The sergeant is the Army.*

(Source)

The baleful glare, the booming voice, the quick reaction to anything and anyone out of place or up to no good. The good sergeant knows everything worth knowing as it pertains to his or her trade and will convey that knowledge to the eager and willing young troops which the country gives to him or her to guide.

The officer signs the paperwork, makes the plans, schedules the things which need doing. The officer turns to the men and women under his or her command and says, "Follow me."

The good sergeant is right behind his officer, his all seeing eye watching the troops to see that they do their duty and follow that young officer to wherever the mission takes them.

I was a sergeant for 20 years, from 1979 until the day I retired in 1999. I thought I was good at it, seems like I was born into the role. Being the oldest brother and the oldest kid in the neighborhood it just seemed natural to be in charge. The parents were the officers, after a fashion. They told us to go outside and play and when to return to the fold. Usually about the time the first streetlight came on.

Once outside though, I was the guy who made sure none of our merry band got in trouble (or at least ensured no one got caught, not to worry though, our sins were minor indeed), no one got hurt, and everyone was home when they were supposed to be.

It's easy when everyone is on the same page, when you're a kid the objective, the mission if you will, is to have fun. Baseball, football, playing army, playing cowboys and Indians (though truth be told, playing at soldier was what we did mostly). We learned to get along and to work together.

My earliest nickname was given to me by one kid's mom back in the day. "Fearless leader." Had rather a ring to it I thought, though truth be told it was meant somewhat in jest as well. The kid in question had been told to do his chores one day and he asked if it could wait as I was expecting him at a certain time.

His mom was a bit exasperated but relented and quipped, "Oh go and play, mustn't keep your fearless leader waiting." His mom actually wrote that on the card they gave me for graduation. "To the 'Fearless Leader' best wishes."

Well, I liked it.

At one point in my life I thought to become an officer. After a rather long road I was very close, within weeks of being commissioned and turned away from it. I just didn't see myself as an officer. I knew that I was a damned good sergeant and decided to stay one when some instructor in a very large briefing room told a group of trainees that his job was to make us stop thinking like sergeants.

No, I didn't like that at all. So I walked out and never (seldom) looked back. No, The Missus Herself was less than impressed with my decision (it would have meant a rather huge jump in pay). Nevertheless, after a while she realized that I was a sergeant to the core. Let someone else plan stuff and allocate resources. I'm the chap who makes sure it gets done, I'm a sergeant.

Sergeants, ya gotta love 'em.



Yes, there is much longer story here, much I haven't revealed, much which may never be revealed. It was an odd and somewhat bitter experience. I might tell the rest. I might not, depends on a number of things.



* Dwight D. Eisenhower

Anyone care to guess which regiment the sergeant in the opening photo is from?