Exclusive

Lately, work has been much and motivation has been low, and for that I apologize. I would like to take this opportunity to exploit the chain of command and their general selfishness and habitual exploitation of the lower enlisted.

One of the few friends I have here in Germany (L) has been nothing less than the unit's personal and only "gofer" ever since we arrived. To start off his terrible situation, in the first couple months here, his wife decides to go home because she does not like it here, he has to get rid of both his dogs because the Army puts him in the barracks, his wife is already pregnant, cheating and wants a divorce. The Army raised his minimum commitment from two years to three since his wife was over here and he had signed for housing, but since she went back, even though he cleared housing and only lived there for two months, they are making him serve all three. He is also not getting any refund for the month that he was not living there, even though he had cleared in plenty of time. This is only the middle of March and he is nowhere near finished being walked on.

So as we slowly and very inconspicuously become integrated into our new unit, "L", "P" and myself find ourselves painting the entire downstairs of the unit's building for at least two weeks. My two friends also got into huge trouble for failing their driver's test, even though they have multiple opportunities to pass and are never completely ineligible. . .

Army in Europe Regulation 190-1
(b) Applicants who fail the test twice will be ineligible for retesting for 2 weeks. If an
applicant fails the test a third time, the applicant will be declared ineligible for retesting for 60
days. (In cases of exceptional hardship, the 60-day waiting period may be waived. Normally, a
waiver will be granted only if recommended by the commander or supervisor and approved by the
officer responsible for operating the testing station.) Retesting will begin with the test the
applicant failed.

So after we finished painting, they had us do several stupid little details around the unit, but eventually myself and my one other friend (P) got placed into positions and trained. "L" got stuck doing little stuff around the unit. First he was told to train in one office so he could pick up on the procedures and eventually do the job himself. Later he was sent downstairs to train and learn a completely different job. He was sent back upstairs, downstairs and upstairs again before they finally figured out that he will just do whatever they need done for each day, regardless of whether or not he gets lunch and breaks. He has cleaned a grill, inside and out, stripped it and painted it. He has done a police call outside and around the parking lot looking for trash and other things that may not belong, including sticks. He has mowed the lawn including the upper parking lot. Today he was sent to the range, sent back because he had a test to raise his general technical score on his ASVAB and it was suppose to take two hours, but took five instead.

Every single time "L" goes to his supervisor, he sends him to another NCO for answers. Every time he goes to another NCO for help, his supervisor gets upset that "L" did not go to him first. Whenever I ask the same supervisor a question, he has to ask his supervisor the same question. I would prefer a supervisor who is willing and able to make on the spot decisions on his own with a minimum of an educated guess. Making stuff up turns you into a liar and asking every question again to your own supervisor makes you obsolete. I do not want to place him into either category, but I think he places himself.

The other bad part about this whole situation, especially for "L" is that our NCO's supervisor is a civilian who, though retired, knows nothing about the Army.

Something I would like to stress is the fact that things change. . . often. The Army is changing on a daily basis. It is not the "Real Army" or "New Army". It is the "Old Army" and "Real Army". Things change in hopes of making them better. Most of the changes made are made by soldiers who have been in and serving for more than ten, fifteen maybe even twenty years. Why is it when things change and someone does not understand them, they claim it is the "New Army", but when it is something they like they claim it is the "Real Army"? Change is inevitable and those of us involved in it need to learn to adjust and embrace it. "Adapt and overcome" is one famous motto that comes to mind. How can you learn to do so if you dwell in the past.

I remember back in my day. . . well stop. War is all over history and we have yet to learn from it because we have been, are and ever will be involved in some kind of war. I realize that many may disagree with me, but it is about putting yourself in the other person's shoes, not necessarily understanding them. Please forward your responses to Traveling Soldier and Military Project. I would love to hear what every one has to say.

I'm Racist Against Stupid People

So I'm waiting on some of my things to be delivered. Automatic Sports Car Boy (Camaro for short) has been here for almost seven months and is still asking me questions. The way it works is they email you, you reply with all your contact information, they send you a confirmation email with a date and you have to be available from 0800 until they deliver your stuff on that date. Camaro keeps asking me if my stuff has been delivered. I keep wanting to get sarcastic and say, "Yeah, I just thought I'd hide out in my room all day." but instead I simply say no. He says to keep him posted. I told him, "It's not the end of the day yet. It'll come." He wants me to call him in an hour and a half. I don't understand, why can't I just call him when my stuff is delivered as was agreed yesterday? His stuff was delivered the same way, why does he think it's going to work any different than when he got his stuff? If his superiors are questioning him or me, why when everyone that changes duty stations does it the same way. Plus, they keep checking my schedule as if I'm lying to them. Don't get me wrong, I love to lie, but I like confusing people and making them look like idiots, I don't like getting caught lying about something serious or something that will get me into huge trouble, like this.

How Did I Know

Ladies & Gentlemen. . .

Meet SSG Hero. Same person, different location. This may or may not be difficult for you to understand & keep up with, but do your best & feel free to contact me with anything you may need clarified.

