by Saxon Andrew
Stenson rushed across the mat and launched a series of blows. AG lowered his arms as he arrived and blocked every one. The Lieutenant suddenly launched a kick at AG’s legs and he stepped over it and reached out and pushed Stenson to the mat. He pounced up and the menace on his face was clear to everyone in the room.
Frank looked at the medics leaning against the back wall and they had moved forward to the rows of chairs to see what was happening. They looked at him and he shrugged.
Stenson decided to use his best move to end this boot. He rushed forward and faked three body and head blows and then swung his foot between AG’s legs. AG stopped the foot with one hand and then gripped it with both hands and raised it off the floor. Stenson tried to flip backwards but AG stepped on the foot still on the floor and held him locked in a position with one leg held high and the other pinned to the floor. Every time Stenson tried to use his arms to swing, AG raised his leg higher and he was forced to use his arms to keep his balance. AG took the leg and pushed Stenson toward the edge of the mats. Every time Stenson tried to flip, AG stepped on his foot and pinned it. The Lieutenant was marched across the mats on one leg and then pushed to the floor. Everyone in the room, including Stenson, knew that AG could have delivered a kick that the Lieutenant had attempted against him. He obviously chose not to do it.
AG looked down at the Lieutenant and said, “You’ve been very informative. I think we’ve learned a great deal from your demonstration.” He turned and walked back across the mats. Stenson was beyond rage. As AG walked away, he jumped to his feet and launched himself at the middle of AG’s back with a vicious attack. It happened too fast for anyone to warn what was coming. The Lieutenant arrived at AG and suddenly the boot was no longer in front of him but to the side of his flying body. AG reached over as Stenson flew by and forcibly pushed the flat of his hand against Stenson’s chest. Stenson slammed in the mats so hard that several snaps were heard. He remained on the mats with four broken ribs and excruciating pain. The pain doubled every time he tried to breathe.
Frank ran forward and yelled, “Medic, the Lieutenant has slipped and is injured.”
The medics walked slowly to the back wall and examined six stretchers for the one they should use. It was clear that they were in no hurry. They finally arrived and the process of getting Stenson on a stretcher was difficult. He screamed several times before they were able to get him moving. They stumbled several times leaving the training room and each time it was punctuated with a loud moan from the Lieutenant.
Frank stared at the members of the platoon until they were all silent and looking at him. “Accidents happen in combat training. It is highly unfortunate that Lt. Stenson slipped and injured himself during his helpful instruction. We will not embarrass this officer by talking about what happened. Is that clear!?” Every one nodded and he said, “Dismissed.” The room emptied faster than school at the beginning of summer. “Gardner, wait a minute.” AG stayed in his chair knowing he was in trouble. “Why did you challenge Lt. Stenson?”
“I didn’t, I just volunteered and followed his orders, Sargent.”
“Gardner, don’t play word games with me. It was number two, wasn’t it?”
AG stared at Frank and said, “That and his endangerment of my teammates.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don and Rory are going to be restricted in what they can do for the remainder of basic. They will be weaker for it. The Lieutenant was robbing them of the lessons they’ll need to survive. I couldn’t just sit by and let that happen. Besides, Clarke was about to jump in.”
“Oh, that’s all we would have needed.” AG shrugged. “You know there will probably be some fallout from this?”
“Consequences of doing the right thing are not something that should prevent one from doing it.”
“That’s what got you here in the first place?”
AG took a deep breath, “Yes it was.”
“Dismissed, Gardner.”
“Sir, yes Sir!” AG left the building as Frank wondered if there was anything he couldn’t do. He hoped nothing else would happen, but he knew this would not be ignored..
• • •
Frank was out observing the platoon at the firing range when corporal Jenkins came riding up in a jeep and ran over, “Sargent, there are five Green Berets in the combat training facility and they have requested your presence.”
Frank stared at Sam, “Do you recognize any of them?”
“Lt. Stenson is with them.”
Frank nodded and said, “Take over the training exercise.” He turned to leave and Sam said, “They also request you bring the last trainee that Lt. Stenson trained.”
“Really?”
“Really, Sir.”
Frank yelled, “Gardner, get over here.” AG ran up and went to attention, “Get in the jeep.”
AG jumped in the passenger seat and Frank drove away from the firing line, “It looks like trouble has just shown up, Gardner.”
“Sir?”
“Five Green Berets have requested our presence in the training facility.”
AG looked straight ahead and Frank said, “You wait in the jeep and I’ll see if I can head this off.”
“Yes, Sir, Sargent.”
Frank arrived at the building and went inside. He found the five waiting for him in chairs next to the training mats. He immediately saw Major Miller and knew this storm was not going to be avoided. He walked up and said, “Sgt. Frank Weber reporting as ordered, Sir.”
Miller returned his salute and said, “Did you bring the boot with you?”
“I did, Sir; may I ask what you need him here for?”
Miller took a deep breath and said, “We’re here to allow the boot to train us in his combat skills. He was clearly more than Lt. Stenson could handle so we thought it important to see what he could teach us. This is an exercise outside of his required training, Sargent. Please bring him in.”
