Yes, you read that correctly. I was a Squad Leader. I was an Acting Corporal. I was called front and center of the formation, the 1Sgt placed Corporal's stripes on the front of my ACU, and I was addressed as 'Corporal'!
And believe me, when those Corporal stripes came off during formation today, it took a lot of effort on my part not to cry. So close and yet so far away.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
After a full day at work Friday, I hauled ass up to GPSTC and arrived about a half hour early. Schedule said IET starts with first formation at 1800 so we kicked it off with first formation at 1745 and the training began immediately with Sergeant Major D**** instructing us on D&C. (drill and ceremony). He's old school, a Vietnam combat vet (hoo-ah!).
And all weekend long, it was D&C. There were no 10-minute breaks between classes. Oh wait, did the schedule say that? Guess what? Take 5 means about 3 minutes before the whistle, and when that whistle sounds your ass had better be IN FORMATION AND AT ATTENTION WAITING FOR THE 1SGT TO BLOW THE F***ING WHISTLE!
Forget taking a good dump or even smoking a cigarette all the way to the end, be prepared to pinch both off!
Class, "break", formation, D&C, then march back into the classroom. Yes I mean march in a column. March as in cadence, as in your left boot better hit the f***ing ground when the instructor says "left!"
Lights out was around 2400 Friday and yesterday. Friday I was up and went to work at 0630. Yesterday and today we were up with boots on at 0500. Showers were cold and quick and communal. Disturbing!
But the coffee was good and so was the food. No one ate less than 2 heaping plates of every meal Cpt R****** prepared, and his shit on a shingle is five-star. Yes that is what it is called, yes HE calls it that and he calls it that proudly. Trust me, his shit on a shingle is some good chow!
Sorry, not gonna edit out the S-word in this context. Deal with it.
Ok, what's this about "squad leader"?
I was the squad leader.
I was Acting Corporal.
Believe me, when those Corporal stripes came off during formation today, the ripping sound of the Velcro nearly broke my heart.
I was responsible for the other Pvts under me. I could not eat until they had gotten their meals. I had to know where they were at all times. I had to make sure they were in formation. I was the front of the column when we marched. If they f***ed up, they didn't hear about it (except for once), I did from the 1Sgt.
The "except for once" is when one of them didn't salute the Btn Cpt when he walked up on us outdoors. Wasn't like he didn't have a warning, I said "Captain's coming!" and everyone went to attention and all saluted but him. Cpt W*****, nice guy that he is, handled that himself instead of having an NCO bitch at me.
DURING CLASS, he looked at the Pvt and said in front of the whole room "Private M******, why didn't you salute me?"
Hey, if it aint' got chevrons or blank velcro and you're in doubt, salute! Saluting when you don't have to is better than not saluting when you do.
We were supposed to have final formation at about 1500 today. The NCOIC's pushed us hard and we had final formation a little over 3 hours early.
Oh and during the classes yesterday, we also did beret shaping. The rule for berets is: if it is comfortable, you're not wearing it right. I spent TWO F***ING HOURS shaving that f***ing wool beret and filled a 12 ounce cup with shavings. Then while we were cramming our brains with info, a Sgt was wetting our berets and fitting them properly on our heads.
Nothing like trying to learn something with a wet lump of shaped wool on your head equipped with a band that is designed to cut off circulation and permanently scar your forehead.
The learning never stops. I've got a list of FEMA courses I have to take online. Final weekend of IET will be even more intense. First aid, CPR, and land navigation.
This is a lot of hard work but I'm enjoying the f*** out of it. Every time I put on that ACU and beret, I feel more pride in what they stand for. I'm proud of that flag on my right shoulder and I'm proud of the patch on my left that says "Parati Servire" and the long tradition of the soldiers who have worn them both. I'm both proud and humbled at the same time to be able to wear them on my ACU.
A duty to my State and Country that I rejected so many years ago I have now stood up proudly to honor; it fills me with pride now to have finally stood up and voluteered to serve, no matter how small the role.
HOO-AH!
