The Army two-and-a-half ton truck, lovingly known to generations of GIs as the "deuce-and-a-half", has all but disappeared from view. At least at our little post-under-the-hill here in the colorful state. It has been replaced with a whole generation of cab-overs that make the post look like it is populated by the German Army. But in my youth they all looked pretty much like the one pictured above. Of course, when I started out most of them were gasoline powered; the diesel engines...
Seems like forever since I spun a yarn. Been thinking about a few approaches but by the time I get home from work, I am so tired I usually flake out and don't get anything down. It isn't much of a job but it is slightly better paying than unemployment and won't quit on me the middle of this month (I hope). Being unemployed gave me a glimpse of what retirement will look like, too much time and not enough money. But for now, at least, the wolves have been sent packing from the door...although th...
I was a driving instructor in Phoenix years ago. I mentioned this before in a story about two sisters I taught to drive. And I think I mentioned that the folks who come to a driving school to have their kids, moms, other relatives taught to drive are mostly the ones who wound up with their cars in the canal when THEY tried to teach the kids, moms, other relatives. We got the peaches. Teen were not so bad most of the time, they learn quickly and are highly motivated...we still had drive-in movi...
One Saturday while we were in the carport cleaning up the Yellow Goat, a small tortoise-shell cat walked up and introduced herself. She was vocal and friendly and made it clear that since we were between dogs at the time, there was room in our home for a cat. None of our neighbors 'fessed up to ownership, so we invited her to join our family. We called her Zin - like in Zinfandel or however you spell it, I am not a wine person - and she settled in im...
Somehow in the midst of election coverage, lipstick comments, hurricane guess-i-fication, Biden's gaffs and all the other more important news of the day, I missed a story that I wish I hadn't. As usual, the passing of someone who is not in the special categories of the news networks goes almost unremarked. But apparently Jerry Reed passed away last week and I didn't hear a word about it until I heard Tim Wilson sing his song about marrying a woman who talks like Jerry Reed in tribu...
Uncle Lloyd retired from the Army and moved to Central California. He had spent over 20 years as an MP officer, and got through WW II and Korea with honors and decorations. He wrapped up his 20+ years as Military Liaison to the Pakistani Army, stationed at the US embassy in Karachi...at about the time the whole thing went nuts and they had to be evacuated. He was always proud of me...being in the Army and all...especially since his oldest son had joined the Navy. I got out of the Army ...
I was taught as a young NCO that problems need to be solved at the lowest level possible. If a soldier has a problem that he cannot solve himself, his squad leader should be the one to help him fix it. By the time I got to be a First Sergeant, that philosophy had eroded to almost none existance. I made it part of my NCO Professional Development Program to teach junior and mid-level NCOs to figure out how to find solutions. But some problems defy squad level, or even platoon level, intervention...
Near the end of 1971 I got out of the Army, again. I was disgusted with the way the "All Volunteer Army" was shaping up. I was raised up in very different Army than the one I was seeing take shape and I had some problems with the new attitudes that were required...so...an E-6 with seven years in service and I just got out...again. Unfortunately, I didn't like being a civilian any more than I did the first time I got out. This time I did give it a longer try...I was only out for three months th...
I came down the truck line after a meeting to see what my soldiers were up to. I had found a few of them hiding in the back of a truck before I had left for the meeting so I kind've knew where to look. Sure enough, we had another conversation about doing what you are suppposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, and the resultant unpleasantness of violating that principle. They didn't get it that time, either. I counted noses and found one missing...a problem child named Thomas who was f...
Hunter-Liggett is a training/exercise/testing facility about 65 miles south of Fort Ord in central California. It was the 7th Infantry Division's main playground for several years and (as I have mentioned before) if you saw the movie, "We Were Soldiers" you have seen Hunter-Liggett. Most of the outdoor battle scenes were filmed there. It is several miles off of Highway 101, west into the coastal hills, a little south and a lot west of King City. From 101 you go up Jolon Road into the training a...
Leaving Saigon northbound, you can chose the older, more exciting Hiway One which goes to Bien Hoa by way of the Rubber Plantation near Di An where the 1st Infantry Division made its home or you can travel the newer, smoother, more secure Hiway One-A. Wider, better repair and runs straight to Long Binh. In 1966 Hiway One-A was one of the busiest roads in Vietnam. I usually found myself on it five or six times a week. I say it was more secure because of the heavy military traffic on it. More ta...
You may have seen the ad on TV where the point is being made that our schools are failing worldwide. To illustrate the point, the flags of the "superior" nations are being strung up the flagpole, in order, on the same line, like a semiphore signal. The US flag is added to the line of flags in its depressingly low status in the world of acacemics. It shows us where we stand. I sincerely hope the ad was filmed in Canada or some other foreign country...because in the US of A, the flag of the Un...
A very rich gentleman from LA bought a vanity ranch in Alpine. It had been unoccupied for quite a while and needed some fence work, pool cleaning, and general maintenance in order to be liveable. The main house was in pretty good shape, but the stables, bunk house, and tack rooms were in dire need of some work. He stopped in to visit with Elwin, Charlie's cousin, and bought a couple of horses and some related items to add to his existing stock. During the conversation, he asked Elwin if he kne...
I am stuck in an animal groove this week. I had so much fun (and drifted so far astray!) with the last one I thought I would do the other angle on the same thing. I will tell you about James, one of my best friends and someone who worked for me. I know. Not a good idea, but we were the same age, our wives were great friends...and we liked each other. To the best of my knowledge, our friendship never got in the way of work. Anyway, the story is about Flo (FloraDora von Haus Schutting), a beau...
Believe it or not, most German Shepherds have to be trained to bite people. The trainers start when the dogs are young, about 9 months, with what they call "aggravation training". The handler holds the dog on a leash while his assistant approaches in a semi-menacing manner. The handler acts afraid and yells at the assistant. A smart dog will pick up on the situation and will bark at the intruder. When he does, the handler pets him up and en...