Don't let anyone fool you; the Army is very hip and reflects much of the popular culture of America. Sometimes this is for the worse, like too many fat people or those who are afraid to fire their rifle (not just at the enemy but in general, their rifle scares them!). Observing Army culture can also give you an object lesson in the future culture, like racial integration or Don't Ask / Don't Tell. The best, however, is when the irreverent nature of youthful influence invades the otherwise cynical older generation of Soldiers.
The best example of this is "Hate." In today's Army, Hate is a joke. If you're a "hater" it is a joking way to call someone a humbug. Example, MAJ Smith didn't participate in the Christmas party because he's a hater. "Hate" can be used in many ways and forms, such as MAJ Smith was hating on the party, or MAJ Smith was hating all over the party. Another, wonderful form is "to hate" or "to be hating."
"To hate" means to dislike something in a comical way. However, "to be hating" is a description of someone's passive existence, often to describe general do-nothingness. The common use is when things are quiet, someone says, "I see you over there, MAJ Smith, all hating by yourself." The standard response can then only be "Hate, hate, hate," which is the narration of the form "to be hating." Hate, hate, hate" can be said by the perpetrator or the accuser. Often both.
Also, I have written "hating" up to know to ensure understanding. In actuality, it is "hatin." So, if you are hating something, it means you are miserable and don't want to laugh. If you are hatin on something, or usually the other way around, something is hatin on you, it means you've given up being mad, accepted things as they are, and have realized how ridiculous it all is anyway.
Another hate form is the beverage "Hater-ade," which, when consumed, causes someone to be filled with enough hate for it spill over and over, causing excess amounts of hatin, usually on other people. Telling someone they've had their share of hater-ade requires an immediate "hate, hate, hate" in a low growley voice.
There are plenty of ways pop culture influences the Army. Many are bad. Not all of them require hatin. Some need to be embraced and incorporated into the lexicon. If you're reading this and don't like it, don't be a hater. There's enough of them here, already.
By the way, Merry Christmas, haters!
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Why can't Johnny plan a convoy?
Thank goodness for ping-pong, it makes me happy.
Since I've been in the Army, I've told others about the importance of accountability and the effects it has on the troops. Basically, there are three kinds of Soldiers in a unit. 1) Generally incompetent and can't do anything right. 2) Generally lazy, but can complete a mission if held to task. 3) Generally dedicated, and will always go out of their way to accmplish the mission. If the leadership holds everyone accountable, then the unit runs very well because the incompetent are kicked out or beaten, the lazy are made to do work and the mission is done, and the dedicated will become even more dedicated and work harder and raise the overall excellence of the unit.
When the leadership fails to hold folks accountable, or doesn't apply it to everyone across the board, the incompetent infect other people and decrease productivity, the lazy continue to be lazy and do nothing, and the dedicated are forced to do everything themselves, and become cynical and bitter. Everyone loses, except the incompetent who continue getting paid for doing the wrong thing.
I've know for a while there is no accountability in this unit, the last few days made it abundantly clear. A simple task like "Drive trucks from A to B" becomes a major logistics nightmare, especially when the convoy commander loses the one item he has to move, before it has even left the base. Or doesn't do equipment checks until 30 minutes before moving out. Or forgets to take off the emergency brake and destroys the brakes on a truck, causing the entire movement to be delayed several days for repairs. These are all simple things any Soldier who has two halves of a brain can figure out. When it comes from experienced folks, it becomes inexcusable. However, there is no move to replace or retrain anyone responsible for the fiasco. I have no doubt I fall into the third category of Soldiers, and I am beyond cynical with the command. I knew before we left this unit was a failure when it came to things like this, it's just becoming evident how deep the failure cuts. Thank goodness for ping-pong, it makes me happy.
Today I have another half day off. I tried to sleep, but some Soldiers on the neighboring hutch were tearing apart the entire inside and replacing everything, so the buildings were shaking and very loud hammering and sawing and general carrying on was the norm. Good thing I don't work nights and have to sleep during the days, or they may have faced Angry Captain. Thank goodness for ping-pong, it makes me happy.
