by C. G. Cooper
Stokes was the last man standing next to the empty picnic table. He trembled in anticipation, but his face remained hard.
“Recruit Stokes, come join me,” said SgtMaj Kent.
Marching up as ordered, Stokes halted stiffly.
“Please tell your fellow recruits who you lost in the attacks on September 11th, son.”
Recruit Stokes coughed as he tried to find his voice.
“It’s okay, son,” SgtMaj Kent said.
Stokes looked up at Kent with terrified eyes. Kent nodded reassuringly.
Looking out at his peers, Recruit Stokes finally choked out, “I lost my mother and father. Denise and Calvin Stokes.”
6:27am, October 8th, 2001
It had been three days since the impromptu campfire to honor the fallen. There seemed to be a new attitude amongst the recruits, a new determination.
“How’s Stokes doing?” asked GySgt Vasquez. The platoon was taking their turn practicing on the obstacle course as the drill instructors supervised.
“He’s been pretty quiet. Still keeping to himself, but the platoon’s giving him space,” replied SSgt Adams.
They’d already watched Stokes breeze through the obstacle course two times. Nobody was even close to matching his time. He looked like Spiderman as he jumped, climbed and ran.
“You think he’ll be okay?”
SSgt Adams shrugged. “I guess only time will tell.”
+++
Stokes was in the middle of the line waiting to have another try on the obstacle course. As he and the others watched, Recruit Klintock slipped from the first obstacle, a high bar that stood maybe seven feet off the ground. Klintock had been trying to get over the bar for the better part of fifteen minutes. He looked exhausted and ready to quit.
Before any of the drill instructors intervened, and to the surprise of everyone, Recruit Stokes jogged over to Klintock and offered his hand. Klintock looked up skeptically.
“You okay?” asked Stokes.
“I just can’t get over that bar. I think they’re gonna roll me back for this.”
Marine recruits are held back to other classes and even discharged from boot camp for failing to satisfactorily complete training evolutions. The initial obstacle course evaluation was the next day.
“Get up, and I’ll show you what you’re doing wrong.”
Klintock took Stokes’s hand and was hoisted up.
“You feel more comfortable chicken winging it or going for the college boy roll?” Stokes asked, referring to the two techniques allowed for completing the obstacle.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been able to get over with either one,” Klintock said dejectedly.
“Okay. Let’s go with the chicken wing. You can do a pull-up, right?”
Klintock nodded.
The rest of platoon and the drill instructors stared dumbstruck at the spectacle. Recruit Stokes helping someone?
“It’s really three steps. Run up to the bar and do a pull-up, hook one leg over, then lean into it.”
Stokes demonstrated.
“It’s all about momentum. Don’t stop moving forward,” instructed Stokes. “Come on. You try now.”
Recruit Klintock looked up at the bar, and then trotted back to where the line waited. With a running start he hopped up, grabbed the high bar, pulled his head up to bar level, hooked his ankle and then knee over, then leaned forward and rolled over the bar, landing on his feet.
“Oorah, Klintock!” Stokes barked.
The platoon echoed his call. “Oorah, Klintock!”
GySgt Vasquez nudged SSgt Adams and said, “I think Recruit Stokes is going to be okay.”
+++++
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Here are all the books in the series:
Back to War (Book 1)
Council of Patriots (Book 2)
Prime Asset (Book 3)
Corps Justice Boxed Set (Books 1-3)
Corps Justice Short Stories:
God-Speed
Running
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