Living in the barracks led to wacky hijinks once in a while. Once at DLI, my roommate returned in state which the British politely and colorfully describe as “tired and emotional”. I gave him water, made sure he slept on his side, and positioned a trash can close to his head in case his stomach suddenly decided it was time to evict its troublesome new tenants. The next day, I discreetly helped him clean up the mess and applied copious pine-scented cleaner to cover up the smell. And most importantly, I never said a word about it to anyone. The next time he went out for the weekend, he assured me he would scrupulously obey all rules and regulations, just like everyone else in the Army.
Another time, the guys in the room below mine decided to have loud parties to the wee hours of the morning most weekends. My roommate at the time had to wake up early to do funeral details on the weekends, so I felt the behavior was out of bounds, all the more so since those barracks had a minimal noise policy. I went down there once and simply said it’s 2 AM. A day or two later, I was woken up by a few First Sergeants who were looking for an underage girl who had gone missing recently. At first, I wondered why such a search would be checking the barracks. Then I remembered that there were a lot of young people at those late-night parties, including some who looked like they were still in high school. Why, a more cynical man might even have suspected that there had been underage drinking!
Alas, the parties continued. So, the next time I went down, I barged in the room and unplugged what I thought was the stereo but turned out to be a lamp. Well, there was some shouting and shoving from him, but when things calmed down, I tried using logic. I said the bar on base closes at midnight, the bars off base close at 1 AM, it’s almost 2 AM now, enough. Well, the host claimed to be friends with the MPs, I suppose to convince me not to call and promised to wrap things up. 45 minutes later, the party was still going full blast, so I called the MPs and said:
***
This is not an emergency. The guys in the room below me are having a loud party.
Just flash your lights and siren and they’ll skedaddle.
***
Reverse psychology works well on police. The offenders were permanently silenced.
The last major incident happened in December of 2019. In the prior few months, several guys with extra loud anti-mufflers moved in and woke me many times in the morning as I tried to sleep after the night shift. One night after hearing many obnoxiously loud engine noises, I lost my patience and went looking for the offender. When I found them, I informed them of the policy and told them to go to bed. One of them decided to give me the stink eye, so I looked at him and asked rhetorically, “what war were you in?” He let a pathetic whine and shoved me into a car. We grappled for a bit and then I fell.
When I got up, he was about 20 feet away and giving me a death stare. His very stupid friend said his name and after they both left, I was able to track him down from his unit’s roster. Unfortunately, he had recently left the Army and so his unit was unable to punish him. I made a report to the MPs, waited a month, and when I asked what happened, the MP gave me a stack of forms to fill out if I wanted to know the outcome of the investigation. I sensed he knew about my hatred of paperwork and did that to repel me.
I feel compelled to add that if he struggled to overpower a tipsy 5’4 guy, hand-to-hand combat is not the field for him, though I suspect he will end up learning that the hard way from a less merciful opponent. Given his appearance and reaction, I think it’s safe to say his military career was as short as it was undistinguished.
People who want to get violent with me usually go for it, and I got used it a while ago. I got in a fight on the train in Chicago once. When the doors opened, I saw a guy barking like a dog. A smarter man would have gone to another car. I chose the road less travelled. I told him to be quiet to no avail, and after enduring his antics for a few minutes, I got up and took a swing at him. I missed but I did get him into a headlock and sat down. He punched me a few times in the ribs until another passenger put his arm behind his back. Someone called the police and when the train stopped, the doors opened, and I let him go. As soon as I released him, he punched me in the eye and ran away. I ended doing a comedy show while looking like the mayhem guy from AllState.
Anyway, back to the barracks. Well, it got mighty quiet after that night, so another victory. When we were grappling, I was tempted to go berserk, but didn’t because I didn’t want to get yanked off mission or make trouble for my unit. My company had recently chosen the pirate theme I designed for its logo, and I was still in a good mood about that at the time.
