Movin' On Up

Friday night was my first mission with 4th Battalion and my first as a Warrant Officer. I had been asked by two OCS classmates to come help out with this mission in Cornelia where one of them is a policeman. I have enjoyed working with 4th Battalion since going through their Wilderness Search & Rescue School last year, and they have invited me up to join the unit on many occasions. After being pulled aside by one of their officers Friday evening, I believe it is a done-deal. I had spoken with my commanding officer about a transfer a couple of months ago when he also asked me about becoming his Executive Officer upon OCS graduation. He is a good man, and a good commander, and I was sorry to decline at that time. This afternoon I received his OK to my formal transfer request.

The mission was to be a fairly simple one - support the local law enforcement and EMS for the city's concerts and fireworks. Barry was still in uniform since I had picked him up from work on the way up, so he volunteered to assist with traffic control as we periodically blocked off Hwy 441 to allow the crowd to cross. Thankfully we had no incidents, and the crowd was pretty nice. Law enforcement took over the posts right before the main concert, and we switched to patrolling the parking areas and fields on foot. I was assigned with three other soldiers to patrol one large area where hundreds of cars were parked. On our way back up to the TOC we saw something that chilled me to the core. In the headlights of an oncoming car we saw a body roll to the ground after hearing a loud thud. The four of us took off running, really afraid of what we'd find when we got there. The car looked like it was turning to the right as if to try to get away in the crowded parking lot. As we approached we heard both the two occupants and the two teen boys, including the "victim," laughing and saying, "Do it again!" It was all a big joke. Well, it didn't seem quite as funny to them when they found themselves surrounded by four soldiers. One of the guys chewed them out while another leaned in the window to make sure there were no injuries. I was just thankful that it had been a fake because the image of the body in the headlights was one of the scariest things I have ever seen.

As the evening drew to a close, I talked with the two warrant officers who had invited me to come up to the mission. I am looking forward to working with this battalion as it grows. They are starting to get more female interest in joining what has been an all-male unit, and having a female officer will be a good thing to aid in this. I am not sure at this time what my actual position will be, but it will be a change and a challenge to be sure!

One Little Dot

I couldn't believe our good luck! We'd had the evening off the night before, which Jill and I had spent first folding the graduation programs, and then eating cheese puffs and watching TV. Now PT had been cancelled, and we were allowed to sleep in until 0600!!!! This was the best weekend of OCS yet, and graduation was today!!!

We checked and double-checked our uniforms for strings. (They'll count off for any they find during inspections.) We made sure we had all our gear packed and ready to go. Then Jill opened the door - and started laughing. During the night, some of my fellow graduates had rolled my Jeep with toilet paper! It was so funny! I knew without much doubt who was behind it, though they denied it when I asked.

Graduation practice seemed to take forever, but the cadre did surprise us with a great slideshow that showed what we had been doing the whole 6 months we'd been there. This would be showing when our families were waiting for the ceremony to begin. We set up for the reception that was to follow, and had our final inspection. The night before, our honor grad had named me as the guidon bearer, so we worked to iron out the particulars of my duties as such. Lunch time rolled around, and I jumped in the truck with Sandy and Jonathan to meet Jonathan's family at McDonalds. We did our usual thing of working hard to crack each other up before heading back to GPSTC. Finally it was time for the families to begin arriving. I looked through the big glass wall and saw my family and MG Larry Ross coming up the sidewalk together. The General opened the door for Papa's wheelchair to pass through, then asked, "Is it appropriate for me to hug the new warrant officer?" I told him I thought it was a great idea, and he gave me a big congratulatory hug. After mobbing me, the boys went straight over to look at the antique fire engine and police car that sit in the atrium. This gave me time to have folks meet Papa, who turned out to be the real star of the show.

The ceremony began, and OCS Class 08-03 marched down the aisle. There were several speeches including one from Mr. Doubleday, the civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army, MG Ross, and our honor graduate, OC Bryant. She called us to attention and one by one we marched across the stage to receive our diplomas and shake hands with all the dignitaries. Once we were all standing at the base of the stage facing the audience, LTC Watts administered our oath of office. Finally the time arrived for our pinning. Several folks were pinned by their spouse or father. One was pinned by his daughters and one by his grandson. When my turn came, Barry rolled Papa forward in his wheelchair. As I leaned slightly forward so he could reach my rank, my whole class came to attention and rendered him honors. In the photos you can see the OCS commandant smiling as Papa pinned me. I gave him a big hug and took a seat with my class as the final candidates were pinned. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we lined up in the atrium to "buy" our first salutes from CSM Parmenter.

I felt very good about my service today. This one little dot that I now have earned will hopefully help me continue to make a difference. As usual, Barry has been right there to help me through. He gave me many pep talks to keep me going through this challenging 6 months. Now there are two warrant officers in the house, and Papa is the one who pinned on that first little dot for both of us!

Send Me To Wal-Mart

Yesterday was one of "those" days. It was hot, I had a sick little boy, and all that I had planned had gone down the tubes. I stopped by Wal-mart, which usually results in my mood being even worse. I picked up the two items I came for, and started toward the registers. That's when I saw the elderly gentleman. In a soft voice he asked if I was familiar with the store. I said that I was, and he told me what he was looking for. I walked him directly to what he asked for, and he began to explain. His 83 year old wife was in the hospital and had suffered a stroke. She had asked for a couple of things and he just couldn't find them. The two of us walked aisle to aisle until we had everything he needed. You could tell that his wife was the one who did the shopping, and the poor man was simply lost without her. I asked for his wife's name so I could pray for her, and he brightened right up. He told me they were Christians and had been missionaries. I have had Mrs. Inez in my prayers since then.

A trip to Wal-Mart usually is one of those things I do not look forward to. Today's trip was totally different. Out of dozens of people who were walking around this gentleman, he stopped me to ask for help. God places people in your path who need you, and that you need - whether you know it or not.