wet dog

I received a mobile phone text today from one of our younger brother currently in the middle of the “Q”. While sitting in class, he responds to a text I sent, asking, "How's it going? What's up?, Where are you these days?"

His reply was, "Hi. It's going well? I'm sitting in class right now. Q course is different than I imagined...more handholding than I anticipated. How's everything with you?"

I see age and maturity in his reply, nothing ordinary, just simple dialogue with student and myself. I've mentored more than one over the years, but continually see the trend.

Another this week, said, "I seem to know a lot about the process and 'course' and I haven't even been selected yet".

My reply to that soldier was, "One of the greatest treasures I took from my SF experience, was not knowing what was coming next. You have the gift of intuition, develop it.”

From a QP this week,….

“Brother, I fear I would be completely lost in today’s Army. I had a rebellious nature, I questioned authority, took everything "with a grain of salt", took initiatives, supported my Team Leader and Tm Sgt, and never left a buddy to do a job alone, regardless of rank.”

“These kids today, actually believe they can graduate on their own. Brother, I never worked out outside of regular PT. I didn't read a book, "to find the magic bullet", I absolutely would never go rucking on the weekends just to get more miles and toughen my feet. My weekends were meant for grilling a steak, (in the barracks), having a beer or two or three, maybe four, fix or six, writing a letter to a girl back home or maybe turning a wrench on the truck. In short, I slept alot, and took a nap everyday lying in the sun."

From another, “My ass would be administratively discharged or just plain court martialed, as I would not put troops on any frigging road, much less drive down the damn road. The infantry walks. Even Mech INF is supposed to get off the damn roads too. These damn Generals have never seen combat. They are like having a TRADOC O-6 write doctrine when he has never commanded shit in combat, has no CIB, etc. I really worry about these troops today with these ROE's.”

And from another, “Much is very true. Let me expand a bit. We took a company basecamp of 80 plus VC complete with bunkers and training facilities made of bamboo on 15 Nov 68. I had one SF NCO and 30 yards. .That is how good those raids were. Now after being lucky and catching these battle tested VC by surprise while they were washing rice pots in a steam and resting, my CCS CO (LTC) orders my ass back to guard the damn berm that night. I about shit.

The Infantry School taught me to take a enemy bunker complex and to set up for a counter attack. We fought 7 hours to take that place, called in the damn world and lost one yard. Then I was ordered to give the damn bunker complex back before I could blow it. I blew up the side of a mountain later. Two weeks or so earlier, ‘John’ and I hit an NVA heavy weapons company. We had them by surprise as they did not see us or know where we were when the gunships hit them. My CO pulls us.

Our base camps are built too large. Base camps, if any, should be built as small as possible, and; require as few troops as possible to defend.

If you cannot field an entire company plus from a BN plus-your base camp is way too damn big."

BT

I mention all this for two, and only two reasons.

Make the “Q” what you want it be. Second, we honor a young SSG who received the CMOH today, age at death, 24 years old. He was one of you, sitting in class, thinking, “there is a lot of hand holding going on.”

For those who are about to graduate, please, please, please, remain humble. Listen to your Tm SGTs upon your next assignments. Ask questions, remain open to learn, we need you guys desperately, and being ‘desperate’ is a tough place to be.

Wet Dog