Chapter 4 Punishment
“Corporal, escort the lady's to the mess tent and brief the mess sergeant before they go in. Make sure they get VIP treatment, after all it isn't every day we get new combat veterans visiting.”
Not five minutes later the corporal rushed in and yelled, “There is a riot in the mess tent. One of the KPs reached over the line and grabbed the little one by the tit and she stuck a fork in him and then butt stroked him with her rifle. Two of the other ones grabbed her and took her knife away before she cut him. Right now the mess sergeant is telling all our men to get out of the mess hall because these are amazon warriors. Somebody is going to get killed as soon as they get their rifles.”
As I stood up Wilcox told the LT, “Now is the time you should act like an officer. You got two minutes to get your uniform straight and get to the mess tent. Otherwise you are going to cause the death of more good soldiers.”
As Wilcox entered the mess tent he roared, “At Ease!”
Pointing at my lady squad he roared, “Please stand over by your sergeant at that table.”
Then looking at the mess sergeant he bellowed, “What kind of undisciplined chow line are you running when a KP is allowed to molest a soldier? Drag that individual over to my table as soon as someone gets us three cups of coffee.”
Looking at my lady squad, I said, “Lt. Andrews, if he is in any danger of bleeding out render medical aid, after all you are and officer and a nurse.”
I heard several gasp as she handed her M-16 to one of the girls and pulled her pack off. She pulled a camouflage aid bag out and walked across to the mess line where the KP was laid out being looked over by a couple of young soldiers. After examining him and putting a dressing over the holes caused by the fork, she told them to get her a bucket of cold water. She then instructed the two young soldiers to secure him as she poured the water over his head. After a few splutters he sat up and made a grab at the M-16 laying on the floor. She stepped on his hand and slowly flashed her bayonet in front of his face saying, “Soldier, you are in enough trouble already. As an officer in the US Army, I am advising you stop resisting and start thinking about a defense for your assault on a female soldier. When I remove my foot, if you move that weapon on the floor, my only conclusion is that you are attempting to kill me. In that case I will be completely within my rights of self defense to use this bayonet to prevent bodily harm from your actions. I am a nurse and know all the body parts that a scalpel will immediately remove. Your choice.”
He looked up at her and his mouth dropped open. “I'm sorry.” he said and dropped back down.
MSG Kendrick ordered one side of the mess tent raised and tied up. After that was completed he then had some tables moved so two were together and two separate in front of them. The KP had his arms tied behind him and was seated at one table and the Shrimp at the other. He asked LT Andrews to put her rank insignia on and sit in the middle chair at the long table, his LT to sit beside her. Then he sent one of his solders to gather an audience and have them stand just outside the open tent flap.
A few dozen soldiers from his unit and almost a dozen from my unit bunched up in two separate groups eyeing each other. With his coffee mug he rapped on the table and announced that a 1GT court was now in order.
Addressing the KP he loudly announced that he was charged with improper conduct for a soldier by physically assaulting a female solder. He asked what he would plea, guilty or not-guilty.
Hanging his head the KP plead guilty.
He then turned to the Shrimp and said, “PFC Wallace, you are charged with assault with a deadly weapon in self defense using a fork, assault with a deadly weapon in self defense using rifle butt, and almost assault with a deadly weapon in self defense with bayonet instigated by the actions of the KP. What is your plea, guilty or not-guilty.”
She stood up and stated, “I was reacting to his grabbing me, and I'd do it again!”
He then turned to the two Lieutenants and quietly stated, “We have a situation here that has to be resolved quickly. Will both of you support what I have in mind.”
When they both agreed he turned and loudly announced. “KP, you are guilty of assault, ten days bread and water under guard on details I will assign. Pfc Wallace, your reaction to the assault with the fork and rifle butt was pure self defense. However pulling your bayonet was over the top and if you hadn't been restrained you would be up on charges for murder. Your punishment is five days bread and water under guard on details that I will give to your NCOIC. If either of you object to the punishment I've given you may appeal to your unit commander and then we'll hold a field courts martial. Then you will face more serious punishments.”
Shrimp looked a me and started to open her mouth and I shook my head from side to side. Then she said, “Sergeant, I'll accept my punishment.”
The KP stood there and said, “This ain't fair, but I'll accept my punishment this time.”
With his hand on his chin, MSG Warren, loudly said, “SP4 Hernandez front and center. You were assaulted by two soldiers earlier this month. State all the details from the beginning.”
She moved up between the tables and said, “Specialist Kenric, must I?”
Thinking quickly I stated, “Yes you must to clear the air and settle any future charges.”
With tears in her eyes she started, “I was grabbed by two of the soldiers we rescued near Belton. They were raping me when they were caught. Several soldiers from the unit executed them and buried their bodies.”
Then Wilcox asked, “Why didn't the chain of command charge, try and sentence those soldiers?”
She answered, “It was so fast, I don't know. Maybe my sergeant can answer better.” looking at me.
I stood up and then said, “The two individuals caught in the act of raping her while we were retreating from and enemy of unknown strength in hostile territory were tried, sentenced, and executed under my order. The integrity of the unit and moral demanded extreme measures to prevent chaos.”
With a slight smile Wilcox turned to the lieutenants and whispered something. They both nodded yes. Turning back facing me he announced, “Specialist Kenric, your punishment for taking command in a situation without proper authority is one day of bread and water. Then you will assume the field position of first sergeant of your unit. Do you wish to appeal your punishment.”
I could hear some murmurings from the soldiers outside the tent and thought what the hell is going on. Then pulling myself to the position of attention I announced, “My punishment is unjust, but I will accept the field punishment assigned by this legal authority.” Un-slinging my rifle I held it at arms length and said, “Specialist Hernandez, secure my weapon until I've completed the first part of my punishment.”
