We Can't Have Diamonds Without Pressure
It was cold this morning, with predictions of being cold all day. Hoer Ice was sitting on the ground and the drive way's puddles from last weeks rain were iced over. Some parts of Western North Carolina got a little snow, the second of the season. I saw a few flakes myself this morning.
Where as to begin the subject I intend to talk about, I don't know. So, when in a predicament, you go back to the basics. I'm going to tell you what I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you, then I'm going to tell you what I told you. A subject I don't find myself writing about as much any more. The Army.
This last weekends Battle Assembly (AKA Drill)was an exercise in just about... Pressure. If you don't put something to work, if you don't put pressure on it, how do you know it can perform? You've got to put it through the motions.
I had to do the seldom done act of wearing my Class A's, the Dress Green Uniform. Being that I am the Acting First Sergeant, I was required to sit on a board. You can think of it as the Army's formal game of trivia. Though, I have won a board at Division Level, such things are a Dog and Pony Show to me. Don't get me wrong, they can be fun. I was once sent forward to a board, a little aggravated because it was making me lose Hunting time, walked into the room with the intent of not looking like a fool and won the thing. But, this is not about me, it's about potential. I sent a young guy up to the Soldier Of The Year Board. He has exactly one year in the Army. I was being frowned at by some of my peers for sending him, but, it was going to be a good experience and I thought he could do it fairly well. Besides, I was told to send someone, and I did. He wanted to go, he was wanting to perform. We through some tough questions at him, and he wasn't getting but a few. He managed some good composure, but showed his frustration...I was getting aggravated at him for it. I said to the others after he exited the room, we can't have diamonds without pressure. But, the other First Sergeants were impressed. They wanted to send him on to the next board at Brigade. I said I could get him ready. I have to do something to get him as much experience as I can, Dog and Pony show be damned. He is on the spot when called, respectful and possesses insight. He's capable. I have to see to it that he is tuned, not just for the Board, but for the rest of his years in the Army. I personally believe that he will do good. I'm not going to get him slaughtered. A Private in Reserves is very inexperienced compared to one on Active Duty. It's an exposure issue, not capability.
You don't know how a Dog is gong to hunt until it's on the Bear. You can't have diamonds without pressure.
I had intent of going on, but, I'm honestly done typing. It would turn into one great big olive drab gripe session. The subject will rear it's ugly head again soon, I'll save it for then.
All Hail The Soul's of the Brave...
The Appalachianist
Where as to begin the subject I intend to talk about, I don't know. So, when in a predicament, you go back to the basics. I'm going to tell you what I'm going to tell you, I'm going to tell you, then I'm going to tell you what I told you. A subject I don't find myself writing about as much any more. The Army.
This last weekends Battle Assembly (AKA Drill)was an exercise in just about... Pressure. If you don't put something to work, if you don't put pressure on it, how do you know it can perform? You've got to put it through the motions.
I had to do the seldom done act of wearing my Class A's, the Dress Green Uniform. Being that I am the Acting First Sergeant, I was required to sit on a board. You can think of it as the Army's formal game of trivia. Though, I have won a board at Division Level, such things are a Dog and Pony Show to me. Don't get me wrong, they can be fun. I was once sent forward to a board, a little aggravated because it was making me lose Hunting time, walked into the room with the intent of not looking like a fool and won the thing. But, this is not about me, it's about potential. I sent a young guy up to the Soldier Of The Year Board. He has exactly one year in the Army. I was being frowned at by some of my peers for sending him, but, it was going to be a good experience and I thought he could do it fairly well. Besides, I was told to send someone, and I did. He wanted to go, he was wanting to perform. We through some tough questions at him, and he wasn't getting but a few. He managed some good composure, but showed his frustration...I was getting aggravated at him for it. I said to the others after he exited the room, we can't have diamonds without pressure. But, the other First Sergeants were impressed. They wanted to send him on to the next board at Brigade. I said I could get him ready. I have to do something to get him as much experience as I can, Dog and Pony show be damned. He is on the spot when called, respectful and possesses insight. He's capable. I have to see to it that he is tuned, not just for the Board, but for the rest of his years in the Army. I personally believe that he will do good. I'm not going to get him slaughtered. A Private in Reserves is very inexperienced compared to one on Active Duty. It's an exposure issue, not capability.
