web site.

[Linda Z]

I am not sure how individuals calling this firm up would cause a liability to this web site.

That wasn't my point. It seems to me that using this forum to call for a lot of people to flood a business with phone calls could be construed by that business as harrassment. I'm no lawyer, but when it comes to protecting what paw and others have worked so hard to build, I'd rather we err on the side of caution.

[markomalley]

I understand.

If they have a problem or a concern, I'm sure they'll edit as appropriate (or delete the whole thread).

I do appreciate and share your concerns, though.

[krys]

I'm so sorry for that young man. I can't imagine being prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice and coming home to this.

I am glad you posted this, however. It's not for the storage company, but perhaps it's a place to start remembering that even though personally one may disagree with the military activity and war in progress, those who go to serve us, need our support when they return. I have no specific suggestions but if I was in a position to do something, I'd like to do something special, just for their willingness to serve.

[mstar1]

Complaint lodged with the customer service rep...

I do use storage facilities from time to time and have used Public Storage in the past. I l let them know that

I will not be using them in the future.

Thanks for the heads up.

I'll send it down the email chain as well.

Companies like that will have to do one helluva a lot to ever earn back my respect or my money.

Edited January 10, 2007 by mstar1

[Belle]

I called, e-mailed and forwarded the information on to my distribution list as well - at least ten of the women on my list are mothers of soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan right now. I'm sure they'll have a thing or two they'd like to say to the customer service department.

[polar bear]

Sounds like something TWI did to me while I was a Way Corps resident.

We were allowed to store several boxes of personal belongings in a storage room that was provided.

I was sent to another campus and while I was away some bone head leader named John Lynn made a decision that they were going to throw out any belongings that were not claimed by those at that certain campus. He failed to think about those who were away.

What gives people the right to throw away others personal belongings. I had personal stuff in there that can not be replaced. When I returned to the campus and found out about it and spoke up, all I told was that it was a decision made by top leadership and nothing could be done.