The Broken Soldier

Dark as this time has been, there are, on occasion, reasons to believe what’s broken can be fixed.  “Reasons” for want of a better word.  People didn’t fit the sentence scheme.

Doc Grue is one such person.  A man at my unit, Glen to protect his anonymity, is another.  Good people, the kind of people that used to come to mind when thinking of the category ’service members.’  He’s been very helpful and very positive since he’s become involved.  I recall meeting him as he was helping the front spin up for their first deployment.  My recruiter, who also deployed with my unit, said something about him being a jerk.  That doesn’t surprise me.  My recruiter, I’ll call him SGT Bilko to protect his anonymity, hates rules and people who play them.  Glen struck me as an ‘old school’ NCO: Tough, but not be an asshole.  His concern is getting the job done.  And part of the job of an NCO is taking care of soldiers.  He asked me if I wanted to come along.  I said I did, but I wasn’t sure I was allowed.  I wish I had been.  I feel a lot would be different now had I been under the tutelage of people who actually knew what they’re doing.

Glen is leaving for another deployment.  He just got back less than a year ago.  We talked about it briefly.  He volunteered to go again.  He doesn’t know where he’s going, what he’ll be doing exactly, but he volunteered anyway.  His reasoning: His kids are grown, he isn’t married, and if someone doesn’t volunteer, command will choose someone.  Possibly someone with kids and a family.  I’m sure he could have found a way to get out of it if he wanted to.  He’s a bright guy, and has been a soldier for a long time.  Long enough to know how to work the system.  But he chose to go, at least in part, to keep someone else from having to.  We sure could use more like him.  If only strength of character could be taught.  Remember him in your nightly prayers.  I know my wife and I surely will.