I am convinced the next unit I go to will NOT be a logistics unit. This stuff is pretty lame, and the attitude is too civilian for me. I have several options, and I am working even now to shape things so I can walk into a different job, at least for the next few years. As it develops, I'll write more on some of the opportunities, but for now, it's all in the pre-planning phase. The bottom line is, I need an Army job that makes me happy, or that I am happy in. Otherwise, what's the point? Planning logistics movements for a Sustainment Brigade certainly doesn't make me happy, or even un-bored. Thank goodness for ping-pong.
Since I've been in the Army, I've told others about the importance of accountability and the effects it has on the troops. Basically, there are three kinds of Soldiers in a unit. 1) Generally incompetent and can't do anything right. 2) Generally lazy, but can complete a mission if held to task. 3) Generally dedicated, and will always go out of their way to accmplish the mission. If the leadership holds everyone accountable, then the unit runs very well because the incompetent are kicked out or beaten, the lazy are made to do work and the mission is done, and the dedicated will become even more dedicated and work harder and raise the overall excellence of the unit.
When the leadership fails to hold folks accountable, or doesn't apply it to everyone across the board, the incompetent infect other people and decrease productivity, the lazy continue to be lazy and do nothing, and the dedicated are forced to do everything themselves, and become cynical and bitter. Everyone loses, except the incompetent who continue getting paid for doing the wrong thing.
I've know for a while there is no accountability in this unit, the last few days made it abundantly clear. A simple task like "Drive trucks from A to B" becomes a major logistics nightmare, especially when the convoy commander loses the one item he has to move, before it has even left the base. Or doesn't do equipment checks until 30 minutes before moving out. Or forgets to take off the emergency brake and destroys the brakes on a truck, causing the entire movement to be delayed several days for repairs. These are all simple things any Soldier who has two halves of a brain can figure out. When it comes from experienced folks, it becomes inexcusable. However, there is no move to replace or retrain anyone responsible for the fiasco. I have no doubt I fall into the third category of Soldiers, and I am beyond cynical with the command. I knew before we left this unit was a failure when it came to things like this, it's just becoming evident how deep the failure cuts. Thank goodness for ping-pong, it makes me happy.
Today I have another half day off. I tried to sleep, but some Soldiers on the neighboring hutch were tearing apart the entire inside and replacing everything, so the buildings were shaking and very loud hammering and sawing and general carrying on was the norm. Good thing I don't work nights and have to sleep during the days, or they may have faced Angry Captain. Thank goodness for ping-pong, it makes me happy.
I am convinced the next unit I go to will NOT be a logistics unit. This stuff is pretty lame, and the attitude is too civilian for me. I have several options, and I am working even now to shape things so I can walk into a different job, at least for the next few years. As it develops, I'll write more on some of the opportunities, but for now, it's all in the pre-planning phase. The bottom line is, I need an Army job that makes me happy, or that I am happy in. Otherwise, what's the point? Planning logistics movements for a Sustainment Brigade certainly doesn't make me happy, or even un-bored. Thank goodness for ping-pong.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Morale Mania
I was talking with another Officer who I work with about running, and the frequency of my workouts. She asked, "Do you do anything other than running?" She meant to be funny, and it was amusing. Looking back, I realize I do a lot more than just workout, sleep and go to work. I'm the morale Officer for a program I called "Morale Mania" which I use to orgnize game nights, tournaments, etc. I am learning the Lean Six Sigma process, as well as getting smart of Excel and basic computer syntax, and various other things. I also play scrabble, play Xbox, watch movies, help prepare food for special events, tutor Soldiers on math and other topics, etc. It just doesn't all happen at once.
One new thing at work is called an "Effects Officer." This is basically someone who plans and coordinates for combat enablers from Apaches to unmanned drones to directly support our folks on the roads. This is challenging because I have to get these assets from other units, and they don't like to give them up to logistics movements. Nevertheless, I have been getting a foot in the door, and if you poke someone long enough, they'll eventually at least turn to see who is poking them.
