April 22nd-May 2nd

This is a two week post just because I got lazy and kept forgetting to do my posts. So here we go

Tuesday April 22nd
     Started the day out with a major pain in the ass. A trailer we had ordered to carry some of our vehicles to a repair yard was canceled a day before we needed it. This caused myself and Chief M to scramble for an hour trying to come up with a solution before the unit called us back and told us that they had made a mistake and that the pickup was still on. Good shot of stress to start the day off.
     Later in the day I found out one of our soldiers, SSG D, who works at the gym because of his different profiles, was facing a field grade article 15 for not reporting to work on several occasions, showing up too late or leaving work too early. I saw him, 1SG W, and CPT B going into the 2-82 Field Artillery commander, LTC H's office for him to face the music. Couldn't hear what they were discussing but I found out later he didn't get any sympathy. He was demoted to an E-5 among other punishments.
     On top of that one of the other soldiers they called in to be a witness for the Article 15, didn't help SSG/SGT D or himself. I'm just going to call him SPC Dumbass because he showed up with half of his hair dyed reddish/orange when the rest of his hair was brown. The second he left LTC H's office, the 2-82 Command Sergeant Major, CSM C took SPC Dumbass into his office and proceeded to rip him a new asshole for a good ten minutes and told him if he saw him with dyed hair again he would cut his hair in a way that would be very unpleasant for him.
     To top of seeing other people screw up, I had my own minor brain fart during Retreat. As the trumpet started playing I saluted the flag. For some dumb reason I dropped the salute early and I heard someone behind me yell out "Hey soldier". I realized my mistake, went back to saluting, until the music stopped. As I turned around a Sergeant was standing there, he started to say something until he saw my gold bar. He sighed and said "Thank you sir I feel much better now, I really didn't want to rip some private a new asshole at the end of the day". We both laughed and I told him "No Sergeant, you just get to make the LT feel stupid". He laughed and told me to take it easy. Screwy day but still entertaining.

Wednesday April 23rd
     Had the typical maintenance meeting like every Wednesday but this one took place at a new motor pool so I showed up super early and waited for everyone else. I was at the meeting alone this day because Chief M had other stuff to take care of. This shouldn't have been a big deal but the Brigade XO asked me a question that I had no clue how to answer, so there was an awkward 15 second pause where I though I was going to get lit up. Thankfully the other XO's in the room, a bunch of Majors, saw I was clueless and jumped in and helped me. Felt good to know even the Majors who don't know me are watching out for me.

Thursday April 24th
     Nothing super special happened this day. The way most Thursdays go.

Friday April 25th
      Today was an early PT day. CPT B and I had to go to the SHARP (Sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention) 5K run which started at 0600. When CPT B and I got there it was really unorganized so we just stood off to the side. When 0630 rolled around General Milley came out and addressed all the soldiers there, thanking them for coming out and told us at the end of the run we were all allowed to go home for the day. So about 4000 soldiers got a free three day weekend. Turns out the run was well short of 3.1 miles at least it didn't feel that long to CPT B and I. At the end of the run CPT B told me that he was taking leave the next Friday until that  following Wednesday. So I'd take command of the Detachment until he got back.

Monday April 28th
     Started out the new week refreshed because of the extra day off. Was nice to get the extra relaxation. Started the day out by meeting MAJ C, the new 2-82 Battalion XO. He already seems eager to help me learn even though I'm not in his unit. Much more pleasant then how MAJ L finished up by screwing me over. MAJ C is trying to help as much as possible to fix our Motor Pool security issues by scrounging around the base for padlocks and chains for us. I'm looking forward to working with him more.
     Found out from CPT B today that we'd also be getting two new 1LT's sometime soon. One is supposed to be our new S6 (Communications guy) and the other is supposed to be the Maintenance Control Officer, which we definitely need. Hopefully they show up sooner rather than later.

Tuesday April 29th
     Not much happened Tuesday morning. If there's one thing I've learned on rear detachment is some days are just downright boring. During our sync meeting in the afternoon we discussed the issues we had to deal with since the unit is close to coming home. They should get here sometime in the middle of May. Also found out for the first time about a Division run and a diagnostic PT test this week.

Wednesday April 30th
     Started the morning out with my first ever Division run. I didn't get the best directions to our link up point so there was a 20 minute period where I was terrified I wouldn't find CPT B and the rest of the detachment. Didn't help that I felt like death when I woke up either. Thankfully I found them before the start of the run and we were all on the Division Parade Field in time for Reveille. As I expected the run was pretty much a giant 2ish mile long slinky. Still pretty cool, had the 1st Cavalry Division band set up in a few spots playing current music to pump us up. Crazy to see the thousands of other people running too.
     Later on, I found out that this weeks maintenance meeting is most likely my last one as the new 1LT were supposed to get next week is going to get assigned to the motor pool. Works for m, although I learned a lot the meetings were more of an hour and a half long break in the middle of my day.
     Ended the day by running over the Brigade Chapel, meeting with MAJ/Chaplain L and getting the place set up for our reintegration briefing for the soldiers spouses the next day. Not a bad day in the long run.

Thursday May 1st
     Woke up feeling like death warmed over. Great timing since it was last day before CPT B went on leave and I'd take over on Friday. Didn't do much during the actual work day but we had two different integration briefings for the unit's spouses to help them deal with their soldiers coming home. Basically gave them an overview of what to expect and the different programs available to them and their spouses. Not a hard day but a long one, woke up at 0520 and didn't get home until 1945. Felt crappy the whole day too.

Friday May 2nd
     Today was the big day. My first day as acting commander of the detachment, and of course I woke up feeling like absolute death. Every time I swallowed it felt like battery acid and my neck and ear were swollen and aching. I went to work and before PT was over I'd completely lost my voice. Had to do a Urinalysis too which was rough considering how dehydrated I was. 1SG W decided to release the unit at noon because we had no soldiers miss a medical appointment for the entire month of April which is a big deal. I went straight to the ER after. Got there at 1230 and didn't get seen till around 6pm. Eventually the docs on base said I had a pus filled abscess in the back of my throat and the only way to make it better was to drain it. So they tried to drain me with a 18 inch long needle. Base docs couldn't do it so they sent me in an ambulance to Scott and White in Temple. The docs there were able to drain about 4 cc's of pus out of my neck. Thankfully my buddy 2LT Hallam kept me company and drove me to get my meds and home afterwards. I finally got home and passed out around 230 am Saturday, already starting to feel better.