BRIAN'S BLOG - JACK ARMY’s "A Day in the Life” of My FOB

JACK ARMY’s "A Day in the Life” of My FOB

Saturday, March 17, 2007, 11:55

A chaptered story told on many blogs starts here and continues here:

Chapter Two: Business

After breakfast today, there were a few minor issues to be dealt with. First, a certain lieutenant needs to harassed. He feels sad and lonely if I fail to do that each day. I also remind him that he can't do anything right without an NCO looking over his shoulder. He catches a lot of shit from the other guys about being a West Point Grad, but he takes it well and he reflects that institution's high standards well. A good officer that just gets better each day.

Next piece of business is to discuss the comings and goings of guests at the FOB. I do this with the other sergeant first class on the team. Part of the discussion centers on who will be housed where. Right now we have two "VIP" housing units that house two people each. Other guests will sometimes stay with team members and then we have a bunker at the opposite end of the FOB where everyone else gets stuck.

Finally, the last issue this morning regards two NCO's: one who's returning from mid-tour leave and the other who replaced him while he was gone. The commander prefers that the replacement stay and that the sergeant returning from leave go back to his parent unit. So, we tried to work out who would be best to work that issue, on our end and the other unit's end. The other E-7 and I pawned it off on an officer. He likes doing that kind of stuff anyway.

So, the morning is well on it's way, things are running smooth in the TOC and elsewhere on the FOB. Usually, a good number of the guys on the FOB will play football for a couple of hours. And usually, I don't participate. I'm old, fat and worn out. I just don't enjoy the creaks and soreness I get after playing sports. I'll read a book, do a little more internet surfing, or find some project around the FOB to work on. Maybe, I'll treat myself to a nap. Nah, not today. A few days ago someone mentioned softball which reminded me of the three gloves and two softballs I brought. I tried to organize a game but couldn't get enough players interested. Plenty of guys interested in football, though. Oh well.