There’s nothing quite like the hysteria a military unit will feel (during peacetime, anyway) shortly before a general officer is slated to visit. There’s mopping of floors, straightening of furniture, and polishing of boots going on throughout the building instead of any of the work that’s supposed to be observed and commended. I’ve always thought [...]
Last weekend, I was at my National Guard base and learned the following from a Captain who has been my drinking buddy traveling companion a few times this year:
Captain Lauren: You know Major Yancy?
Me: Yeah. Sort of.
Captain Lauren: She just pulled me aside and asked me if I am having sex with my boyfriend.
Me: WHAT? [...]
09.11again
In 2001, I worked on the 51st floor of the Bank of America tower, the tallest building in the southeast. I’d been at work about 30 minutes when my phone rang. It was one of my lawschool classmates who worked at Turner:
she: “Go to cnn.com.”
me: “Why?”
she: “Because a plane just hit the World Trade Center.”
me: [...]
On Saturday, I spent an entire day in a tent with a black Master Sergent named Jon. At our first conversational lull, Jon belted out this chunk of wisdom:
MSgt Jon: You know, black people are smarter than white people when it comes to animals.
Me: How’s that?
MSgt Jon: Animals are not your friend, [...]
If that isn’t frightening, I don’t know what is: officers are getting promoted too quickly, and PTSD is rampant.
