Jupiter 6

[SuperScout]

As I've mentioned before, this is a great novel about the Vietnam War, written by John E. Gross, a very good man and personal friend of mine. Had the pleasure of seeing John again at our Regimental Reunion at Ft. Benning last April. (It was the same time as the Psyco Mt. brownie-bakeoff, dwarf toss, and lemon squeezing contest.) Although it is a fictionalized account of several very real instances, I found many instances where I could identify with some of the characters as presented. I highly recommend this addition to your library!

John swears that when we both relinquished our respective commands, and awaiting new assignments at Camp Bearcat, we liberated a case of wine from some unknown location, probably our battalion officers club. He continues in his swearing that after several bottles, I insisted that we go for a pizza, and the closest, only thing even vaguely resembling a pizza parlor was our battalion messhall. We stealthily remove the lock on the door with an entrenching tool, proceeded to find the light switch, the oven switch, and the dangdest assortment of ingredients that ever became a pizza.

With a slightly throbbing head and a really bad case of indigestion, we received our ass-chewing the next morning from the battalion XO, who could hardly contain himself, laughing at the entire situation, and he could hardly be taken seriously. All the above is told, knowing full well that the statue of limitations has fully expired.

[39mto39g]

If two Sgts would have done this they would still be in the same jail in VN. And somehow officers think this is funny when they do it.> ? And even worse, there commanding officer thinks its funny.
An officers mess needs a well placed 4.2

Ron

[Packo]

Hey Ron,

Lighten up.

Scout,

Funny story! Will be looking for the book and hopefully the movie!

Pack

[b3196]

Definitely chill out Ron
Hell we flipped the bird to the TV camera's filming a convoy. when we got back we were to report to the Battalion XO's Hooch. where he commenced to reading us the riot act. There were some really great 8X10's of us on his desk. After the ass chewing. and a few other things, he opened up a wall locker and gave us each a carton of cigarettes.
Bob K

[39mto39g]

There are several sets of standards used when people in "Athority" do sh-t wrong, and none of them apply to people that are not of Athority. Ive seen two cops drag racing there patrol cars on city streets, Ive seen City managers steel round bails of hay at a city function, People in athority seem to have a good time when it comes to doing something that would land the rest of the world in a heep of crap. Its just a pet peave of mine, Don't mind me, Lighten up? Nahhh.

Ron

[SuperScout]

Would you like some cheese and crackers with your whine?

As a matter of fact, some of my troops did even worse stuff than I, and I covered for them, since part of my job description was to provide the BS shield for my men. We were a proud unit, and an even prouder group of veterans who have maintained contact since the 67-68 period of lives. We fought hard, as evidence by our outstanding war record, and we played hard, a fitting reward for doing the nasty work.

[b3196]

Cops drag racing!!!! I cant believe that . Like Brice said....People who work hard, play hard.
Ron
As a fireman, you never did anything wrong or been stopped by the cops and let go because of your position?
Bob K

[39mto39g]

I could give a sh-t less what you do. or have done.
While you and your men are covering for each other at the taxpayers expence, who's doing the job correctly?
Just how much truth is in any of the paperwork you turned in?
But then who needs that, when all you have to do is have a bottle of 'the good stuff'
Ron

[b3196]

Ron
By-the-Book leaders dont last very long. You have to be flexible and let your people vent when the time is right. You being a LT. on the fire dept. probably experienced that yourself......Besides it gives you something to talk about over a few beers.
Bob K

[SuperScout]

Gosh, excuse me while I take a guilt trip for sloughing off on the job. And what does having some realtively innocent fun have to to with paperwork? Booger's right: by-the-book people generally don't do well in combat situations; point being that one of my Tactical Officers from OCS came home in a rubber bag as proof. In all actuality, I make no apologies for what I did, what my outstanding troops did, or what our battalion accomplished.

Paco,
A bunch of us got together at the Reunion, and from the tales told, either factual, enhanced, or both, we couild probably come up with plot scenarios to last longer than M*A*S*H, and be a lot funnier.