How Did I Get Here?

Monday

Today I got to make two very rewarding phone calls.

I called two of my three Drill Instructors to inform them that I was going to be promoted to Major.

I know this is going to piss off my brother who I STILL have not contacted but I know he knows about it. If you are reading this, I’ve been trying to call so don’t be pissed I’ve told Mom and a few others. If it makes you feel any better, I haven’t got in touch with Dad either but you know his only question will be how many MORE people can I make do push-ups when I get promoted.

First, I got in touch with Sergeant Major Wertjes. I had sent him a book a while back and just got an email from him thanking me. He had been out of the country for a few weeks thus the delay.

What I also learned was rather shocking: his daughter was shipped to Iraq yesterday.

OK, not only did I not know he had a daughter but I was also unaware she was a Marine (obviously). Yep, there is a LCPL Wertjes running around in Iraq right now.

This got me to thinking. I read a book about Chesty Puller’s son (if you don’t know who Chesty is, I haven’t the time to explain. Just visualize Jesus in cammies) and he explained the scene when he (the son) went to Vietnam. As the cab drove off, Junior looked back and for the first time saw his father as an old man. Chesty was crying and being helped back into the house by Ms. Puller.

The vision of such a Warrior being reduced to an emotional wreck is sobering. Chesty has not only been through it all but he DEFINED what “it all” was. But when it came to seeing his son go off to war, there is no preparation for that.

I thought of Sergeant Major Wertjes and his distinguished career. He had been a DI, taught at DI School, and risen to the highest enlisted rank in the land. But I would be willing to bet that watching his baby girl go off to Iraq was something he was ill-prepared for. Maybe because he knew too much.

The Sergeant Major was proud of me and I filled him in on the details. I noted that I’m pretty sure I was the last Marine standing in the ranks from Platoon 3075 and I was about to pin on oak leaves. I once again thanked him for starting me off on the right track and told him I wouldn’t have ever got here on my own without his guidance that summer of 1987.

The second phone call was to Top Garcia. I caught him at work and like always, he sounded thrilled and touched that I would call. I told him I had big news for him and when I told him, I could HEAR his smile followed by a hum that reminded me of my Mexican family. It must be a Hispanic trait that they hum when they are very happy. My grandmother does the same thing.

Top showered me with praise and like what always happens, I don’t know who was more proud. I felt like a kid coming home and telling dad he won first place.

I also discussed with him my future. I told him that despite my master’s degree, potential 6-figure income, and 20 years of service, I have never turned down a promotion and I wasn’t about to start now. I told him I just wasn’t instilled with the ability to say no and that the Marine Corps putting me on that list was them telling me they still needed me at this time. The civilian jobs would still be there.

He sounded relieved and said “Good, the Marine Corps does need you, especially now.” He was happy that I was staying in and proud that I had made the decision to answer the call once again, even if that meant potentially going overseas.

We also discussed one more thing that I am flabbergasted I never blogged about. Earlier this month I was getting ready to head home when I checked my email for the last time before leaving. What I found there was astounding.

It was an email from Bonilla the Gorilla.

Who is this, you ask? Go top the link and you will understand.

For you lazy asses, the short story is he was one of my Receiving DIs and not only “one” of them but the one who made my life miserable for those initial days. He was so insane, well, look at what we called him.

Do you know what he does now? He works for the DMV and gives driver’s tests. Can you imagine that?

I had to go home with a huge grin on my face and wonder what exactly I had written in that story since it had been years since I had written it.

Here is the email that knocked me back a few steps:

At the time you get this msg, I hope you are standing at attention after you read the Subject!

How are you doing Sir? It is good to see or hear from one of your fellow Marines, especially one whom you had a chance to make a positive impact on.

This was a good reading material, as you can probably imagine I had the entire family read it and everyone was impressed not only with the story, but with your writing also.

My oldest son (24, school teacher) said that he knows exactly what you r talking about in your article. Well I’m very proud of your accomplishments in your life. I talked to Sergio and we are going to get together and send you some pictures. I made GySgt and then had to get out for personal reasons, but I still love the USMC.

I’m a drivers license examiner for the state of NC, can you imaging that? Some of the young drivers get to see the Gorilla once in a while when they fail the driving test, but some how they all ways come back and request me for their second test and it drives my fellow workers crazy because they can’t understand why them young marines insist in coming back to see me, and I tell them that its that EGA in my heart. Stay in touch.

Semper Fi!
Gysgt USMC Vet.
I did it my way and I’m proud of it.

Lastly, I got an email from my last First Sergeant who got to Iraq last week. She emailed me her congratulations for picking up Major and told me she was doing fine. She also provided me with the best line I’ve heard in a long time:

“Sir, too bad your first name was not ‘Lee.’ Then you would be ‘Major Lee Grose!!!’ Ha!”

Free Advice for Today: “Remember that every age brings opportunities.”

This entry was posted on Monday, February 26th, 2007 at 1:32 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.