3, 1977 to March 15th, 1980, all overseas. I never got the chance to
come home stateside to see my family. That was due to something I said.
Since my unit was an Artillery unit, and a Self Propelled Howizter Unit
and we were Nuclear Capable, we had a Special Weapons Team. I was on
that team. I had a Top Secret Nuc Clearenace. My job function on this
team started out as a Guard. About 3 manuals, 100 to 200 pages thick,
plus all the basic Army stuff, I had to memorize. Training was around
the clock, this meaning that at any given time, most likely when I'm in
bed at 2am, the would assemble the team for training. Me and my
teammates would have to be ready to pull out in about 30 minutes from
the time we were notified. That didn't help if you just got into bed at
1am or so. But what cause me not to see The United States, was my fault.
It was during one of those 2am musters and another instance, that cuased
me from flying to The Unite States. This is what happened.
In Germany they are Soviet Spys that drive around in cars, and they have
these special plates on their cars. If you see one, note the time, place
and plate number, report it, and then move on. I was in a Wienerwald, a
German version of a McDonalds ordering some food. A guy offered to buy
me a drink. After about 3 rounds, he told me that he had all the spec to
our M60 Machine gun. Me and my dumb ass self told him that so what, I
had about 200 of them, and I have access to as many as I need. Instead
of reporting it, I let it go. Later on, eraly in the morning, Special
Weapons Team had to assemble, and I was still drunk. Stood in the
freezing cold for about 3 hours and I completely lsot it. I bought up
the incedent about meeting a guy and what we were discussing. Some one
on my team reported me. I wqas called into Headquarters, and was
questioned. Cause I was tired and STILL drunk, I said, ' is hould have
gave him all the secrets' Not a good decison on my part. 2 days later I
was told that I could go any place I feel, but not to the United States.
Second instance was this.
Another inspection by The Department of Defense, some guys from
Washington, DC came to inspect us. We were already in the field for 2
and a half days, and were about to go back to the barracks. Then they
called Special Weapons to set up. While the rest of the unit went back
to the barracks, Special Weapons drove around for 3 hours, and then we
were to set up. My zone was a mile out from the vechile we were guarding
that carried a nuke warhead, not a real one. For 10 hours in the middle
of winter, I stood there waiting for the inspectors to come. From
nowhere, and I was watching, they showed up with my Company Commander.
Some Full Bird and a bunch of his flunkies. What happened in the next
few minutes would have me staying away from The United States for a
couple of years.
When they approached me, I took in the whole situation. The reason for
this was I was freezing, and these guys just got out of a warm staff car
which probbably had the heater going full blast. The Full Bird walked up
to me, and I challenged him like I was suppose to. 'Halt who is there',
'Halt who ist das'. I challenged him for the password to enter my zone
of coverage, big mistake on his part when he didn't know the password
that he was suppose to give me back. My mind is thinking now, what am I
suppose to do. I look atmy Commander and he had a worried look on his
face. Was this a game, were the seeing if I knew my shit. I continued to
look at both of them and then there was a gust of wind that chilled me
to my bones. That's what all it took, I was freezing and I was standing
here for this Bullshit. The Full Bird ask me a question, and I thought I
heard him wrong, so I asked him to repeat it again. Strike two and the
final strike was among us. He asked me how was the food in the messhall.
Oh shit !!
Actually, the food was pretty good, but that was neither here or there.
I was in the field, waiting to be inspected, the rest of the unit was
back at the barracks, shitted, showered and shaved...WARM !! This
asshole..excuse me, this Officer was asking me about food in the
messhall. I think my Commander heard it, cause I heard it too, so I
looked at him. Its when your mind just snaps. Oh yeah, you and others
can hear it. Its like the air around you just comes alive and nothing
within 50 meters is safe. Being that this Officer was, and was is a good
word, was standing right in front of me...I freakin' snapped. I loaded
and locked a full clip of M16a1 magazine. I said the following out
loud...'Halt who is there, halt who is there. Halt who is dast, halt who
is dast. Load and lock one full round magazine, shoot one warning shot,
in which I did into the air. Shoot to wound, shoot to kill'. The last
sentence, I didn't shoot to wound or shoot to kill. But EVERYONE thought
I was about to when I fired a warning shot into the air. See, my
Commander knew that all the zGuards had live ammo. The inspectors
thought they were blanks, which all of them changed their minds and
probably their religion after my Commander started freaking out. When he
started freaking out, I hit the Full Bird with the butt of my M16 right
in the head, fixed my bayonet to my M16, and after he was on the ground,
out cold, place the blade against his neck and told everyone not to
move. All of this happened to me in like very fucking slow montion, but
actually tool about 15 to 20 seconds.
Ok, this guy is on the ground, knife to his throat and me crying. That's
right crying. I was crying cause this asshole asked me about food in the
messhall and I couldn't feel my toes or my fingers, that's how cold I
was. Like I said his uniform was new, boots spit shined and freshly
shaved. Me, I looked like I was a broaken down car or something. All of
a sudden I wasn't seeing red any more. It seemed like the birds were
singing and it was warm outside. He got up off the ground and I was, how
can I say this, I was fucked up. That's right they started beating the
shit out of me. Being that I was cold, freezing, I didn't feel any pain,
well not until I was locked up at the Military Police Station, and I was
nice and warm. That's when I started feeling pain.
No charges were pressed, I could've been court marshalled. The officer
said that, get this, I was doing my job. The Company Commander said that
with all my iisues, he wasn't taking any chances with me going stateside
on leave and not coming back...alive. So I couldn't see the States until
my 3 year tour was up in Germany. That was March 16th, 1980. I went home
for 62 days leave, and then had to report to Fort Dix for Truck Driver
school, that's what I re enlisted for, I changed my job title. Now the
REAL fun was about to start.
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