Today is the first of 90 days on active duty with the Army. I am at
Fort Meade in Maryland attending the defense information school. This morning
my wife saw me looking anxious as I got ready to leave and asked what was bothering me. I thought for a
minute and then told her that I was thinking about going to a new unit and
having active duty soldiers presume I was a shitbag.
The Army and all military services are very competitive.
Everyone is sizing everyone else up based upon their appearance or how they
speak or how they carry themselves. So I know that when active duty soldiers
see someone who is my age and my rank they assume I am some kind of hold over
National Guard failure. At my age I should be a general or a Sgt. Major or a
warrant officer five. They don't assume I started over after a quarter-century break in service.
When I reported to school today they sent me to the
billeting office to get quarters. I walked in the company responsible for
quarters and told them I was reporting for school. There were four young
soldiers at two desks in that room. One of them got up to ask the Sgt. in
charge where I should be assigned a room. The soldier who was walking turned
and asked one of the soldiers who is sitting down which group I should be in.
One of the soldiers who is sitting down said with an obvious
sneer “He’s a reclass, look at him.”
The soldiers who attend Army schools are either straight
from basic training or they are being reclassified. I am obviously not straight
from basic training.
At 5 AM tomorrow morning I will start to undo one assumption
that young active duty soldiers make about old National Guard sergeants. Students have physical training every morning at 5 AM. They will expect me to have a profile or waiver and not participate.
When I reenlisted six years ago I knew this would happen. At
the time I didn't think I'd still be here past age 60. Tomorrow I will process into the school and do what ever other paperwork and medical tests they
require.
And tomorrow night I will let you know how things go with fitness
training. It should be fun.
Show them you've still got the right stuff!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, it won't take them very long to realize you're really a 30 year old disguised in a 60 year exterior!!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, it won't take them very long to realize you're really a 30 year old disguised in a 60 year exterior!!
ReplyDeleteIt's Saturday. My abs still hurt when I cough or sneeze. My shoulders ache. I am a nutty 60 year old in a 60-year-old body.
ReplyDeleteRozy, I am trying to make it appear I have the right stuff, but it is going to be a long 90 days getting up at 0400 and pretending I am a 20 year old. Thanks for the encouragement.
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