The Army Good Conduct Medal is not a big deal for most soldiers, but for me it was. I kept it on my desk as part of my motivational shrine. It was a reminder of all the times I was tempted to punch someone into the fourth dimension and didn’t. The other parts of the shrine were my Eagle Scout medal, a few fortune cookie messages, and a mini Army Bible open to my favorite verse, Psalm 18:37, which reads:
***
I pursue my enemies and I catch them; I do not stop until I destroy them.
***
A pic of yours truly a few days after my fight on the CTA:
https://platedlizard.blogspot.com/2024/01/prince-ali-fabulous-he.html
Ev strongly approves.
I did flag detail at the cemetery on POM while on casual duty. It wasn’t as much fun as firing the howitzer, setting of car alarms, on red cycle at Fort Richardson.
I remembered that there were a lot of young people at those late-night parties, including some who looked like they were still in high school.
About 90% of my class were straight out of high school. I was barely 18 when I started.
The Army
Good ConductI Didn’t Get Caught Medal is not a big deal for most soldiersHey, at least you have to do more than you do for the rainbow ribbon.
a mini Army Bible
I still have a Russian language field bible I got from the post chapel.
In Arabic, the bible is called kitaab al-hayah, the book of life. I’ve read the whole Quran in English and about 1/3 of it in Arabic. The language is old-fashioned and repetitive. It’s not a fun read.
I myself read Harry Potter in the original British.
I tried the books and the movies. Not my cup of tea.
Harry Potter, Luke Skywalker, Superman, Rambo, Samson, David, Hercules…they’re all the same character basically.
Terminator is robot Jesus with a machine gun.
See also: Joseph Campbell and the hero’s adventure, aka “monomyth.”
Suis generis characters are a myth and if they did exist they would suck. We’ve been doing this far to long now for their to be any originality that isn’t forced and unnecessary.
+1 Gregor Samsa
Also (at the risk of offending SugarFree) any and all Lovecraftian protagonists. “Oh the horror!, it’s was all so alien that there are no words to explain it, blah blah blah…”
Options for the I, Soldier franchise universe…
Apparently the army has changed a lot since I left. The changes seemed to have started in the mid ’70s when the draft stopped. Project 100K let in many marginal people, most of whom never made it to their regular discharge. When the lady soldiers started integrating the combat support units we didn’t know what to do or how to act around the delicate sex. Higher HQs put out directives that didn’t match up with reality.
It wasn’t a morale booster and was a distraction at the time. No idea how it worked out and what it’s like today.
In basic, all the females in our battery (Fort Sill refers to “companies” as “batteries” because it’s the home of field artillery, yadda yadda), about 50 out of 200, had their own bay. The average soldier these days spends several hours a year on various sorts of department of hurt feelings classes: EO, SHARP, etc.
I saw that female soldiers were way more likely to be on profile from injuries and get medical discharges. My hat’s off to them for joining just the same though.
My gal pal at DLI got med boarded for a back injury after making it most of the way through the Chinese course. Good on her for rolling with the punches.
A male soldier I knew well lied about an injury to get in and was later med boarded after training made the injury serious. Such a shame. He made it all the way through the Arabic course, which is the hardest part.
I recall Consideration of Others Training (COOT) in the 90s. It ended up being a game of soldiers thinking up with the most absurd harassment scenarios. “Management” did not approve.
I think this video best illustrates the changes in the Army since 1973:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7bYc2-nUX4
Army has changed a lot just since when I got out. Allowing women into combat arms, the clot shot mandate, and an ever increasing list of DEI courses.
High heels give Soldiers a new perspective
https://www.army.mil/article/87923/High_heels_give_Soldiers_a_new_perspective/
***
The second annual Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program sponsored event, known locally as “Dudes in Heels,” saw a rise in community support with more than 400 in attendance. And while watching burly Soldiers attempting to walk a mile in high heels was entertaining for spectators, it was also a bold statement against domestic violence.
***
Can’t imagine why macho young guys don’t want to be in the Army anymore…
From 12 years ago
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/673393/walk-mile-her-shoes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNAXNgGTTG8
The odd thing is this event violated the Army’s own uniform regulations.
They’ve sucked off more soldiers before 9 AM than most people do all day.