With a puzzled look on her face she grabbed my rifle and said, “What?”
Looking at my lady squad I simply stated, “My punishment is in two parts, first as a prisoner or bread and water for one day, second I must act as first sergeant of my unit until our military problem is resolved. I would suggest that the Shrimp's weapon be secured and she be marched over to our vehicles to start her punishment.”
As she was escorted out of the tent I heard, “Corporal Jones, secure the other prisoner by the LT's track. Mess sergeant, get your area cleaned up and start feeding these soldiers, also I need bread and water delivered to all three soldiers under punishment. Make them end pieces, hopefully stale. Lieutenants, SSG Henderson, if you will follow me to my tent we need to discuss our situation.” Then he pointed at two soldiers and ordered, “Escort the prisoner, SP5 Kenric, to my tent.”
Upon arrival at his tent he loudly stated, “Sit over there prisoner.” The he and the lieutenants started discussing integrating our units and where we should locate our main camp. LT Andrews looked at SSG Henderson and stated, “I'm a nurse, not a combat soldier.”
He simply stated, “You are the ranking officer in our two units, so you
have to assume command, My LT will have to be your XO. Kenric and I will handle the soldiers and day to day details. However both of you must support our decisions or the units will turn into a mob and then heaven help us. Fear of what has happened and discipline is the only reason we are still functioning as a military units and not mobs. First we need a secure base to operate from. Then we need to scout both NFH and main post. We also need secure food, ammunition, and fuel sources.
SSG Henderson, you will be our personnel sergeant and we need a system set up to identify all of our present soldiers and a way to identify anyone we either rescue or capture. Kenric's method was hard and raw, but it worked then. We need something slightly more civilized now.
“Kenric, get someone to sew you some first sergeant chevrons to put on your uniforms.
“LT Andrews, you need to think about a headquarters. Might I suggest you appoint me your 1SG. That way with two 1SG you can split the units for different operations. Also you might think about keeping your lady squad as headquarters security.” Raising his hands to stop her retort he said, “I know they are perfectly capable of combat operations, but the men might try to be protective and get in situations that could endanger the unit. Think about it.”
LT Warren started to complain, but was quickly shut up when Wilcox stated, “Suck it up LT, your actions in the last month have pissed of half the unit. If discipline fails somebody will probably frag you.”
Kenric, do you have any clerks in your unit, I have one in mine. They need to report to the LT's asap. For now we'll use my tent as an orderly room. The first punishment detail I can think of is setting up a nice rock bordered path to the front flap. Moving and painting rocks has been a punishment for longer than I've been in the army. I'll get a sergeant to supervise starting in the morning.
“Kenric, instruct PFC Wallace that her conduct while on punishment detail will set an example. Every male soldier in both units will be watching. If she shirks any of the work she'll put all the women at risk.”
Just then the mess sergeant entered the tent with a loaf of bread and three canteens.
Wilcox told him to deliver the bread and water to the prisoners with a visible show of contempt and if either of them say anything tell them to suck it up and act like the soldiers they are. Then leave Kenric over where Wallace is. I hate to have to do it but you will have to deliver the bread and water for as long as they are on punishment detail.
He stopped to feed the KP first and then escorted me to my vehicle. As soon a we approached the Shrimp got to her feet and started toward me. “Sit down shrimp, we'll talk in a minute.”
The mess sergeant split the remaining bread and handed half to me and the rest to shrimp. Then tossed both canteens on the ground and stated, “Guards, he's yours for now.”
I picked up both canteens and walked over to the truck and sat leaning back against one of the rear tires. Shrimp came over and sat beside the other. Hernandez came over and kicked a little dirt up and quietly said, “What do you want us to do sarge.”
“Pull guard duty as you were directed and have someone sew some 1SG chevrons for me to wear day after tomorrow. Have someone get some blankets for us tonight. Also find out where the field latrine is set up, we'll need to be escorted when we go. You realize we're being observed by soldiers from the other unit so be professional. Now I'm starving so we'll eat as soon as you back off.”
We devoured our bread and then Shrimp looked at me. “I'm still hungry.”
“I'm still hungry too. We'll have to wait for breakfast. Now the punishment detail we'll be on starting tomorrow will be making an entrance path to the orderly room tent, in other words moving rocks and making a clear path. You are going to have to be tough. The example you set will reflect on all the women in our unit and any women we rescue in the future. By the way, if you hadn't pulled your bayonet you'd gotten off with just a reprimand. But you set the example, and I think all the male soldiers will think twice before grabbing any of you women again, especially after Juanita told her story and the punishment I metered out. Wilcox is cagey like a fox, he set me up as field first for our unit and put the lieutenants in a box where they will have to support us.”
Then I heard a cough from under the truck. “I got some real food for you. Anything else you need?”
Quickly I commented, “We can't accept the food. We're being watched. However, you can pass the word that we will be setting the example for our unit. Combat troops come with an attitude, and we've got to show them even the women are as tough as they are.”
The next morning a sergeant walked up and announced that he was in charge of the punishment detail. We got up and followed him. One of our guards followed us and the other picked up our blankets and threw them in the truck.
When we arrived at the tent the KP was sitting on the ground. MSG Wilcox came out of the tent and told the sergeant that the punishment detail would clear a four foot wide path from the entrance of the tent out twenty feet. Each side of the path was to be neatly lined with rocks. All rocks will be removed from the path and it will be raked smooth. He was to escort us to the mess tent for bread and water for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Latrine breaks would be supervised. Work breaks would be ten minutes every hour. At the end of the day we would be marched back to our respective detainment locations and turned back over to the posted guards.
My hands were blistered even through the gloves that we were furnished, but we got the path finished that first day.
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