Donnesbury, Garry Trudeau



Donnesbury, Garry Trudeau's strips from the past two days reminded me of a dilemma I had once when I was in Vietnam. I had just returned from a "free" 30-day leave ("+ transportation to and from anywhere in the world") - for "extending" my time in Nam for 6 months. At the time, other than the incessant sound of choppers and the occasional gazillion dollar jet crashing in the water? and ships out in the water moving towards a pilot?, the war sort of didn't exist for us. I remember playing volleyball once, and watching jets strafing the hills near us. That whole area turned a red brown color during the time I was there, from a rich jungle green.
All kinds of stories are popping up into my mind right now. Later.
Anyway, within one week of extending, the Tet Offensive happened, and Chu Lai was introduced to the war. It was the one and only time I saw rockets actually hit the ground, and dust and shrapnel fly up...fortunately.
Too many words.
I had an amazing trip to Europe for my leave, and I got in a few days at home, en route and back. I thought I was really clever, booking my flight through Seattle, and choosing an airline that had different connections. I ended up gone for more than 30 days, and the "Finance" (payroll) people figured it out and docked my pay a month later.
I keep digressing.
When I got back, I was in a good mood, and they said "we'll make you an E-6 (Sergeant) if you take over the "Team Leader" job. I said ok, thinking mostly that it would get me off of Guard Duty. Then, after doing it for a week or so, and getting all kinds of %$#! from my former co-workers, I "quit". I told the Lieutenant, and he told the Captain, and I ended up in a Major's hooch (screened building/office), who told me something like I let the Captain down, etc.
All I know is that I ended up telling my friends to do the same stupid stuff that I rebelled against when I was one of them. I suddenly had the "responsibility" and I was the one accountable, and the Army bureaucracy does some really stupid things.
And, like I told the Major, "I am a very good Personnel Records Clerk, and I just want to return to my old job."
Success. I only had 5 months to go at that time, and the Lieutenant harassed me as much as he could during that time, but I started drinking a little more, and counting the days. I remember him yelling "Reinholz!" every time he would look through the neighboring hooches screens when he didn't see me in my area. Often, I was one hooch over, and I would let him yell a few times, and then I would say "over here, sir."
Also, I got fairly good at forging his signature. He sent back my paperwork so often for retyping or whatever, I just didn't bother sending it to him sometimes.
Ahhh, the good old days...