Nam Sense Read Online Free Page A

someone and yelled, “Fresh meat!”
    The 2nd platoon consisted of more or less thirty soldiers, as GIs came and went to the rear for one reason or another. There were three squads of nine men each. Each squad had an NCO leader and two four-man fire teams. There was also one medic and one RTO (Radio Telephone Operator). A 1st Lieutenant platoon leader was in charge of the platoon with a senior NCO platoon sergeant as his second in command.
    No one paid much attention as I made my way into the thicket. It looked like the platoon had been in there for quite a while, because the underbrush was matted down and litter was strewn about. Several guys had their shirts off and no one was wearing a helmet.
    “Lieutenant Bruckner,” I called out, not sure who he is. “Sergeant Wiknik reporting for duty.”
    A smiling face greeted me.
    “Welcome to the platoon,” Bruckner said, firmly shaking my hand. “Toss your gear down so we can get acquainted.”
    Bruckner looked to be about thirty years old. He spoke in an authoritative but friendly tone. My initial impression was that he’s an all right guy, but he had an intense stare that made me feel uneasy.
    “This is Sergeant First Class Krol,” he said, motioning to the platoon sergeant, “my right hand man.”
    Krol was much older, probably forty. He was sitting on the ground and made no effort to greet me. I walked over and shook his hand. He didn’t get up. When we made eye contact, Krol looked me over as if I carried a curse. I got the feeling he wasn’t the friendly type.
    “We’ve been expecting you,” Bruckner said, deliberately speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “I’ve had an open slot for an NCO for several weeks, but there is no one in the platoon who could step up to the task.”
    I glanced around to see that the men were all looking at me. I couldn’t imagine what they were thinking. But I wondered if they were as bad as Bruckner said, or whether he was purposely trying to start me off at a disadvantage.
    “Are there any other NCO graduates in the platoon?” I asked.
    “We’ve got one, Sergeant Wakefield. He’s fallen into line quite well. Life out here for Instant NCOs can be simple, if you know your place. Just observe what’s going on, then do what you’re told, when you’re told.”
    I didn’t dare ask what he meant. I could only guess that he expected me to be a yes-man, but I was always taught that respect should be earned, not demanded.
    “So Wiknik,” Bruckner began again, “did you enlist or were you drafted?”
    “Drafted, sir.”
    “Ah, that’s too bad. The Army’s always looking for people who want to be here, not who have to be here. But, you never know, you might find a home in the Army. Take me for instance. I used to be a NCO, but I realized there are more money and more glory in being an officer. Remember General Custer, the Indian fighter? He didn’t care about money; he only wanted the glory that came from being a hero. Me, I want both. If you’ve got the same desire, you’re going to have to make a bold career move at re-enlistment time.”
    “Thanks, I’ll be sure to think about it.”
    What a nut. I plan on having a long career all right—but as a civilian, not a soldier. Bruckner had the makings of a good leader because he experienced the Army from two perspectives, but his ambition seemed to be getting in the way.
    I soon found out that Sergeant Krol was no better. To his credit, Krol was a veteran of the Korean War, but to everyone’s discontent, he was also a fitness buff. Krol loved the Army and the infantry—sort of a Lifer’s lifer. His favorite pastime was to show us “kids” how tough he was by taking different squads out and forcing them to hump until someone collapsed. He was a real charmer.
    With Bruckner and Krol running the show, this was going to be a tough year. They had their own agenda and it didn’t sound like they were going to be flexible. Initially, my encounters with Doyen and the