Simple Pleasures

I am never one for traveling a lot when I am deployed. I like being near my stuff and my guys, and let's be frank the less you move around the less likely you will become a target for some one who wants to hurt you or worse. So when I found out I was going to have to leave my guys for several days to go somewhere for a planning conference I was less than thrilled, even though every one kept telling me I would love it where I was going. I thought I had been pretty much everywhere in this sand box and it was all pretty much the same, with slight variations of course.

When Big Wil and I landed I thought I was right. This place was just another wide open space with nothing more than dirt as far as the eye could see, and after several hours here there was nothing to change my opinion. Then I found it. THEY HAVE A CHILI'S HERE! and it sits right off the edge of a beautiful heated in the winter and chilled in the summer pool. They even have a hot tub here! Obviously my opinion has now changed. That Mushroom Swiss burger was the best Mushroom Swiss burger I have ever had! I may get a chance to go off post soon to go shopping downtown, and from what I have heard that is quite an experience too!

I am still looking forward to getting back to where I can make sure everything is straight with my guys and call my wife every day though, and yes post to this site on a regular basis.

Common Courtesy

Visions of sugar plums danced in my head, when on the side of my bunk there arose such a clatter that I had to roll over to see what was the matter. PFC "Gung ho" Mo is standing over me with the clip board that our sign out sheet is on. "Hey Sarge, I need you to sign this for me and GDub."

I had to roll back over to look at my clock. 12:35 am! "I only went to sleep two hours ago!" What ever. I signed it for them, rolled over and began to try to go back to sleep.

I had just settled down for a long desert nap, when on my head there was a tap, tap, tap. Now I'm getting angry. I looked at my clock, 4:40 am! As I rolled over I was steaming, "WHAT!!!" PV2 Mangina has now made my blog again, and not for anything good. "Sarge can you sign me out?" I had to resist the urge to jump out of bed in my boxers take this inconsiderate private out side and make him sweat until I decided it was time for me to go back to bed. I signed the sign out sheet and rolled over hoping I could at least sleep until my alarm was set to go off at 6:30 am.

Here is how this all began. About a week ago I told the guys that they had to start using a sign out sheet because I had told them that they needed to tell their supervisor any time they went anywhere. Well there had been several instances since then that I needed someone in particular and no one, including their supervisors knew where they were. Well the other night I needed SPC GDub for a conference call back to the rear for an issue he needed taken care of and guess what. He didn't sign out so his supervisor and myself had to run all over the camp looking for him and still didn't find him. I was hot. I told them all the next morning that if they were not in the bay and they did not sign out, one time was going to be a counseling statement and the second time I was going to recommend Article 15. For those of you who don't know what that means, it is the action taken to punish insubordination. The soldier can lose rank, money and free time. It is pretty serious, but these guys seem to forget we are in a WAR ZONE and personnel accountability is not something to be played with. As well as having to sign out they had to have their supervisor's signature as an approval measure.

I think these two knuckle heads did this crap last night deliberately to get back at my control measure. That's Ok, I woke up with a major chip on my shoulder and guess what they were both sleepin'. Oh yeah, I got em. I went to take a shower, and yes I signed out, and when I came back I walked into Mangina's area. "HEY, get up! Take out the trash, and if you ever wake me up for something you knew you were gonna be doing before I go to sleep you will seriously regret it! Got me?" "Yes Sarge."

Next it was Mo's turn. I walked up in his area and he looked so comfortable with his hands folded under his head. I slapped him under his arm, hard. He looked like he was gonna piss his bed he was so startled. "Man, don't you ever wake me up in the middle of the night for something you knew you were gonna be doing again!" "I told you I was gonna go to midnight chow sergeant." "EXACTLY MY POINT! Next time you had better get my signature before I go to bed!" "Hoo-ahh."

I think I gave these two knuckle heads a lesson in common courtesy they will not soon forget. At least they better not.