I found out one of my former Soldiers was wounded pretty seriously down South recently. He is still in the ICU in Germany, but is stable and is off basic life support. He will live to tell about it, but will not be able to stay in the Army, and will need significant help adjusting to his new life. It bothers me, because he was one of the Soldiers I trained for a year before I arranged for him to deploy with this unit. The purpose was he needed deployed Team Leader time before he was promoted to SFC, otherwise he wouldn't be competitive for further advancement. That worked out poorly for everyone.
Today is Sunday, so I have the morning off. I slept in and did not get up until 1200. It was nice. I go in to work at 1400 today, so I will finish this soon. I have sent some Christmas presents and letters out, so hopefully they arrive by Christmas. Outbound mail here is very slow.
One new thing at work is called an "Effects Officer." This is basically someone who plans and coordinates for combat enablers from Apaches to unmanned drones to directly support our folks on the roads. This is challenging because I have to get these assets from other units, and they don't like to give them up to logistics movements. Nevertheless, I have been getting a foot in the door, and if you poke someone long enough, they'll eventually at least turn to see who is poking them.
I found out one of my former Soldiers was wounded pretty seriously down South recently. He is still in the ICU in Germany, but is stable and is off basic life support. He will live to tell about it, but will not be able to stay in the Army, and will need significant help adjusting to his new life. It bothers me, because he was one of the Soldiers I trained for a year before I arranged for him to deploy with this unit. The purpose was he needed deployed Team Leader time before he was promoted to SFC, otherwise he wouldn't be competitive for further advancement. That worked out poorly for everyone.
Today is Sunday, so I have the morning off. I slept in and did not get up until 1200. It was nice. I go in to work at 1400 today, so I will finish this soon. I have sent some Christmas presents and letters out, so hopefully they arrive by Christmas. Outbound mail here is very slow.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Lean Six Sigma
While I haven't had much success at taking classes thru the education center on Bagram, I am enrolled and attending training for a program called Lean Six Sigma, a business efficiency methodlogy. It reminds me a great deal of the Gilbreth effort in the early 20th century and their pioneering work in industrial engineering and ergononmics. I have always has been geared towards efficiency and improvement, so this class is coming very naturally to me. There is about 90% common sense, 10% statistics, at least for me.
When I am home, my wife and children often find themselves helping or watching my latest furniture project, shifting couches or chairs or tables to make better use of the space, or adjust to how we use things for the current season. The most unusual event was shifting the entire master bedroom 90 degrees after the children went to bed, around 10PM. It wasn't difficult, but trying to be quiet enough so Joshua wouldn't wake up was a challenge! I haven't had much opportunity to do any of that here.
My buddy who was working days with me has switched over to nights, so meals and breaks are taken solo now. I have found a fellow Officer, a 2LT from another section, to run with at night after shift, but that is not the same. There are barriers because of rank and gender - I don't socialize with female Soldiers or Officers outside work since it can create a negative perception. Everyone knows I have a family back home, but I don't want anyone to question me, even falsely.
I am refreshing my computer programming skills as I design a program to track some aspects of our unit as it moves across the battlespace. There are a lot of individual pieces, and it is taking quite a bit of time and keyboard mashing. I had some help this afternoon from a civilian who is knowledgeable and who joined forces with me for about 2 hours today to work out some bugs. Overall, it will be a good product, easy to use for the Soldiers while automatically providing some useful and cool looking graphics for the higher-ups, it just requires a lot of initial investment.
I logged onto my bank website yesterday and looked over an IRA I forgot I had. This month it will double my original investment, and if the rate stays generally similar, it is on path to double every 6-7 years, and will double 5 more times over the next 35 years, which puts me on a good road to cashing it in when I "retire" and buy my dream sports car, if it even exists anymore in 28 years. $64,000 from an initial $2,000 works for me!
Tonight we ended shift on time, a rarity, so I have extra time. I am playing in a pool tournament, although I will lose in the first round because I am bad at pool. We also have a small but dedicated group for weekly game night, every Saturday evening from 2130-2300. We played Powergrid last week, and will likely play it again this week, now that everyone knows how to play. I look forward to it.
I also enjoy 2 half days off a week now; Tuesdays and Sundays. It is nice to sleep in an not have to go in until after lunch. I look foward to Monday and Saturday, because I can go to bed and not set my alarm those nights.
