**** this flag

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

On the last day of a week long training event, I'm on the way to the base where we were meeting. I get a call from one of my officers that a 1-star was going to be addressing our formation, and could I please get a General Officer's flag for him, so we could render proper customs and courtesies.

I swing a U-turn, mid-call. I get to HQ, and beeline for the orderly room because I know the 1SG has the keys (I modified a solution for him for this very thing).

Orderly room is empty. I call the 1SG. No answer. I call the XO. No answer.

Crap! They are at AT on Ft Carson.

I go to the The Adjutant General's suite because the Protocol office is there, and I know the lady in charge.

It's locked.

I call the secretary and get Protocol office number.

No answer. Recording says Protocol office takes 24 to 48 hours to respond to messages.

Maybe Force Protection has a key.

I race towards the Joint Operations Center.

It's locked.

I call the Battle Captain. No reply. I hit him up on chat messages.

No, FP does not have the key. He says to try Facilities.

I race upstairs. CFMO does not have a key. Try the maintenance techs.

No, they do not have a key. Try the Supply Room.

I race down to the supply room. It's closed. They're in the field with the rest of HQ.

I'm informed of this by a Brigadier General I've known since he was a Lt. Colonel pranking me as a junior enlisted in front of an entire Chief of Staff, Staff Call. He was working-out at that moment and the gym is near the supply room.

I pop to attention and inform him of my protocol emergency.

"He should have his own flag."

"He's a JAG officer, sir."

"Oh. You can borrow my flag. Just tell CSM ****nuts."

"Thank-you, sir."

After another 5 minutes of chasing the CSM around I am finally able to address him and proceed to get an ass chewing.

"Why doesn't he have his own flag? Why didn't you do this sooner? Why didn't you use the protocol office on the other post?"

"Sergeant Major, I'm a Soldier. If an officer tells me to stand on a hill, I stand on the f***ing hill."

[pause]

"This comes back to no one but me."

"Thank-you, Sergeant Major."

[Eupher]

 

I see not much has changed since I retired 26 years ago.

[thundley4]

I remember when I was at nuke school in Orlando decades ago, The base commander's flag was flying above the US flag which was at half staff for some reason.

[Kc25]

On the last day of a week long training event, I'm on the way to the base where we were meeting. I get a call from one of my officers that a 1-star was going to be addressing our formation, and could I please get a General Officer's flag for him, so we could render proper customs and courtesies.

I swing a U-turn, mid-call. I get to HQ, and beeline for the orderly room because I know the 1SG has the keys (I modified a solution for him for this very thing).

Orderly room is empty. I call the 1SG. No answer. I call the XO. No answer.

Crap! They are at AT on Ft Carson.

I go to the The Adjutant General's suite because the Protocol office is there, and I know the lady in charge.

It's locked.

I call the secretary and get Protocol office number.

No answer. Recording says Protocol office takes 24 to 48 hours to respond to messages.

Maybe Force Protection has a key.

I race towards the Joint Operations Center.

It's locked.

I call the Battle Captain. No reply. I hit him up on chat messages.

No, FP does not have the key. He says to try Facilities.

I race upstairs. CFMO does not have a key. Try the maintenance techs.

No, they do not have a key. Try the Supply Room.

I race down to the supply room. It's closed. They're in the field with the rest of HQ.

I'm informed of this by a Brigadier General I've known since he was a Lt. Colonel pranking me as a junior enlisted in front of an entire Chief of Staff, Staff Call. He was working-out at that moment and the gym is near the supply room.

I pop to attention and inform him of my protocol emergency.

"He should have his own flag."

"He's a JAG officer, sir."

"Oh. You can borrow my flag. Just tell CSM ****nuts."

"Thank-you, sir."

After another 5 minutes of chasing the CSM around I am finally able to address him and proceed to get an ass chewing.

"Why doesn't he have his own flag? Why didn't you do this sooner? Why didn't you use the protocol office on the other post?"

"Sergeant Major, I'm a Soldier. If an officer tells me to stand on a hill, I stand on the f***ing hill."

[pause]

"This comes back to no one but me."

"Thank-you, Sergeant Major."

Command Sergeants Major everywhere:

Why didn't you do this 2 days before you were told it needed to be done, so that I could inspect it and tell you how ****ed up it is; but to go with it anyways.