Texas Nights - Book 13 of the Damned of the 2/19th

Reloading

Charlie Company Area
15th Forward Support Battalion
Fort Hood, Texas
United States of America
24 September, 1991
1305 Hours

"All right, gentlemen," I said, walking out onto the loading dock. I saw them walk through the office from the CO's office, so I knew they were out there. They looked startled at my confidence that they'd be there, and didn't bother to correct them.

Henley had taught me that trick.

Two men to act as the armorer, two more men to act as their assistants, giving me four total to offload the truck. None of them were medics, two were 51N, Water Treatment Specialists, which would see heavy use, but nothing that would stop them from acting as armorers. The other two were Light Vehicle Drivers, which was funny, considering neither of them were licensed on the vehicles in the motorpool.

"At ease," I told them, waving. I held my hand out and Donovan slapped my folder into it. "We need armorers," I told them bluntly. "You two, Harrison and Johnson, you'll be the primary armorers, PFC Johnson, you'll be the assistant."

I turned to the other two, "I know your duties can interfere, but once all of this is unloaded, inspected, and racked, it should be pretty easy. Grant, you're the secondary Primary, but also the primary Sensitive Item NCOIC," I told him. He nodded, looking forlorn. I knew he was thinking about the additional duty. "Shafer, you're secondary Assistant, and assistant for SINCOIC," I grinned. The reason I chose you two for Sensitive Item is because you're vehicle drivers, which means that you can handle trucking them around.

They all nodded, still looking somewhat depressed, and I smiled. "Now, this means that you answer to me, nobody else. Captain Jane has put in charge of Training and secondary assignments. I've already alerted your platoon sergeants and squad leaders that you fall under my purview."

That, if anything, made them look unhappier.

"Buck up, gentlemen, working for me is tough, exhausting, and strenuous, but," I gave a long pause, "I don't let others abuse my personnel, task them without my permission, or give my men busy work."

I slapped my hands together, spotting the 5-Ton truck coming into the loading area. "We'll offload this truck, inspect everything, and get to work. Once I'm sure that you have it well in hand, I'll move onto the other things I have to do today and leave you to your own work."

I fixed them with a stare, "I'll be training you myself for armorer duties."

Specialist Grant held up his hand and when I nodded, looked uneasy as he spoke, "No offense, Ma'am, but how's that going to help?"

I grinned at him. "While I was enlisted I attended Armorer's School while I recovered from knee surgery. That made me my crew armorer, which left to keep all of the weapons in working condition despite hard use. I've trained others in it, I can train you."

That got glances at my knees as the passenger of the cargo truck jumped out and started ground guiding the 5-ton to back up in front of the loading dock.

I shrugged, "I damaged them during my airborne insertion into Panama during Just Cause, then had my rappelling cord retaining ring snap at the Black Hawk and drop me fifteen feet with a full combat load. Blew them both out."

The 5-ton bumped the dock and the driver shut down the engine. The TC climbed up onto the loading dock, holding out a stack of papers.

"Chief Cromwell?" He asked.

I nodded, taking in his rank and name. "Yes, Sergeant," I said, taking the folder. I opened it up and looked at it.

"Here's the inventory sheet. As soon as this is offloaded, we'll get out of your hair," He told me. He motioned at the bed of the cargo truck. "Got all your weapons and masks."