“Sir…”
Miller got angry, “I said bring him in!”
Frank turned and walked toward the door. There was not going to be an opportunity to negotiate around this confrontation. Miller was the number one ranked hand-to-hand soldier in the Army. He recognized the three Sergeants as members of the top five. Gardner had better hope he had some kind of power; these men were deadly. He stepped out of the door and said, “Gardner, follow me.”
AG felt Weber’s distress and knew that the consequences to his actions had arrived. He took a deep breath and followed Frank into the building. They arrived at the training area and Frank went to attention and saluted. AG saluted as well and looked at the five soldiers. Well, it is what it is. “Private Gardner reporting as ordered, Sir!”
Major Miller said, “You may leave, Sgt. Weber.”
“Sir, this is one of the soldiers assigned to my platoon. I am required by regulations to be present at all training activities with my men. If this is a training exercise, I am required to be present. If you want me to violate that regulation, please have the Base Commander to notify me.”
Miller stared at Frank and knew he didn’t want the Commanding Officer involved in this. He nodded at a chair and said, “Take a seat.” Frank sat down and knew that they would not kill Gardner with a witness. He just hoped they didn’t leave him with a permanent injury.
Miller looked at AG who was still at attention. “I understand you beat up my Lieutenant Private?” AG remained silent. Miller’s eyes narrowed and he said, “You will answer my question, Private!”
“Sir, I will when you ask one, Sir.”
Now Miller was getting angry but he realized he had not put his statement in the form of a question. He glared at AG and said, “We’re here to learn how you were able to do that. The Sergeants and I will train with you one by one and see if we can improve our skills.” Miller smiled and said, “Is that alright, Private?”
“Sir, I am not allowed to strike a superior officer.”
The Major stood up and began taking off his shirt. T
he sergeants began following his lead and AG determined that they had done this before and it started a kernel burning in his anger. “I am not wearing my bars, boot. That regulation no longer applies to this training exercise. Now is it alright with you?”
AG looked the Major in the eyes and said, “Will this training be done with punches pulled, Sir?”
Miller looked over at Frank and said, “No, it will not.”
AG shrugged and said, “I’m here to please, Sir.”
Miller’s expression turned to a scowl and he said, “Sgt. Drummond, why don’t you start the training?”
AG said, “I have a better idea, Sir. Why don’t we start with all four of you together and get this charade over with. I’d allow Lt. Stenson to join you but I don’t expect him to take on anyone but the untrained. He’s proven that already.”
AG walked out to the middle of the mats and waited.
The five Green Berets looked at each other and Miller said, “Boot, we don’t want it to be an uneven fight.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. My experience with the Green Beret is that they fight soldiers that have no training and deliberately injure them for their pleasure. If you are here for an even fight, your numbers show you’re deceiving yourselves. You’re here to pay back a boot that injured one of your sadistic officers. I really prefer that all of you do it together. We need to end this as quickly as possible.”
Frank saw Gardner was angry for the very first time. Miller looked at him and he said, “Major, if I might offer some advice. You might want to pack up your team and leave.”
Miller stared at Frank and saw he was serious. Was this boot more than he thought? He looked at the other three and said, “Let’s give him his wish.”
Lt. Stenson stood outside the mats and felt his excitement at having this boot punished for what he did. His eyes gleamed as he watched the four on the mats.
The four surrounded AG and assumed their stances. AG stood in the center and waited for them to make the first move. Almost as if a silent command was given, the four rushed AG. AG saw the four approaching slowly toward him and he stepped forward and grabbed one of the Sergeants by his left arm and threw him out of the combat area into the chairs. He immediately turned and gripped the one coming at him from behind and threw him on the opposite side of the mats into the chairs. He then stepped from between the other two and waited as the two others arrived with him standing to the side. Major Miller looked around and saw two of his team sprawled in the chairs on each side of the combat area and wondered what had happened. He said, “We will continue this in a moment.” He ran to one Sergeant as his Sergeant Major went to the other. Both of the Sergeants that had been thrown from the mats had landed on their backs and were unable to stand. Miller said, “What happened?”
“Sir, he moved faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. I never laid a hand on him.”
“Are you alright?”
“I think I pulled something in my back. You’ll have to help me get up.”
Miller helped him to his feet and helped him take a chair. He looked across the mats and saw the other Sergeant was still down. He walked across the mats and saw the private was sitting down waiting for him to return. This was not turning out like he planned. He arrived on the other side and Sgt. Willis was stumbling to a chair. “I injured my ankle, Sir.”
Miller looked out to the center of the mats and saw that the throw had covered more than thirty feet in the air. And the boot had done both throws in less than a second. “Are you able to walk?”
“I don’t think I can, Sir. I’m going to need some crutches.”
Miller looked at Sgt. Major McAfee and they turned and returned to the center of the Mats. AG looked up at them and said, “Are you sure you want to continue this, Sir?”
Miller stared at the boot and said, “Do you think you can handle both of us?”
AG stood up and said, “Just remember you were the one that said no punches pulled.”
