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Katie's Command. Roger Rollins
Читать онлайн.Название Katie's Command
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781648011368
Автор произведения Roger Rollins
Жанр Контркультура
Издательство Ingram
“Jim, how do you know of the unit?”
“I’m the commander of the 289th.”
“You’re the commander of the 289th? I don’t have access to the unit, but the whole regiment is to be reactivated.”
“Where are the battalions to be assigned?”
“The regiment will remain together for now.”
“Who do we fall under?”
“The unit has no parent division. That’s all I can tell you. Have you asked Jane about the unit?”
“Not yet. I thought I’d ask you first.”
“Well, you might ask Jane. She may have some more information.”
“I’ll do that. I have about eight hundred soldiers at the moment, I wonder where the rest are?”
I went to personnel department to call in some favors to get some information.
“Jerry, how are you doing?”
“Jimmy—I mean, Colonel, how are you doing.”
“Call me Jimmy. I’m doing fine. I came to try to find some information on the reactivation of the 289th Infantry Regiment.”
Jerry asked, “How did you hear of the reactivation?”
“I’m the commander.”
“OK, I’ll check the computer, come to my office.”
Jerry lead me to a small office with a large desk, office chair, and several small chairs. “Jimmy, let’s take a look in the computer. Now, let’s see what is happening. Ah, here it is, the 289th Infantry Regiment with 2,400 soldiers. Now this is funny. There is only you and one second lieutenant listed to the unit.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, regimental command, three battalions, in Fort Benning, Georgia. There are building numbers for the battalions and the regimental command. Yet there are only two soldiers listed for the regiment.”
“Well, now that really has me stumped. I have a meeting with Jane Minder later.”
“You mean the assistant secretary of the army for manpower and reserve affairs.”
I replied, “The one and only, we dated for a while.”
“Really, how is your relationship now?”
I told Jerry, “We have a good relationship.”
“I hope so. You’ll need fresh information to find your soldiers.”
“OK, it’s been good seeing you again Jerry.”
“You too Jimmy take care.”
I returned to my Hotel. Those soldiers must be in the Infantry School. I freshened up then caught a cab to Margie’s.
I arrived at Margie’s five minutes early. Jane was waiting with another man.
“Jim, it’s great to see you, this is Reuben Benson. Reuben is in charge of the whole program.”
Once inside the restaurant, we were seated at a small back table away from everyone else. After the waitress left, I asked my questions.
“How many soldiers for my unit?”
Reuben laid out the plan for my unit. “About 2,400 soldiers total for the infantry regiment.”
“I only have 800 soldiers now. Where are the rest?”
Jane responded, “The soldiers will finish training in six months. Right now, they are in the infantry training program. Then airborne training in Fort Benning, Georgia, is next. After which, several mobile training teams will teach soldiers in intelligence, operations, administration, and logistics.”
“Jane, can I check out the soldiers during training?”
“Sure, not a problem. I will contact COL Carlisle, commander of the training program.”
“Good, now why pick me to train these soldiers?”
Jane smiled. “I was hoping you would get the regiment.”
“How many were selected for the unit?”
Reuben answered, “You were picked from a dozen officers.”
“Why do you want me to train and lead this unit?”
Jane responded, “Because we wanted someone who would train and lead the soldiers. You have been training soldiers your whole career. You care about the soldiers under your command.”
“Why classify the information top secret/eyes only?”
Jane looked at me. “I didn’t know it was classified.”
Reuben spoke, “I wanted to limit access to the information.”
“Fair enough. What can you tell me about the soldiers?”
Reuben replied, “What’s there to tell? They were appointed to this unit.”
“Where were they born, grew up, go to school?”
“Well, that’s not the important thing. It’s important that you see they get trained.”
Chapter 2
Wednesday afternoon found 2LT Karen Rivera standing in front of LTC Steven Reynolds in his small barren office. She listened to the ranting of the old dinosaur.
“You just don’t listen to instructions. You think you can do anything you want.”
“Sir, I just…”
“I don’t want to hear it. You think you’re better than me, that you can do what you want, when you want. Well, you’ll be restricted to the barracks until Monday. Officer training was wasted on you. If I could kick you out, you’d be gone yesterday. Now get out.”
As Karen walked to the barracks, Adam Palomalu caught up with her.
“What did the old man say?”
“That we didn’t follow our orders—we cheated to beat the other team.”
“That’s crazy. We found a problem with the tactics that we could exploit.”
“Well, I’m restricted to the barracks until Monday.”
“Maybe you should bend over backward and kiss his butt.”
“No, I won’t do that. I can’t help it if he is so stuck on these old tactics that a baby could beat him.”
“No, but if he doesn’t pass you, what will happen?”
“He told me he can’t kick us out. Maybe I can show someone how inept the old man is.”
“Who would that be.”
“I don’t know. I’m going back to the barracks to study.”
With the exercise cut short, Adam went to a small clear area to work with rest of the company. The area had no trees or bushes, but they worked on fire and movement drills. After twenty minutes, the soldiers became bored. Adam opened a book of infantry company tactics to see what they could do. Adam started with some advanced assault tactics with different formations. After two hours of practice, they stopped.
Betty-Jo asked Adam, “Can we get Karen to come with us?”
“Not likely. Reynolds was mad at getting beat by her again.”
Betty-Jo countered, “But we can go to Karen’s room to study advanced tactics. Race you back to the barracks.”
I returned to Fort Benning early Wednesday morning to a confused and frantic Katie. She had a clipboard, fifteen semitrucks