OT: One of these days

Sylvrfalcn

Sylvrfalcn

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Jun 4, 2002
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Sooner or later I'll be standing in front of a crowd listening to my retirement orders being read. When it comes time to haul out memento presentations there'll be much oohs and ahhs from the audience. My boys have secured my retirement gift, the only stipulations I gave them was, "keep it simple and useful" (not a bad standard to aspire to). They somehow worked an overseas connection to get me a massive pewter beer stein from Bavaria. The rich detail and sheer size of that pewter mug is enough to make you dizzy just looking at it.:eek: Add to that the beautiful dhankuta kothimoda I was lucky enough to snag today (my retirement gift to myself), and folks' eyes will no doubt be watering. Then comes the one that will have my eyes watering in earnest. It's a flag in a flag case, but not just any flag, and not just any case.

The flag was presented to me back when I was a young staff sergeant serving on an honor guard. It flew in front of Readiness Command headquarters and I was on the detail taking it down during retreat ceremony. Usually this flag was carried very somberly into headquarters where it was secured. On this day, my last detail before shipping off to Europe to be among the initial cadre working ground launched nuclear cruise missles, the escorts did an about face, marched the folded flag directly over to me and placed it in my arms with the Wing Commander's complements and best wishes. Hard to maintain military bearing when tears are streaming down your cheeks.

Such a flag deserves a special case, and that's being handled in spades by Tech Sgt Delossantos, an intrepid carpenter and my right hand man in Afghanistan. Del is from the Phillipines so no oak or walnut would do, it had to be mahogony, and it had to come from his home district. The top part of the case is triangular, and it sits on a base that's actually a two door cabinet (perhaps big enough for my kothimoda:D ). The whole thing is beautifully crafted with great care and attention to detail. I've seen it, it's eerie, the dang thing has a living presence to it that's beyond me to describe. I'm not kidding, it's got so many coats of hand rubbed tung oil that the mahogony glows like there's fire inside it.

Yup, one of these days, but not today, the fat lady hasn't learned the lines to that song yet.:D :)

Sarge
 
Symbols are powerful things to us. They become embued, empowered with meaning.

When Greg someday retires, I'm guessing that the memory of "Sarge" will remain with his men as a symbol of what the Air Force should be. A legacy for others to strive after, to become, and to emulate.

One day I'd like to sit down with you and find out who those were who taught you, gave you the desire to be what you seem to have been for your men, and wonder with you which of those you taught will take up the example you've set and continue to carry it onward.

The way you've spoken these past months of caring for, training, and leading your men makes it clear it's been a large and important part of who you see yourself as.

Sounds like something to be proud of.
 
Here's a "war story" you'll like Rusty. In Desert Storm I had a young troop who grew increasingly surly, withdrawn, and non-productive. One fine day he mouthed off and I knew I was going to have to bounce him pretty hard to get his head back in the game. Not, because I was personally affronted, NCOs, by virtue of their responsibilities, have to grow a pretty thick hide. Nope, I've seen jitters and anxiety create negative behavior before, so I knew I had to get him squared away before he could infect others' attitudes.

What I did ain't in the manuals, but it'll sound familiar to the older military guys. I had him disarm and I did likewise, then I had another airman drive us a couple miles out into the desert and drop us off with instructions to come pick us up in a couple of hours. We then began the "counseling session", during the course of which, the problem was uncovered. It was his first deployment, and first time away from his young wife, who'd just given birth to their first child. Classic separation anxiety, he didn't really hate my guts, he'd just used me as a focus for his frustration. I know that "airing it out" was probably scary for him, but it did him a world of good. He turned out to be a good troop, a good friend, and not long after we got back stateside he got accepted into the commissioning program and became one heck of a good officer.

I don't claim to be a psychiatrist or anything like that, but you can't tell me a man who walks behind a plow twenty years doesn't understand mules. Sometimes a little understanding goes a long way.

Sarge
 
Sometimes it is hard to figure out just what makes some men click. Each one of your troops is a bit different and the NCO's have to find the difference and, make it work in the units favor.
You may not have a degree but you have learned a lot of psychology at any rate.:)
 
Greg, I know you weren't looking for this, but it is damn impressive there are still men like you out there in our world. Some of these Montana Ranchers would understand you.


munk
 
Munk, those Montana ranchers sound like some folks I'd like to meet, along with just about every guy on this forum. I like farmers/ranchers wherever they're from. There's an old saying that, "there are no atheists in foxholes". I'd like to paraphrase that by saying; there ain't no Godless farmers. When you depend on the earth below and the sky above for your livelihood, you come to understand there's more at work than your own two hands.

Greg
 
Sergeant Greg, the second commanding officer I had, a First Lieutenant, had been a Command Sergeant for thirteen years before he decided to go to OCS and become an officer.
Myself and all the real men under him would have followed him to hell and back because of his understanding.
You have long sounded like you are endowed with the same spirit.
I, like so many here, are damned proud to know you even if it's under these circumstances and online.
I would be proud to buy you one or three should we ever meet.:D
 
I've been given good advice and I'm going to take it. I've handed the fat lady a song book and told her to start practicing. It goes hard on my heart, but sometimes the right thing is the toughest choice.

Sarge
 
Sarge, one of our student employees at my job is Air Force ROTC. If your interested, I can hook you up with him after the holiday's and you can take him under your wing and head him down the right path. You would be one hell of a mentor.
 
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