Frank yelled from his chair, “Major, you might want to rethink what you’re doing here. Explaining how your team was injured is not something I would want to do.”
Miller looked at Frank and then looked back at the boot. “Sgt. McAfee, step outside the mats.”
“Sir?”
“Step outside!”
McAfee walked off the mats and Miller said, “We will pull our punches and attempt to avoid injuring each other.”
AG stared at the Major and said, “Agreed; you are more than I thought, Sir.”
Miller took his stance and watched the boot just stand there with his arms at his side. He slid quickly in and launched a chop but had it instantly blocked. He did a leg sweep and the young man just jumped over his leg. He turned into him and threw five quick blows that were all blocked. He stepped back and knew that the boot could have hit him but had not thrown a blow. He moved into the young man and began throwing combinations of jujitsu and karate moves and every time he did he felt a tap in the center of his chest. It wasn’t a hard tap but one strong enough that he knew he had been hit. He tried everything he knew to do and nothing worked but he was being constantly tapped by the young man standing in front of him. “Enough!” Miller stepped back and looked at McAfee, “Do you want to try?”
McAfee said, “I’ve seen enough.”
Miller looked at AG and said, “Why did you injure Lt. Stenson. You could have avoided it. I’ve seen that demonstrated.”
“I injured him to save my teammates from his sadistic, brutal attacks on them. I could not allow him to continue his injuring the ones he was supposed to be helping.”
Stenson yelled, “You will shut up, Private.”
Major Miller looked at Stenson and said, “The only one that will be silent in this room is you, Lieutenant.” Stenson looked at his Major and sat heavily in a chair. “Tell me what you mean, private.”
“He broke Don’s ribs and Rory’s arm. He called for more to step into his sadistic demonstration, and though I never fight one weaker than myself, I had to stop him from depriving my teammates of the training they are going to need to survive when they enter combat. Now Don and Rory are on light duty and are missing the opportunity to learn the skills they’ll need.”
Frank said, “Your Lieutenant injured twenty two boots during his training exercises. Five of them required hospitalization.”
Miller looked at Stenson and said, “Is this true?”
Stenson looked around and said nothing.
Miller looked back at AG and said, “We are weaker than you but you chose to fight us.”
“For the same reason I fought the Lieutenant.”
Miller looked puzzled, “I’m not sure I understand.”
AG looked at the four that had attacked him and said, “This is not the first time the four of you have done this.” Miller didn’t say anything and AG knew from his expression that he was right. “If anyone beats one of your instructors, you go to deliver a lesson that it is not acceptable to do so. That stupidity astounds me.”
“We have a reputation to uphold.”
“Then go fight school children. You only weaken yourself always fighting those weaker than yourself. You should reward and learn from those that can make you stronger. Instead you punish them by ganging up on them. Your actions disgust me.”
“Why didn’t you injure us?”
“Well, I did injure two of you. However, you are going to fight for my country and I just couldn’t make myself do it.”
Major Miller stared at AG and said, “I give you my word that we will never do this again.” He turned and said, “Lt. Stenson, you will return directly to FT. Bragg and be confined to your quarters until a Board of Inquiry can be assembled. You will then have the opportunity to explain your actions in injuring twenty two soldiers. Now get out of this building.”
Stenson’s fear showed on his face and he remained in his chair. “But, Sir…”
“Sgt. McAfee, please assist the Lieutenant.” Stenson stood and ran from the building.
> Miller turned to Frank, “We will select our instructors more carefully in the future. If anything like this happens again, please contact my Commanding Officer at Bragg and let him know. I’ll fill him in when we return.” Miller turned back to AG and saw him stick out his hand, “Thank you, Sir.”
Miller shook his hand, “Why should you thank me?”
“I have misjudged the ones that wear the Green Beret. You are not the cowards I thought you were.”
Miller nodded and said, “Private, could you have taken all of us?” AG just stared at Miller and he knew the answer. “You would look good in a Beret.”
“My destiny is elsewhere, Sir; however, thank you for the compliment.”
AG went to attention and saluted. Major Miller returned his salute, turned, and took his men out of the building and back to their aircraft.
Frank looked at AG and said, “What are you doing wasting valuable training time. Double time it to the range!”
AG snapped to attention, “Sir, yes Sir.”
He turned to run and Frank said, “Good job, Gardner.”
AG smiled and made it back to the range in half the normal time.
Chapter Nine
Cynthia pulled the bulky skirt up and fastened it. She put on the vest-shirt on and it came down below the beltline, leaving several inches too much around her waist. She looked in the mirror and saw she looked like a frumpy hippie. Good, this was a good combination to wear. She took the outfit off and put on a big flowing dress that went straight to the floor from her armpits to her ankles. She put a loose fitting tee-shirt on under it and once more she appeared to be about twenty pounds overweight. Voila, another selection.
Her mother came in and did a double take, “Are you going to a Halloween party?”
Cynthia sighed and said, “Mom, sit down just a minute.” April sat down and Cynthia took her hand, “You know that I’m waiting on AG to come home and I will not be seeing anyone else while he’s gone.”
“Cyn, you’re going to miss out on so much.”