After the idiots, it was the druggies and commies. I’d hear stories about how the Army used to be and it really seemed to hit a nadir post-Vietnam/post-AVF in the 70’s before the adults realized it was bullshit and started cleaning house. Much improved during the 80’s and kept rolling for a while. I’ve been out so don’t know what current life is like.
*like wearing short hair wigs on duty with their real, longer hair underneath.
Ponytails were allowed a few years ago.
I remember sitting through a brief on transgender acceptance in 2016 and doing my best not to explode Dale Gribble style.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsV4CBOGidg
There were a few women in my C&J company. They were assigned to the TRQ team because it wasn’t a physically demanding position. LLVI had to be able to carry a 120 pound ruck and the POC had to be able to move field safes.
Grab life by the First and, well, First.
Keep em coming. Thanks derp.
Oh, how I laughed:
***
The New York Times columnist Bret Stephens recently quoted a survey that found 20% of British teenagers thought that Winston Churchill was a fictional character, but 58% thought Sherlock Holmes was real.
***
https://hekint.org/2019/09/05/its-elementary-the-addictions-of-sherlock-holmes/
That’s the result of teaching feelings instead of facts. We know what a dishonest mission it is, but too many people either put up with it or actually believe in it to kill it in any reasonable way. It’s a damn shame.
God knows they couldn’t possibly make an outspoken character like Churchill the subject of admiration, but you’d think the British kids would at least know Holmes is fictional, geez.
The controlled demolition of Western civ and reality itself continues it seems, especially in the English speaking world.
The sun never set upon their empire…until it did. Their theme music is now the sad trombone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQeezCdF4mk
Not So Great Britain
At my regular watering hole they have a shelf with what google tells me are Chalkware statues of various old movie stars. When ever someone asks who they are the answer is always Bob Hope, John Wayne, Humphry Bogart, and Sherlock Holmes. No one ever calls him Basil Rathbone (or calls Bogey Sam Spade)
JFK speaks out on the danger of government secrecy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29NIlZxSsSs
The full text of the speech:
https://www.jfklibrary.org/archives/other-resources/john-f-kennedy-speeches/american-newspaper-publishers-association-19610427
Rise and shine, y’all!
🌄😄
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZTfl3DmCU
Back to more energetic music. 🎶🎶
New Order version is the superior version.
Remix!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=T4oKfgKU_W4
’30s version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHLbaOLWjpc
This one.
As long as we’re remixing my least favorite song of theirs, might as well make it interesting. 🙂
Euro Trash version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SpZXU61hCI
Theremin for the win! 😃👍
Good morning, Sean, Stinky, TO’G, and Teh Hype!
Mornin’, Red.
So Marvel (owned by Disney now I think so I shouldn’t be surprised) released a TV series with a main character that has a prosthetic leg and is deaf and has to communicate via sign language? Why don’t they just stack whatever money was used to make this trash into a pile and burn it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHGl2zptke8
I mean honestly, how much more stupid can it get?
Haven’t heroes always had handicaps? Isn’t that part of the story ‘overcoming adversity’ and what not. Not sure I get why this is somehow dumber than a blind guy or a cripple.
Some do, sure, but it doesn’t exactly make for scintillating dialogue or even being able to correctly follow what’s going on in the context of the movie or show. Also, Daredevil has radar or some shit and Captain Pickard can read minds-pretty serious deviations from the norm that allow people to take the implications of the handicap less seriously.
And it sounds like her superpower is related to said adversity. I mean, Marvel is trash so I won’t watch any of that crap but at least it makes some sort of sense.
If you have senses that fill the role of sight, down to being able to read, you’re not actually blind.
Morning.
Good morning, U!
Top local news headline: “Officers, troopers investigating after suspected car found in Greene County.”
Well, is it a car or not?? I think the word you’re looking for is “suspicious.” 🙄
The murder of the English language via slow torture continues apace.
Turns out it was an El Camino, they weren’t sure if it was a car or a pickup.
THAT’s the kind of vehicle we need today! Bring back the El Camino!
I’d love to have one.
If only it wasn’t a Chevrolet…if Toyota’d make a Camry with a bed I’d be the first in line.
