Tell us a story of something a leader did to you that at the time seemed whacked but ended up being a good thing.

SSG Adam Reed — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 20:50:08 -0400

So do you have a good story to tell about how a leader might have seemed to do you wrong but in the end it was a viable lesson for you. Here's mine. It's 1989, I'm a very young 12B private on Active duty with the 14th Engineers out of Ft. Ord California. My squad leader was a Vietnam vet and was labeled the best in the battalion. His awards and their corresponding stories verified why he was the best. Anyway, every few months we were required to do a 13-15 mile road march. So on this one particular road march at Ft. Hunter Liggett my 2LT tells me to hand over my M60 to the muscle man in the squad because he thinks I can't make it while carrying my baby. So I demand otherwise and get my way. Well sure enough I finish the march almost in record time and I let everyone know about it. One thing we always did after the marches was eat right away. So I go looking for the MRE's. There they are next to a tree with my squad leader sitting on them. I walk over and say "SSG Chaco may I have an MRE." With his shit eating Guamanian grin he says "Reed, if you want one of these MRE's your gonna have to go through me first. Bear in mind, I was about 6'1" 200 LBS and he was about 5'9" 170 LBS. I'm thinking 'finally I have the permission to whip his ass.' As we drop our gear, the platoon starts circling. When I'm done with him, I'm gonna be the big dog on campus. 1SG stops by to enjoy some of this old school counseling and doesn't try to stop us. The sarge starts moving back and forth. My plan, bum rush him and throw all my weight at him. No way he's gonna stop this freight train. I yell before I strike 'Your about to pay the price old timer. I'm coming for you'.
Last thing I remember is wondering 'why are my feet against the clear blue sky'. BAM, and I'm on my back quicker than a drunken bull-riding clown. I lay there in pain, wondering if my spine will ever be straight again. Sarge walks up to me, bends over and says' You did the road march too fast and with too much weight. now you can't even defend yourself. Too much pain to answer. I just nod my head and hold back the cries of agony. True story. P.S. The pic is SSG Chaco right before a road march at Ft. Ord in 1990.

Response by PO1 Ken Johnson made Jul 6 at 2015 7:49 AM

PO1 Ken Johnson — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 07:49:37 -0400

One time in Boston, our ship was in Braswell Shipyards and out on liberty, I got "snot slingining, commode hugging, falling down, passed out" drunk.... not just drunk, mind you...

Executive Officer heard about it hand had the Command Master Chief bring me to his stateroom after quarters. At the door, the CMC paused and said, "you remember the proper way to REPORT to the XO... just like you reported in boot camp?" I said yes and knocked and when I heard enter, I stepped in and reported at attention. CMC did not come in with me...

XO, went up one side, half way down the other side, then took two laps around the middle, then another lap for good measure. He didn't just chew my ass, he got all of me. Never once did he ask me a question that he wanted me to answer, although there were a few rhetorical questions in there for effect. When he finished, he paused for about two seconds and then said "DISMISSED!" I said aye-aye sir and did the about face and had just put my hand on the door knob when I heard the XO say in a soft but firm voice, "Johnson, wait.."

I turned back around and he said, "Do you realize that from all accounts you were just a couple of drinks away from alcohol poisioning? Son, you came close to killing yourself, let alone what could have happened to you while you where in such a stuper, someone could have robbed you and left you for dead. What the hell happened to you? You don't drink like that!"

I admitted that someone (and the hard part was a "trusted shipmate") had poured shots into the beer I was drinking without my knowledge. When he asked for a name, I wouldn't give it to him. I thanked him for taking the time after being the XO, to talk to me, man to man. I said the XO speech brought the fear of God into me, but the second speech was the one that I would never forget. Don't believe me? Look back, I can hardly remember a word of the XO speech, but the second speech is almost verbatum!

Response by SGT Barry Third made Nov 12 at 2015 1:14 PM

SGT Barry Third — Thu, 12 Nov 2015 13:14:31 -0500

Gas chamber, but that training can in handy with all the scuds in Desert storm , i can guarantee you i can mask faster than any one