Gate cop: "Ma'am, I'm sorry but we have to read your sticker as being 2002, you'll have to go get a temporary pass."

Me: "You're serious, aren't you? It's obviously 2012."

Gate cop: "Yes ma'am, you'll have to turn around."

Me: "I LIVE on post. We've been coming and going for a week. The car is a 2009, obviously the sticker isn't from 2002."

Gate cop: "Sorry ma'am."

WHY isn't a DOD decal a DOD decal?! What the hell?

I drove to the OTHER gate because that one was backed up outside the building for passes, got my pass, left it in my lap, and pulled up, then handed my ID to the guard.

Gate cop: "How are you today, ma'am?"

Me: *obviously sarcastic smile* "Well, can you tell me what year my DOD decal says?"

Gate cop: "Uh-oh. For you guys, that's 2012. Is there a problem?"

Me: "Can you tell everyone that? Obviously I haven't been driving around a 2009 car for 6 years with an expired decal! I had to get a temporary pass and I already live on post, this is ridiculous. We'll only be here a few months, it's silly to get a new decal."

Gate cop: "Yes it is, ma'am. I'll bring it up. Sorry for the trouble."

(For you army folks, the USMC issues base stickers with just the month and the last digit of the year so instead of putting '12' there's just a '2' on it.)