Thank You

[Dragonlord220]

I began my service to the Unites States Army in April of 2007. Not because I had a higher calling, but because I had managed to fail at everything else in life to that point and the Army was apparently hurting for bullet magnets.

My recruiter talked me into an RG4 contract and away I went. 30 days later found me at the AG awaiting for my oppurtunity to go down range, pretending to look forward to it, and trying not to look as afraid as I was. Since, I had four years JROTC the basics of Military tradition and D&C were already familiar and the learning portion of basic was easy for me. I have always been lucky in that regard. I soak up information like a sponge. The physical portion of basic however was not so easy for me, and I imagine like so many others before me, I had to really work at it. I graduated. No fanfare, please. Drill Sgt. Pippin if you are still out there, you were then, and in my opinion still are, a god with a round brown. Thank you.

On to jump school. Due to a muscle injury in my grion that I suffered during my last weeks of basic that became gradually more irritated I was recycled my first stint in jump. While my original class graduated I recovered I was assigned to the next class. Three weeks later I proudly earned the dumbest badge in the US. Army. No offense guys, but they threw us out of airplanes. Falling does not take alot of talent. (Yes, I can smell the shit-storm that will result from that comment !) I won't waste alot of your time with this, it's jump. Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door. Thanks , Gunny, for not killing me outright.

RIP is RIP. It sucks. You run ALOT. Sgt. Higgerson is big, scary as hell, sees all, hates all. I made it through, I thought because I was worthy. In retrospect, I now realize that I made it through beacuse the Ranger In The Sky hated me and was not quite finished punishing me for being a shitbag. When you graduate RIP your RI's tell you that you are now a Ranger. I think we all know that is not "exactly" true. Sure, they issue you your beret and your scroll but you still don't know shit about what that means. It would take me a long time to figure that out.

Upon graduation, I was assigned to the famed Bravo 3/75. At this point in history, although the wounds of the Mog had all but healed (for most, it was before thier time) it was still the training mantra that 3d lived by. The hallways were (are?) a shrine to the men that fought, and those that were lost, there. I still remember staring at the plaque that was hung in memory of Cpl. Smith, standing next to that bird and wondering what kind of a man he was to have led men at such a young age.

SSgt. Bostick (sorry if I mispelled that Sgt. but most of the time my line of sight was limited to the toes of your exquisitely polished boots, not your nameplate) was my squad leader, Sgt. Tatum was my team leader, PFC. Hernandez was my senior PFC., and I was destined to become one of their problem children. From day one I was a fuck up. I coulnd't run, or hump a ruck, I didn't move nearly quickly enough, my gear was never squared away quite right, I never seemed to be able to get anything right. Sgt. Daniels, we called him Ol' Evil Eye when we thought he wasn't listening, though he always was (and that damned eye saw EVERYTHING) sought out imperfection without mercy and punished it with ruthless intent. Needless to say, I saw him ALOT. I was that guy that other Rangers didn't even waste the betting pool on. I was done, it was just a matter of time. I was RFS'd for an alcohol related offense with a little under a year in Batt. I am hard pressed to tell you now whether at that time I was heartbroken or relieved.

I was reassigned to the Ranger Grave Yard of the 80-Deuce, C Co. 3/505. For a time, nothing changed for me. I didn't give a shit. I just wanted to serve my time and get out.

I was put into the resident fuck up squad beacause apparently washed out Rangers cause a bit of a problem for the line dogs. When I say we were fuck ups I mean that exactly how it sounds. We were tore up from the floor up and we were the guys that most of our NCO's had on the "when it comes time to break the seal and test the air........" list.

My turning point came when, by default (the other guy was sick) rather than merit, I was given a team in the field. We performed miserably. How is that a turning point you ask? For the first time in my pathetic military career I was ashamed. Not embarrased, ashamed. I had failed these men that I was assigned to lead by not doing everything within my power to assure their success. By sheer lack of give a shit, I had gotten four men killed. (That damned beep is really annoying, you know the one I mean, who's got the FRIGGIN' key?) OK. Not real world. But it still stung. I began to care about my men's performance, and wellfare. That part even surprised me.

I began taking an interest in the squad leaders briefings and COB meetings. It wasn't all bullets and band-aids, there was some so and so's wife is pregnant, he might get leave stuff. But that's all part of the big picture. I became involved in the world around me and felt as though I was actually (for the first time) part of something larger than myself. It wasn't all about me anymore.

I was eventually given command of my own squad as a Cpl. (our Sgt's kept ETS'n) because WE earned it. My men worked hard and made me look good and I tried my damndest to take good care of them. Thank you for giving me a shot, Ssgt. Hutchinson, I will be eternally grateful.

I wish to thank all of the men that I served with both in the Batt and the Deuce. The knowledge you shared with me and the life lessons you taught have proven to be my most valauble possesions.

I have the third Batt scroll tattooed on my left shoulder and the 82d on my right. Yes, I know what the rt shoulder patch means and I am always quick to point out to those that also know and ask that I did not serve combat duty with the 82nd. But despite the Rangers that out there groaning right now, I couldn't find it my heart to put one above the other. I have them so when people ask me I can say, I once knew a soldier who....

It is because of the lessons that the men at the 3/75 taught me, and the values they instilled in me (often through blunt trauma and mindless repetition) that I often tell those that ask that I have served with Rangers, but I wasn't one of them.

I didn't become a Ranger until much later.

[Silverback]

I began my service to the Unites States Army in April of 2007.

I didn't become a Ranger until much later.

According to your profile you haven't even joined the Army yet! and it most certainly was not "SGT" Higgerson and more like "SSG" or "SFC"...You're still fucked up.

[Silverback]

And....while I am on the topic...I had to move your intro because you put that in the wrong place also.

[Looon]

WTF............

[Dragonlord220]

That was fast.

The year should be 1997.

Meant no offense by the rank typo.

Any you are apparently correct about the fucked up.

[Silverback]

So let me guess...you either went to OCS or Green to gold...right?

[Mr_Handsome]

Bro...I was cringing reading your intro...welcome :?

[KW Driver]

well, at least it was honest.

[Silverback]

Can someone give me the cliff notes version please?



Oh, and welcome....

Blah Blah Blah...I served in the Deuce, Blah Blah Blah

[Looon]

[RTO]

Bro...I was cringing reading your intro...welcome :?

X2

[Looon]

I had to take a knee during that mother!! I stopped reading after he got a "command" of his squad!!!

BTW his RIP cadre wasn't me.

Welcome............

[Rangerguru]

I had to take a knee during that mother!! I stopped reading after he got a "command" of his squad!!!

Welcome here, and BTW his RIP cadre wasn't me.

I didn't think he was talking about you, you're a nice guy.