First impression was him saying very loud, "Go downstairs by the weight room and stand at parade rest 'til I get there! And you BETTER hurry!" Locked up at parade rest, once again, and waiting on Hero Boy to come down. He comes downstairs, drawing attention due to the fact that he's the only thing making noise and asks me what I'm looking at. He was attempting to be demeaning and degrading. I said, "You, sergeant." He proceeded to preach to us. After saying, "Yes, sergeant" and, "Roger, sergeant" to everything he said, he chewed me out saying, ". . . and if you don't start saying sergeant once in a while, I'm gonna. . . I've been in the Army ten years and I want the respect I've earned!" Then he sent me off to get a ride home (to the barracks).

The minute you underestimate someone is the minute you have made a fool of yourself. Congratulations, you're an idiot.

Issues Throughout.

A Soldier's Perspective

A 6 year running blog by a Master Sergeant who signed the rights over to one of his friends because of all the heat he was taking from his chain of command for speaking the truth. He brings up how the Army does not want to hear the truth about what goes on, but only the good things.

Also, check out Traveling Soldier, and underground newspaper.

Unfortunately I did not find out about this until this morning at 0715, but milblogs everywhere are not posting for a period in support of CJ, founder of A Soldier's Perspective. I have decided to do the same. Though no where near as large of a following, I completely support the ideas and beliefs of his blog and am very disappointed in the Army's willingness to silence integrity. Show your support and donate to his legal fund on the blog's homepage.

DoD Directive 1325.6 Section 3.5.4

3.5.4. Publication of "Underground Newspapers." Personal writing for publication may not be pursued during duty hours, or accomplished by the use of Government or non-appropriated fund property on- or off-duty. While publication of "underground newspapers" by military personnel off-post, on their own time, and with their own money and equipment, is not prohibited, if such a publication contains language the utterance of which is punishable under Federal law, those involved in the printing, publication, or distribution may be disciplined for such infractions.


To see the whole thing, click on the link below.
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/rtf/132506x.rtf

Shift

So I show up for mid shift on Wednesday night and no sooner than I draw my weapon, free SGT tells me I'm working the gate. Ok, that's fine because I brought my computer and packed my lunch. I wonder if it's because hero is new or because I'm on profile. Either one aren't good enough for me, but I don't want him showing up on my scene anyways and telling me what to do when I have 4 years of broken road experience and he has 4 days. So this promises to be advantageous. So I find out that gate 8 needs two people and I go inside to find a good partner and he overhears me asking around and starts asking what's going on with gate 8. I told him they needed two and he was upset because he's in charge and needs to know what's going on. So I walk outside and get a ride from swings supervisor. I also find out that I got the best battleship player in the world as my partner. We start working the gate and he shows up about 30 minutes into shift. Now the funny and ironic part is that he wasn't there when we were given the gate 8 instructions, but free SGT, who was also there with us, was the one who put out the instructions. Hero tells us, since I refuse to stand at parade rest to work a gate, that we have to stand at ease until a vehicle comes, parade rest when they show up, attention when they get closer and give them proper hand and arm signals and check their IDs. I tell him that I've never worked this gate before, but I'm sure I'll catch on quickly and he believed me. Yeah, 4 years at Fort Puke and I've NEVER worked gate 8 before. Free SGT was there and had to turn around because he was smiling. I also read the SOP that PFCOA had said doesn't have the positions in it & he was RIGHT. Turns out the guy that's in charge has never worked the gate OR read the SOP. Not surprising.

Runs Batted In

So hero has me write an RBI (essay) for joking around and playing corporal for a night. I tried to write it, but the motivation just wasn't there & it was Halloween weekend. So I asked for more time Monday morning, about 6.5 hours before it was due. My team leader called me back and said that I could either have an hour and twenty minutes more, or come in when it was due and write it 'til it was finished. I had worked Sunday night. It was 0842 when he told me this. I went to bed, woke up at 1115 with about 2.5 hours of sleep and went in to write my essay. When I got there he said I had to write until my PSG left for the day and if it still wasn't finished, be back in the office writing when hero came back for weapons draw at 2015. So I wrote for 8 hours straight, from a little bit before twelve, to about 2005. I stepped outside to put a dip in and he was pulling up for work, just as he had said. He came up, made me sit there while he read it and told me I had to rewrite it. Now, it's 2030ish on Monday night and I had been up since about 1500 on Sunday with the exception of the 2.5 hour nap I had in the early morning. So he asks me if I have any questions. "Yeah, when to I get to sleep and take a shower?" He said, "Were you not given the time to take care of those things?" Now, in my eyes I was, but in his eyes. . . well. So he told me to go over to battalion staff duty and write it until it was finished. I told him I wanted to talk to the PSG, thinking that he would be a bit more reasonable and hero said he would call him and have him call me. So I headed over to battalion and started writing. He came over and told me that I had to write 'til 0000 or until it was finished, which ever came first and if it wasn't finished by midnight, then it was due by 1900 the next day. So I wrote 'til midnight which is when he showed up & restated the requirements. I left and FINALLY showered and slept after not doing either for 32 hours, with the exception of a 2.5 hour nap that morning. I finished handwriting the next day around 1200, called him to let him know & he had me turn it in to the PSG. When I handed it in the PSG asked, "Is this going to piss him off again?". And I said no. I wish I could post 'em on here, but unfortunately I am not smart enough to make copies.