The Old Sergeant has been subpoenaed to testify before a Senate committee investigating possible wars crimes. He was not a happy trouper.
“I was there Senator if that is what you mean,” the Old Sergeant replied.
“Sergeant doesn’t be obtuse. This committee is a serious attempt to find out why 73 innocent Afghani civilians were killed. Prosecutions are a distinct possibility. Now; can you tell me what occurred on that date?”
“Senator I would appreciate it if you didn’t threaten a member of the United States Army. Be that as it may, as I have stated, I was there. We were part of a multi national force consisting of Afghan, British and American forces. We were taking heavy casualties and as far as I know someone up the Chain of Command called in an airstrike. The fighting abated quickly after that.”
“Who called in the airstrike sergeant?”
“I don’t know Sir and I wouldn’t tell you if I did. It would be against our code of honor.”
“Was it us sergeant? Americans?”
“Again Senator I do not know.”
“Sergeant we all know here, that your battalion, and in particular your platoon, have been shall we say-------very aggressive in the past. Could this have not been the case again?”
The Old Sergeant’s eyes turned steely gray.
“Senator you can kiss my ass.”
Pandemonium broke out. Shouts and yells of shock as the chairman tried to gavel the committee to order.
“Sergeant have you heard of contempt of Congress? Whether you respect us you must respect the office and the institution.”
“I don’t see why Sir. Members of Congress sure as hell don’t respect the office or the institution and they regularly pass laws that aren’t authorized by the Constitution. And I will not sit here and let you denigrate the men and women of my platoon or the United States Army. If you wish to send me to Leavenworth give it your best shot.”
“But I will not sit here and suck up to a bunch of paper pushing morons.”
“And for your information Senator, war is “aggressive” as you call it. Would you like us to ask for permission from your “politically correct czar” before we fight?”
More grumbling and pretend indignity until the chairman gaveled them to silence.
“I would caution you again sergeant. Senator your time is over. We now turn to the Senator from Missouri.”
“Hello Sergeant.”
“Ma’am,” the old sergeant responded.
“Sergeant I would appreciate you calling me Senator. I believe I have earned it.”
“Ma’am, to me you’re Claire. You see I’m a constituent of yours and technically I’m your boss. And I believe I have earned that Claire.”
The Senator had a stunned look on her face.
“Your----you’re the one. You’re Pappy!”
“If you say so---Ma’am.”
“Gentlemen and ladies----if I may?”
“Pappy was this operation necessary and by the book in your opinion?”
The Old Sergeant sat up straight. “Yes Ma’am it was. I wouldn’t be here now if things had turned out differently. And those 73 “civilians” were Taliban.”
The Senator looked into the Old Sergeant eyes.
“Mr. Chairman I have no further questions and I don’t believe we should bother the sergeant anymore.”
More shouting and gavel banging but in the end the old sergeant walked out.
As he was walking away he heard a shout.
“Pappy?”
It was his Congresswoman.
“Hi Claire.”
“Pappy. I just have one question. Who called in the airstrike?”
Pappy just smiled.
“Well Senator. I cannot tell a lie. I did.”
As he walked away the Senator just smiled and turned back to the morass of politics.
“God speed Pappy,” she whispered to herself.
The Old Sergeant series is fictional For the most part
Note: To the arm chair lawyers out there: Could the Old Sergeant have been held in contempt or faced charges from the military?
Well, there were two counts of perjury that I counted.
“ALL STORIES ARE FICTION AND ANY RESEMBLANCE TO PERSONS OR LOCATIONS ARE COINCIDENTAL”
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