Funny HQ commandant story from back in 1st CAV...
We get a call down at the Company one afternoon and I get handed the phone.. lo and behold it's from the Division CoS's office...trying to contact yours truely by name to confirm the appointment that I had with the CoS the next day. I confirmed all the particulars then after hanging up immediately called BN to find out what they knew.
They had no clue. So I figured I'd make my first trip to Div HQ to find out what the deal was.
I go to the CoS's office and he calls me in and starts asking me about myself, my assignment history, significant accomplishment, skills etc...So I proceed to answer him up until the point where he asks.. "LT, why are you interested in this position?". At that point I tell him that I have no earthly idea as to why I am in his office, or what position he is talking about. I proceed to tell him that I got a call out of the blue the day before, so like a good soldier... here I am.
He gets red in the face and proceeds to quiz me on how exactly I ended up in his office etc... and tells me that I am interviewing for the HQ commandant's posn... At which time I tell him I had no idea what that was. He got even redder yet.
He then proceeds to tell me how the Division is overstrength on Engineer 1LTs (promotable) which is why I am in his office and starts to tell me about the HQ commandant's posn, how great it is, what a wonderful opportunity it is for me, how it would be a command postion and a more senior billet to boot. I him and haw a bit, trying to be polite... at which time he tells me that it would only be a short assignment after which I would be transferred to a good assignment as recognition for my service.... That's when I told him I wasn't interested and that, in all honesty, his attempting to convince me further would be a waste of his valuable time since a.) I was not interested and b.) I had an Advanced Course Date
That made him mad.
He then said that he might potentially have me reassigned to the position anyway....To which I (respectfully)
pointed out that SF was my controlling branch and that they were sending me to the Infantry Advanced course en-route to selection and the Q; and if he wanted to try and extend me I could provide him with the phone number for him to contact...
At this point he got red as a lobster and kicked me out of his office....
Well, on my way out I ran into about 3 other 1LTs from the Engineer Bde sitting in the waiting area of the CoS's office. We started shooting the shit and I told them about what I had just went through... Then, out comes the CoS himself from his office and he points at all of the LT's waiting int he waiting area and asks them if they, "had volunteered for the HQ commandant's job"... to a man, they all shook their heads "NO". He then asked if any of them wanted to know more about it or would consider volunteering.... Well.. everybody just kept shaking their heads, "NO" even faster.
So, he threw us all out.
After getting thrown out of the waiting area... all of us could hear the CoS ripping into HIS staff about "this goat screw" as all us LT's decided that this was great opportunity to pack it in early and head to the club for a beer.