Third Person - Complete

Wanting to Leave

"All right. Some of you are new, so we'll cover a few things," The Captain said. "Before now 2/19th has had no non-military outside lines. This was largely done in the name of security. However, Colonel Henry has requested that a civilian line be installed, allowing soldiers to call family."

There were some excited murmurs about that.

"Now, the CQ will have to unlock the phone for you to use it, and either the CQ or the ACQ will have to stand there while you call. We'll cover what you can and cannot discuss during orientation for you new people. The rest of you, you already know what you can discuss," The Captain said. He held up the writing tablet. "The CQ will have a list of approved answers to common questions. We expect you to use common sense for any questions not covered."

The Captain moved over to the CQ counter and set the tablet down. "In addition to CQ oversight, those of you with Zulu identifiers may only use the pay phone when a member of S-2 is present," There was some muttering at that, but the Captain held up his hand. "That's not from Colonel Henry, V Corps ChemCorps detachment mandates that part. Finally, all calls will be monitored by military intelligence as well as CID, with all calls being recorded, so remember that part before any of you start having phone sex with your girlfriends back in the States."

That got laughter.

"The phone has an automatic twenty-minute timer. It will accept German Mark coins, US coins, Mark and US bills. One Mark or a quarter a minute. When your time is up the amber light on the top will flash, informing everyone your time is up. No second calls back to back. You go to the end of the line," The Captain said. He turned and looked at everyone. "This phone is a privilege that was not easy to arrange for. Any deviation from security will result in individual phone privileges being suspended, too many incidents will result in the phone being removed. Am I understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, sir" sounded out.

"As I see some new faces, I feel it necessary to stress at this time, this phone is unsecure. It has a separate, dedicated, shielded and buried line. At this time we have been assured that the line has not been tapped, but the Soviet Union would be negligent in its duty to allow that to continue, so at this time we should all assume that the line has been tapped by the KGB," The Captain said. He shook his head. "On to better news, for those of you that missed closing formation yesterday, I'll repeat the news and you can spread it around."

Everyone waited, and Roberts could feel the excitement.

"Starting yesterday, there is an additional chowhall shift. The chowhall will be open and serving an additional meal from twenty-three hundred hours to zero one hundred hours," The Captain said. "Colonel Henry hopes this will improve the quality of life for those of you on night shift operations. The Dispensary will have medical personnel available twenty-four hours a day, everyday. Finally, for those of you who work at hardship sites, Colonel Henry will be tasking the chow hall to have hot food delivered each day. Colonel Henry is hoping that the changes since we have returned to the barracks last week will help improve morale and show his dedication to bringing proper leadership to 2/19th Special Weapons Group."

"Finally, first use of the phone for those of you down here will be determined by length of time stationed with Group. Not  by rank. I would advise letting those with spouses stateside go first, but time on station will take precedence," The Captain said, his voice stern. "Let us comport ourselves as civilized human beings, not as animals."

"I'll be staying here to oversee everyone's phone calls," the Lieutenant stated. He waved at the phone, where one of the two men was hanging up the handset. The other one gave everyone in the CQ Area a grin and a thumbs up.