You don't know how a Dog is gong to hunt until it's on the Bear. You can't have diamonds without pressure.
I had intent of going on, but, I'm honestly done typing. It would turn into one great big olive drab gripe session. The subject will rear it's ugly head again soon, I'll save it for then.
All Hail The Soul's of the Brave...
The Appalachianist
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Tuesday, November 18, 2008
30 Comments:
I was the senior enlisted at my command for a few years. I sat on many, many sailor of the quarter (SOQ) and Sailor of the year (SOY) boards. Usually flying from Yokosuka Japan to San Diego or Norfolk just to sit on them. 3 out of my last 4 E-6 SOY went on to pick up E-7 on the very next exam. I know the experience well.
so when your guy goes to Brigade level...how many other people will he be competing against?...is he competing against other people or just himself?
Hey, not to brag or anything here but... I was Wing Airman of the Quarter once. You betcha! My picture in the Orderly Room, 3 day pass, the adulation of my peers. Well, maybe not that last one, but I did get a 3 day pass and my picture took.
Dan, I thought they was going to Army blue for the dress uniform or did I misunderstand Pvt GunTrash when I spoke to him the other day?
Morning, folks. OK, ladies first.
Pipsqeak, he will go against a Soldier from each Battalion of the Brigade. I think there is either four or five Bns. Or, how many send some one to it.
Ed, Japan to San Diego? Heck, I thought Atlanta was something. Atlanta is no longer a Southern City.
Gunner, 3 days! Heck, that was worth the trouble.
Um...where is the picture of you in this aforementioned uniform? Come on. You gotta give us girls that read your blog something once in awhile. :-)
Murf, thee is no current picture of me in them and my camera is on the fritz. Besides, this wasn't about me.
Oh Gunner, I missed getting to you on the Blues. The wear out date and transition aren't here yet. I have a set of Blues, I was awarded them when I was Division NCO of the Year. But, from my understanding, they will be worn more like the Class As. The Service Stripes on the Blues covers the sleeve, gold thread, it ain't cheap. I don't wear min in the Tux fashion. Thy are comfortable. no belt, suspenders. I wear them to funerals and weddings.
you're going to look like an air force guy. BTW, heard the air force was looking at new bdus in the near future, though my cousin who is enlisted hasn't mentioned them and I haven't heard about a decision. One of them is a mixture of blue, grey, and green - I have heard them described as looking like a 'battle smurf'...which is kind of awesome.
Pipsqeak, no we're not going to look like the Air Force. It's a different Blue and well, they've been around for years. Te Air Force does have the uniforms out, I saw them this weekend. Kind of a digital tiger stripe na
Oh, and they were like BDUs, which I prefer. Nothing was as good as the old Jungle Fatigues.
not a fan of the digital acu's?
they helped this guy out a lot; http://www.blackfive.net/photos/uncategorized/2007/04/30/domicilecamo.jpg ;)
That's about all they're good for.
Nothing better than being reprimanded by you. Duly noted.
reprimanded??
To think I posted a "take care of 'em, Sarg," message on a previous post . . . it goes without saying that is what you do. The responsibility for them is difficult to get out of your mind even when you retire. I think you are right on in your comments. Take care and thanks and most of all take care. Bill
Yes reprimanded. I guess I have to always stick to the main point of your entry although that's kind of tough seeing as that I don't have any military experience, never gone hunting, never held a gun, only seen a gun once and I'd rather not remember that occasion, never been to Iraq much less North Carolina and I have a dog that caught a squirrel once in 7 years and was so freaked out by it, he dropped it. I guess I'll just sit here and read and try not to participate.
