09-16-2016, 07:01 PM
"To The Colors" bled through the walls of the command post as Toni was walking to the door. Though it wasn't required indoors, she stopped, came to attention and faced the sound of the music. Her father would have expected no less of her. She watched a private scurry through the doors, and she scowled. Private Barnes. A recycle waiting to re-class and working in the personnel office until then. Someone else was in tow with him, too. A civilian.
"Private, Atten-tion!"
Toni called out to Barnes. He stopped in his tracks. "Private Barnes, for what reason did you fail to render honor to the flag?
"
"Uh, Sergeant," the soldier said, "I'm in a real hurry..." he held up the clip board and pointed to the personnel office.
Toni put one finger on the clipboard and brought it down to eye level. "The papers are all blank, Private."
He gave her a look like the first deer she'd taken down. What in the great world was wrong with people these days? Didn't anyone teach honor and respect for the country? How the hell were they going to beat the CCD if they were too apathetic to salute the flag? "Half right face! Front leaning rest position, move! Get down, private."
The burly private threw himself onto the ground. "You will say 'I Will' every time you go down, and 'Render Honor' when you go up. And you will not stop until you have done one pushup for each Ranger of the 75th who has given his life for his country this century. Start pushing."
That ought to set him straight. He had a hundred and fifty-three brothers in arms to atone for his lack of respect. Lucky man not to have found himself in the Marines, or he'd been there all day. As is, he'd be done in fifteen minutes if he lasted long enough. Toni turned her attention to the civilian. Wispy little thing of a girl, had kind of a plastic Barbie Doll look to her. Toni hadn't cared much to play with dolls as a child. Matched this reporter's description. She didn't think this girl would have been so young, though.
"Please excuse Private Barnes as he receives some additional instruction regarding his conduct,"
Toni said to the girl. "I'm Staff Sergeant Antonia Perez. You must be Ms. Weber. You will be embedded with my squad."
She held out a hand. Her stomach rumbled. "Have you eaten yet? I'll show you to the DFAC. We can still catch breakfast."
Judging by the amount of tater tots made last night, she was expecting some hash browns with her bacon and eggs.
"Private, Atten-tion!"
Toni called out to Barnes. He stopped in his tracks. "Private Barnes, for what reason did you fail to render honor to the flag?
"
"Uh, Sergeant," the soldier said, "I'm in a real hurry..." he held up the clip board and pointed to the personnel office.
Toni put one finger on the clipboard and brought it down to eye level. "The papers are all blank, Private."
He gave her a look like the first deer she'd taken down. What in the great world was wrong with people these days? Didn't anyone teach honor and respect for the country? How the hell were they going to beat the CCD if they were too apathetic to salute the flag? "Half right face! Front leaning rest position, move! Get down, private."
The burly private threw himself onto the ground. "You will say 'I Will' every time you go down, and 'Render Honor' when you go up. And you will not stop until you have done one pushup for each Ranger of the 75th who has given his life for his country this century. Start pushing."
That ought to set him straight. He had a hundred and fifty-three brothers in arms to atone for his lack of respect. Lucky man not to have found himself in the Marines, or he'd been there all day. As is, he'd be done in fifteen minutes if he lasted long enough. Toni turned her attention to the civilian. Wispy little thing of a girl, had kind of a plastic Barbie Doll look to her. Toni hadn't cared much to play with dolls as a child. Matched this reporter's description. She didn't think this girl would have been so young, though.
"Please excuse Private Barnes as he receives some additional instruction regarding his conduct,"
Toni said to the girl. "I'm Staff Sergeant Antonia Perez. You must be Ms. Weber. You will be embedded with my squad."
She held out a hand. Her stomach rumbled. "Have you eaten yet? I'll show you to the DFAC. We can still catch breakfast."
Judging by the amount of tater tots made last night, she was expecting some hash browns with her bacon and eggs.