Inorite?? Probably the best bet would be to watch the various big classic car auctions – Mecum, Barrett-Jackson, etc. Fun, non-committal TV viewing over a meal when you don’t necessarily want to get sucked into an hour-long episode of anything.
Always partial to the Ranchero myself.
Canyonero or GTFO
Here ya go.
NSFW (censored but still)
“Who is Australian Beatrice McKeefe as video of her flute act (playing the flute with her cooch) on German channel Mein RTL goes viral”
https://thesportsgrail.com/who-is-australian-beatrice-mckeefe-as-video-of-her-flute-act-on-german-channel-mein-rtl-goes-viral/
Nicht gut, now if she could play Beethoven’s fifth like that I’d be impressed.
What would impress me would be if she could play a didgeridoo that way.
What’s German for “circuses”?
“Your energy bills are unreasonably high for avoidable reasons but, here, enjoy some degenerate entertainment.”
Is Weimaresque a word?
Weimaraner, natürlich.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgQNx_aRZgk
Huh. That danged stargazer was right! Bow chicka wow wow was in the cards for Capricorn this week after all. And it was good.
Good morning all.
Good morning, ‘slinger! Congratulations, I guess?
Morning all!
Here’s hoping the big changes go smoothly this evening/tonight.
Collectively sysadmins and webmasters hold their breath at such a statement.
Anecdotally, the jinx doesn’t seem to have an impact on outcomes.
Speaking of…I gotta partition out our system this morning to evaluate Raytheon’s latest and greatest software on some under utilized processors.
Sounds expensive.
You have no idea and for that matter, neither do I or the general public. Hell I doubt congress knows how much we get bilked.
Good morning, Beau & OBE!
What’s the appropriate sacrifice to make to appease the web developer gods?
Mt. Dew and some left over pizza that was in the back of the fridge unlabeled?
My experience suggests it’s web users ;-\
Unleashing the AI?
If Government wishes to reign in AI, just unleash it onto a small community of libertarians. I’d give it one hour tops before it starts arguing with itself.
Morning. Up early for an appt.
Just came across this piece by a BARPod contributor that would appear to back up so.e of OBE’s previous hints re: FAA. Long tweet read but interesting.
https://twitter.com/tracewoodgrains/status/1752091831095939471?t=chxk1u5ajt1J_mqFL5ZNXw&s=19
Interesting
And you people want me to fly to the US. A man can get killed doing that.
Yeah, I’m not flying again. I might take a boat in your case but who knows, those might be hiring for least competence too.
Current crop is competent; its when attrition starts to really hit. I watched students melt down when they failed their courses in OKC (where we do our training). It was like watching my kids when they were toddlers. Security escorts off campus and all that jazz.
😂🤣
Lefties do like the sound of their own voices – esp. when being caught out on their shibboleths – don’t they.
I had to laugh at that, too.
What a gigantic cluster. And the worst part is, it happened over years with lots of people involved. This wasn’t some goofball with pink hair. This is just how it works now.
Yep, it is a rot of the whole, not just one person.
The technical side has resisted so far and same with the air traffic side to an extent. The last 4 people I actually hired were all technical background but they are pushing for more and more off the street that probably couldn’t tell me the positive/negative side of a power source. The schoolhouse still has old-school instructors and are the last line of defense on weeding out people, but that defense is being eroded.
On a similar note, I read that NYC has a test for garbagemen. They purposefully made it easy such that 90% or so of the takers get a perfect score. This allows them to hire whomever they want without getting accused of any sort of discrimination. It’s sort of like an anti-meritocracy.
Muahahahahahaha!
I’m powering my MSP430G2553 off the Arduino.
This sounds insignificant, but it does mean I can test how code for the MSP430 works without the debug module being in the loop.
To be honest, I expected it to work, I just had to prove it.
Weimeraners and El Caminos, these are two of my favorite things.
Thank dog for TeamViewer. My son bailed me out again. Don’t ask me what was wrong, all I know is my internet was broke.
Morning, each and everyone. Unseasonably warm again in Podunkville and the 10 day forecast is for more of the same. Ain’t complainin’