Posted on 02/10/2005 2:53:32 PM PST by Steve Newton
The old sergeant was sitting in his old makeshift office when a knock on the door took his mind off the pile of paperwork sitting in front of him. “Come!” The sergeant growled. The 2nd squad leader came in and the sergeant motioned for him to have a seat. “So what’s up now? Someone stealing toilet paper again?
(Excerpt) Read more at steven.newton1.home.att.net ...
The old sergeant was sitting in his old makeshift office when a knock on the door took his mind off the pile of paperwork sitting in front of him. “Come!” The sergeant growled. The 2nd squad leader came in and the sergeant motioned for him to have a seat. “So what’s up now? Someone stealing toilet paper again?
“Sarge, the squad leader began. I really don’t know how to tell you this and you know I generally handle most problems in my squad by myself. But I got a problem I can’t figure out.” “Well, spill it soldier.” The sergeant said. I’m sure between us we can come up with one brain.” “Well, you remember that new replacement we received from Division about three weeks ago? He’s becoming,-------well a bully. The sergeant reflected a moment and said, “You mean that big radio operator? And what do you mean a bully? We kind of like them aggressive you know.”
“I know that sarge, the squad leader said. But it’s worse than that. He’s beat up two men in my squad and one in the 3rd squad. Up to now he hasn’t bothered the goon squad much because one of them said he would just shoot him and leave him for the terrorists to skin. But all in all I can’t handle him. He’s an ex boxer out of Philly that fought in the pros for a while and he thinks he rules the roost. He questions every order I give and----well sarge. He took a poke at me too.”
The old sergeants eyes flashed in anger. “He did WHAT? And he’s still alive? “Sarge I--” the squad leader started, but the sergeant cut him off. “I can’t believe that you let someone get away with striking you without disciplinary action being taken. If nothing else you should have come to me a lot sooner. Now the problem is much worse and the solution is going to be severe.” “You have this asshole report to me NOW, do you understand?”
The sergeant fumed while the squad leader went to carry out his orders. The sergeant was angry because personnel problems were always easy for him to handle IF they didn’t fester and get out of hand. Now this problem had gone too far to handle without taking serious action. He was still angry when there was a knock on the door. “Come.” He yelled.
In walked the biggest man the old sergeant had ever seen. He had to be 6’7 and 250 to 275lbs. And it looked to be all muscle. His nose had been broken and set slightly to one side and his left ear had the beginnings of turning a permanent purple. His uniform didn’t fit because apparently the army had never thought someone this size would ever join. He was a giant in everyway.
“You wanted to see me,” he rumbled in a voice like a cement mixer. The sergeant just sat at his desk looking him over. Finally he said, “son, when you address a superior you usually start by saying his rank or sir. You can call me sergeant or sarge or even pappy. Do we understand one another?” The soldier just stood there without saying a word. “Oh, this is working out just great,” the sergeant thought. “I tell you what son. Why don’t you follow me? I want to show you something that someone showed me at one time.”
As they left the sergeants office and entered the compound the old sergeant whirled faster than the eye could see and caught the soldier on the chin with a right upper cut and the soldier fell flat in the sand unmoving. The sergeant sat in the sand beside him and lit a cigar. In a few minutes the kid stirred and sat up. “Caught me with a sucker punch, did ya old man? Well you want to try it again?”
They both stood up and faced one another. A crowd was starting to gather now and the sweat was starting to pour off both men. The soldier fainted with his right, which the sergeant blocked but he missed the kids left roundhouse that caught him on the side of the head and almost brought the sergeant to his knees. This made the old sergeant smile. It had been a long time since he’d had a really good fight.
The smile seemed to bother the kid. He said, “You know most people I’ve hit like that wake up next week.” The sergeant just smiled again and fainted with a left and then sank his right fist about 2 inches in the kid’s stomach. He then followed up with a left another left and finally a right hook that dropped the kid to the sand again. This went on for about 30 minutes until the sergeant thought the kid had suffered enough and he ended it with a kick to the side of the soldier’s head that sent him out like a light.
The sergeant sat in the sand beside the kid as the doc looked him over. He finally came around when doc used the smelling salt. As he sat up he looked at the sergeant sitting beside him. “Well sir. I will just wait here for the M.P.’s if you don’t mind.” The sergeant looked at the kid and said, “NEGATIVE son. You get your ass down to supply and get some decent uniforms even if they have to be tailored. First you’re going to look like a soldier and then your going to act like one. ARE WE CLEAR!” “YES SERGEANT,” the kid responded.
“And son, when your through at supply stop by my office for a drink. We can talk about the good old times we’ve both had in the ring.”
Steve Newton
The "Old Sergeant" is fictional
Visit http://steven.newton1.home.att.net/
Sounds a lot like the encounter between Gunny Highway and the Swede in "Heartbreak Ridge."
In my time in the Navy, I saw some problem sailors straightened out by the use of "fan room counseling." It's sad that it's not allowed anymore. Would probably eliminate a lot of insubordination that I see on the ships today. (I am a retired Navy enlisted and work a lot on the ships.)
Yes I remember attending one or two counciling sessions myself.
Even in the Police Dept. problems where handled a lot differently in the past than now. A sergeant would take a wayward rookie out someplace and talk with him. Usually fixed the problem. No paperwork no mess.
Steve
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.