Bill, those words echo in my head. There has not been a day this week I've not spoken to one if not three of them either over the phone or through e-mail.
Murf, that poor dog. I was at House of Jello the other day and there was a dead squirrel in the yard. The lap dogs came running out and ran right by it. They are always trying to run one down, and they run right by it! So I threw it at the little Taco Bell Dog. It hit her, she yelped and ran away at a very fast pace. I think I scarred her. I jut thew it to her...Just a dead squirrel. Participate. I need to be reprimanded by your smart ass comments sometimes.
Does anyone know how to download CAC Software?
That's what its all about--fun, travel and adventure. Enjoy it while you can.
Found something interesting on the clay burials at my Town Creek site. Remember the link you sent me? Check out the picture I uploaded.
Hunting this weekend?
Also, I had a question about BNOC - my friend (who is in the Guard) just started and his way of responding to my curiosity of what it's like and what he's learning is to say sitting in a classroom learning stupid stuff. I was hoping maybe you could fill in the gaps, if you don't mind talking about it.
I got a rule here, WNCWWU, Ladies first. I'm not blowing you off.
Pipsqeak, yes, I did hunt and I had fun. I'll talk about the burials over at your place. (As a conversation from a post on Ruminations).
I used to teach BNCOC. Stupid is in the eye of the beholder. Sometimes I thought there could be a better selection of some classes, but it changes over the years and probably has in the years since I taught it. Bill taught it too, and I'm sure he could agree. The second phase is more specific to your actual job, so it can be less mundane. The first part, is all class room, all power point, all books and an open book test, that your friend better take seriously. Over the years one thing that struck me was the immaturity of some junior NCOs that we had control over the course scheme, which is strictly mandated from the Sgt Majors Academy.
WNCWU, that's hunting your talking about! Well, the Army can be too. But, it can be a hell of allot of obligations. Of course, I'd do it all over again. You've got an article I plan to read..Remind myself of that...
Meaning the Junior NCO's didn't teach what they needed to? How did immaturity play into that?
He'll take it seriously. He's good at the army stuff...he's just not very verbose about it, which leaves me googling for answers. ;)
Pipsqeak,I think you misread me. I said I didn't think some of the topics were worth the time we spent on them. Army Homosexual Policy? I felt like that one was politically driven. By course scheme, I meant how the course was taught, content and testing. The overall scheme of things. Most of it was rather dry. No matter how much you tried to implement points and humor, it was just dry.
I'm sure he will be fine.
I figured, I read it through a couple of times and wasn't sure, thanks for the info though. :)
...speaking of army homosexual policy, I keep hearing how that's going to change soon...Congress was already holding hearings on it last year. Not to bring up a potential hornets nest of political discussion, just something I heard.
I am caught during a break in subsituting at White Knoll Middle School using an unfamiliar computer as my own is probably down for the count. I stumbled across a site that led me to yours, Ruminations from the Distant Hills. There was a very kind reference to your blog and a beautiful poem entitled Sunset which I wrote down by hand. WoW! Anyway I wanted to let you know something you alread probably know. Trying to get there, I read you were raised for a time in South Carolina . . . don't tell nobody. Bill
Pipsqeak, I did read a headline like that myself. I've not read up on it though.
Bill, funny you mention. some of the people I grew up around and I were reunited last week on Facebook. I had a Cpt show up at Drill, turns out he graduated the year ahead of me (Wren)...Bosco is making some down right weird noises...
My passive aggressiveness finally worked?!? :-)
You touched a dead squirrel? Barehanded?! Eeech. I'm sending you a box full of Purell.
I just noticed that I was added to your links! Thanks! I don't mean to be unappreciative but it looks like you have one too many http:/ for it to work properly. ;-)
You knI should have tested that link. I've had it up for a week or two.
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