The Broken Soldier

This could have rightly been titled, “A Tale of Two Grays.” One Gray has information. The other Gray has hearsay. The first Gray knows me well. The second Gray, of his own admission, has never met me. The first Gray handed me a CBWTU-IL coin during our visit last week in recognition of the hard work and progress I’ve made since joining the program, and has also recommended me for promotion. The NCOs making up my CoC agree and started the process. The latter Gray attempted to blind-side me with an awful, unfounded, and untrue commander’s letter to the medical evaluation board. (Fortunately for me, his letter will never see the light of day. My present commander, who holds me in very high regard, will be writing the required letter.)

This is just more of the same. Members of my unit and my State throwing monkey wrenches with all their might. The problem, of course, is nothing speaks for their positions and everything speaks against it. The other Gray made terrible claims regarding the character of my service. He based his claims on the claims of those who either a) were called to the carpet to answer for mishandling everything from getting me a TA 50 to go to OCS to getting me proper medical care and pay (which has had the obvious effect of crippling me and ruining me financially), or b) don’t know me from Adam. In his letter he claimed I committed many violations of the UCMJ, yet there is no paper trail supporting these claims. Not so much as a counseling statement.

I would like to believe he did this out of ignorance. Just following orders from above (I have a feeling I know who is pulling the other Gray’s strings), and following the rumor mill perpetuated by those above and below. I’d like to believe that. At least then this act would just be stupid rather than petty and malicious. But I have suspicions this man knew exactly what he was doing when he did it.

I may or may not file an IG complaint. Not sure if it’s worth it this late in my (cut short) career. Not sure such a complaint would accomplish anything, esp. given the investigatees would be caroling the same lies. Eh, fuck it. More importantly, fuck them. Remember my Lansing ladies and gents, the lowest level of Hell is reserved for betrayers. Drop me a line when you get there. Let me know if it’s hot enough for ya.