Track Jack

Most people would say: I just worked a 72 hour-ish day. I slept a total of 6-8 hours in between guard shifts, and have put over 500 miles on my vehicle while help keeping a blistering hot region stable. I am going to go to take a well deserved shower and go to bed. Well, me and my guys aren’t most people. We did take a break to eat a warm meal in the chow hall, but oh the death stares! Did we look like Soldiers? Yes. Did we smell like death warmed over? Yep. Did I have dust caked boots that puffed when I walked even though I stamped out my boots before going into the chow hall? And roger. In fact, until I looked into the mirror to wash my hands and take what I like to now call DFAC (dining facility) showers I hadn’t taken the time to notice my newly forming beard growth. Can I blame everyone for looking at me and my rag tag band of tankers charging into the mess hall for what we and every tanker ever known to man base each day’s schedule on? Not really, but I definitely took satisfaction in the fact that I was dirty and out of the Army standard tolerance, not because I was lazy, but because I worked hard and wore my filth as a badge of honor.

But, I digress, the real point of the story is the fact that right after the meal, I broke formation with my men to go do “Officer stuff” while they went to start tearing up and replacing tank track. My work and meeting immediately following didn’t take overly long, and by the time I made it down to “the line” (tank line, imagine tank parking lot but done in an orderly militaristic fashion), my guys had removed one track and were putting the new one on. I immediately got down and dirty and must admit, had some of the most fun I have had in weeks.

Now some may say I am crazy or that Officers don’t belong there, and I was even told that as soon as I made a mistake or slowed them down I would be “removed” from the line cause I am “an O and O’s ‘F’ stuff up.” Well there were a lot of young and eager people there, granted all privates, but when you put a task in front of tankers involving our babies, we jump at it. Even our First Sergeant was out there cranking wrenches and what not. It was just good, old fashioned, focused, fun. Most people probably think we are crazy to choose work over sleep, but the cool of night and the respite from the desert sun during the day is cause enough to go “Ranger” and complete a mission through the night.

My guys are awesome. I can’t think of any other words to describe them or their work ethic.

C-RGR