The Marine Memoirs - Day 023

Day 23
2009-5-18

This morning began with a cold shower as usual, and afterwards I prepared for my first three mile walk over to the motor pool. I took all of my gear with me, so this walk was heavier than usual. I did what I had to do over there, ate some breakfast, and began my three mile walk back. When I arrived, I went to my point of contact to see if I was able to complete my pre-deployment training. I know, I know… shouldn’t I have done my pre-deployment training before I deployed, and before I spent more than eighty hours outside of the safe zone? Anyway… as usual, I was told that I wouldn’t be able to use a computer. None of the heavies would help me either, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I went over to the internet center and totally broke the thirty minute rule by staying on for about six hours, attempting to complete my mission. Although I meant well, I still managed to get in trouble, because information wasn’t passed properly. Command conducted a fake indirect fire drill, because they apparently had nothing else better to do, and wanted to see just how fast individual companies would most likely react in the event of an actual emergency. I, of course, was doing what I was supposed to be doing, but couldn’t be found for accountability during the drill. When I got back to the tent, the games, or should I say hazing in its purest form had commenced. Our heaviest enlisted heavy told us that he wished he could fire us all, and start anew, with a brand new company of Marines. Sounds like something you really want to tell a group of Marines you’re supposed to be leading huh? A new rule which has recently been implemented is called squad movements only, which means that every time one member of a squad needs to do something, the entire squad must go along as well. In my case, twenty seven Marines must do everything in unison. If we need to go to the bathroom, everyone must go, even during the night and early morning when every member of the squad is usually fast asleep. If you need to make a telephone call, use the internet, do laundry, eat at the chow hall, take care of a personal problem, or even try to have some semblance of privacy in a combat zone, where it’s already so difficult to achieve, my whole team must be present. Let me get back to that, because I was just informed by a friend, that the heavies were talking shit about my low regulation haircut. One heavy asked why none of them ever said anything to me about it, and his conclusion was the same as mine. None of them have the balls to say anything to me about it. All this new squad movements only rule will wind up accomplishing, is cause Marines to falter on their hydration standards, in fear of having to get everyone up and ready to go with them when they need to piss, which will inevitably cause mass dehydration amongst the Marines, due to a lack of water consumption, coupled with the ridiculous heat here in Afghanistan. Marines, who ran out of clean clothes before, will certainly run out more often, or neglect to do any laundry at all. Telephone calls and internet use will be extremely difficult to achieve, and the Marines will not have the ability to keep in contact with their loved ones. Let’s analyze this situation more thoroughly shall we. My squad, which is currently the biggest, has twenty eight Marines total if you include me. If we all had to take showers and utilize the sinks at the same time, we’re talking about a significant amount of time just to get shaved and showered. Laundry would be the same, considering it takes about two to three minutes to process each person. And now let’s look at this whole ordeal in a tactical aspect. All twenty seven of my Marines are in the same locations throughout the day. One well placed mortar round would annihilate my entire team. And the bullshit continues… What, you thought I was through? At 06:00, 08:00, 17:00, and 22:00, all Marines will be in front of their racks, with all of their respective serialized gear; boot camp style at its finest, ready for accountability, all because of some crappy Marine. I hate these careerists and their selfish ways. If you’re afraid of the prospect of being yelled at, and are only concerned about your own personal evaluation, you shouldn’t be a leader. The two idiots in charge, who absolutely despise me because I have purpose, concocted a plan to have me walk to the motor pool yet again, to replace a Marine on fire watch over at the reactionary tent. Now I’ll be required to walk over twelve to eighteen miles per day, in plus one hundred degree weather. My feet usually hold up, but we’re required to wear boots for more than fourteen hours a day, so I hope they survive. I’m so done with this shit, and I need to end it, and end it soon. Because if I don’t… who will?

I’ve decided to crowd source the ever irksome task of editing and proofreading my book with you guys and gals, so please feel free to make any corrections or suggestions you’d like.