Welcome to our nightmare...
I could go on and on with a laundry list of complaints and incidents that will make your hair stand on end. However, the more remarkable thing is that it is like a night and day difference between this time last year and now. However, just when you think that things are actually improving an incident comes up that tells you that the more things change the more things stay the same.
Case in point, delayed getting paperwork, push crew, GPU connected, etc...Finally, I (F/O) offer to jump out and track down someone (anyone??) alive in the ghost-town that is the "3-gates". Run into a gate agent, and he has no idea where the ramp personnel are. Keep in mind we made repeated and polite inquires with OPS to locate some ramp personnel. To make a long story short, I finally did find a ramp agent walking into the pier. I asked him where everyone went. The answer, "Shift change". Priceless...
Be careful out there on the ramp for FOD in IAD at the "A" gates, keep your head on swivel too. Lot's of very inexperienced and poorly trained, ill-supervised personnel on the ramp there.

Regards...