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

Useless

III Corps Building
Fort Hood, Texas
CONUS
Friday
25 October, 1991
1500

The office door closed behind the Sergeant First Class, who was dressed in her Class-A's. She moved up behind the desk, sitting down, and folded her hands. She stared at me, a hard glare, and she glanced down at her own medal rack on her left breast before looking at mine.

For the first time since I had arrived at Fort Hood I was wearing my Class-A uniform.

"He'll see you now, Warrant Officer," she said coldly. I could tell she didn't approve. She had tried to tell me that because I didn't have an appointment I'd need to make one through proper channels and come back.

I'd told her I'd sit here until the heat death of the universe if that's what it took. I'd been sitting in the chair for half an hour, just staring at her, until some officers left and she'd gone into the office.

I stood up, moved to the door, and knocked three times.

"Enter," The voice was a calm baritone, the voice of a commander, or a leader.

I opened the door, moved in, closed it carefully, then moved up to stand one pace away from the desk, coming to attention and saluting, my Class-A cap and my plastic folder in my left hand.

The man behind the desk stared at me for a long moment then returned the salute.

"You apparently have an urgent reason to see me, Warrant Officer Cromwell," Three Star Lieutenant General Paul Funk, Commander of III Corps and Fort Hood itself, and Lord God Almighty, said slowly. He waved his hand. "Oh, sit down, Chief," he shook his head, then tapped the folder in front of him.

EYES ONLY - COMMANDER III CORPS
WO1 CROMWELL, HEATHER

I stared at the folder then looked up. He smiled.

"My secretary didn't believe your chest full of medals, Chief," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I had one of my men check, then had this file pulled," He pushed an ashtray emblazoned with the III Corps insignia on it toward me. "Go ahead, Chief."

"Thank you, sir," I took my time getting the pack of cigarettes out.

"Made a few phone calls too, Chief," He leaned forward, his expression hardening, "Mainly to find out just what in the name of our Lord and Savior and all the apostles a single square just graduated Chief thinks she's doing trying to force her way into my office."

"Honor the Corps, sir," I snapped, coming to attention in my chair.

That made him raise an eyebrow. "Explain, and make it good, before I tear off your head and then chew off your ass."

I stood up, reaching into my hat to pull out three pieces of paper, "May I, sir?" I asked, offering one of them to him. He waved and I handed it to him. "My company First Sergeant, First Sergeant Ramirez, has served for eighteen years."

He glanced over the paper, the top sheet of 1SG Ramirez's DA-201 file. It showed date of enlistment, date of rank, his awards.

"Yes he has," the General said softly. I was quiet while he finished looking it over. When he was done he waved his hand, "Continue, Warrant."

"Now he feels like he has no choice, sir, but to choose between his life, his career, and this," I held out the second piece of paper. He took it and looked it over quickly.

"Is this true?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yes, sir," I stated. "I went to Darnell Army Medical Center to verify it myself. They wouldn't give me any information beyond confirming the information on that sheet."