When I am home, my wife and children often find themselves helping or watching my latest furniture project, shifting couches or chairs or tables to make better use of the space, or adjust to how we use things for the current season. The most unusual event was shifting the entire master bedroom 90 degrees after the children went to bed, around 10PM. It wasn't difficult, but trying to be quiet enough so Joshua wouldn't wake up was a challenge! I haven't had much opportunity to do any of that here.
My buddy who was working days with me has switched over to nights, so meals and breaks are taken solo now. I have found a fellow Officer, a 2LT from another section, to run with at night after shift, but that is not the same. There are barriers because of rank and gender - I don't socialize with female Soldiers or Officers outside work since it can create a negative perception. Everyone knows I have a family back home, but I don't want anyone to question me, even falsely.
I am refreshing my computer programming skills as I design a program to track some aspects of our unit as it moves across the battlespace. There are a lot of individual pieces, and it is taking quite a bit of time and keyboard mashing. I had some help this afternoon from a civilian who is knowledgeable and who joined forces with me for about 2 hours today to work out some bugs. Overall, it will be a good product, easy to use for the Soldiers while automatically providing some useful and cool looking graphics for the higher-ups, it just requires a lot of initial investment.
I logged onto my bank website yesterday and looked over an IRA I forgot I had. This month it will double my original investment, and if the rate stays generally similar, it is on path to double every 6-7 years, and will double 5 more times over the next 35 years, which puts me on a good road to cashing it in when I "retire" and buy my dream sports car, if it even exists anymore in 28 years. $64,000 from an initial $2,000 works for me!
Tonight we ended shift on time, a rarity, so I have extra time. I am playing in a pool tournament, although I will lose in the first round because I am bad at pool. We also have a small but dedicated group for weekly game night, every Saturday evening from 2130-2300. We played Powergrid last week, and will likely play it again this week, now that everyone knows how to play. I look forward to it.
I also enjoy 2 half days off a week now; Tuesdays and Sundays. It is nice to sleep in an not have to go in until after lunch. I look foward to Monday and Saturday, because I can go to bed and not set my alarm those nights.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Humility
I recently received news of a good and Godly man I know who was struck by a car and shortly after died. He taught piano and was instrumental in a Christian program called Csehy. It is a great loss to us, and I am deeply saddened at this news. When I think of him, I think of a story of a great singer which I'll share here.
There was a certain small group of monks who lived in their monastery and worked their garden, tended their land, and enjoyed singing hymns and Psalms all day. They were known throughout the land for their constant singing, while they cooked, cleaned, went into town, and in everything they did. One day a great musician came to live with them, one renowned for his amazing talent. He immediately set to teach them the intricacies of music theory, choral singing, and the like.
However, he noticed no one was singing at the daily chores, while preparing meals, or even walking outside. After several weeks of this he talked with the Abbot and said, "Father, I've heard of the constant song coming from these men, and yet these last weeks they have been all but silent. What is wrong?"
The abbot replied, "Son, they have been singing these last weeks, but you have not heard. They know you are advanced well beyond the other brothers in music and ability, they know you stress the importance of good music and performing well, so they didn't want to offend you. But what you forget is sometimes the best music you make isn't in the notes you sing to others, but in the songs in your heart you sing only to God."
There was a certain small group of monks who lived in their monastery and worked their garden, tended their land, and enjoyed singing hymns and Psalms all day. They were known throughout the land for their constant singing, while they cooked, cleaned, went into town, and in everything they did. One day a great musician came to live with them, one renowned for his amazing talent. He immediately set to teach them the intricacies of music theory, choral singing, and the like.
However, he noticed no one was singing at the daily chores, while preparing meals, or even walking outside. After several weeks of this he talked with the Abbot and said, "Father, I've heard of the constant song coming from these men, and yet these last weeks they have been all but silent. What is wrong?"
The abbot replied, "Son, they have been singing these last weeks, but you have not heard. They know you are advanced well beyond the other brothers in music and ability, they know you stress the importance of good music and performing well, so they didn't want to offend you. But what you forget is sometimes the best music you make isn't in the notes you sing to others, but in the songs in your heart you sing only to God."
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