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Lately, work has been much and motivation has been low, and for that I apologize. I would like to take this opportunity to exploit the chain of command and their general selfishness and habitual exploitation of the lower enlisted.

One of the few friends I have here in Germany (L) has been nothing less than the unit's personal and only "gofer" ever since we arrived. To start off his terrible situation, in the first couple months here, his wife decides to go home because she does not like it here, he has to get rid of both his dogs because the Army puts him in the barracks, his wife is already pregnant, cheating and wants a divorce. The Army raised his minimum commitment from two years to three since his wife was over here and he had signed for housing, but since she went back, even though he cleared housing and only lived there for two months, they are making him serve all three. He is also not getting any refund for the month that he was not living there, even though he had cleared in plenty of time. This is only the middle of March and he is nowhere near finished being walked on.

So as we slowly and very inconspicuously become integrated into our new unit, "L", "P" and myself find ourselves painting the entire downstairs of the unit's building for at least two weeks. My two friends also got into huge trouble for failing their driver's test, even though they have multiple opportunities to pass and are never completely ineligible. . .

Army in Europe Regulation 190-1
(b) Applicants who fail the test twice will be ineligible for retesting for 2 weeks. If an
applicant fails the test a third time, the applicant will be declared ineligible for retesting for 60
days. (In cases of exceptional hardship, the 60-day waiting period may be waived. Normally, a
waiver will be granted only if recommended by the commander or supervisor and approved by the
officer responsible for operating the testing station.) Retesting will begin with the test the
applicant failed.

So after we finished painting, they had us do several stupid little details around the unit, but eventually myself and my one other friend (P) got placed into positions and trained. "L" got stuck doing little stuff around the unit. First he was told to train in one office so he could pick up on the procedures and eventually do the job himself. Later he was sent downstairs to train and learn a completely different job. He was sent back upstairs, downstairs and upstairs again before they finally figured out that he will just do whatever they need done for each day, regardless of whether or not he gets lunch and breaks. He has cleaned a grill, inside and out, stripped it and painted it. He has done a police call outside and around the parking lot looking for trash and other things that may not belong, including sticks. He has mowed the lawn including the upper parking lot. Today he was sent to the range, sent back because he had a test to raise his general technical score on his ASVAB and it was suppose to take two hours, but took five instead.

Every single time "L" goes to his supervisor, he sends him to another NCO for answers. Every time he goes to another NCO for help, his supervisor gets upset that "L" did not go to him first. Whenever I ask the same supervisor a question, he has to ask his supervisor the same question. I would prefer a supervisor who is willing and able to make on the spot decisions on his own with a minimum of an educated guess. Making stuff up turns you into a liar and asking every question again to your own supervisor makes you obsolete. I do not want to place him into either category, but I think he places himself.

The other bad part about this whole situation, especially for "L" is that our NCO's supervisor is a civilian who, though retired, knows nothing about the Army.

Something I would like to stress is the fact that things change. . . often. The Army is changing on a daily basis. It is not the "Real Army" or "New Army". It is the "Old Army" and "Real Army". Things change in hopes of making them better. Most of the changes made are made by soldiers who have been in and serving for more than ten, fifteen maybe even twenty years. Why is it when things change and someone does not understand them, they claim it is the "New Army", but when it is something they like they claim it is the "Real Army"? Change is inevitable and those of us involved in it need to learn to adjust and embrace it. "Adapt and overcome" is one famous motto that comes to mind. How can you learn to do so if you dwell in the past.

I remember back in my day. . . well stop. War is all over history and we have yet to learn from it because we have been, are and ever will be involved in some kind of war. I realize that many may disagree with me, but it is about putting yourself in the other person's shoes, not necessarily understanding them. Please forward your responses to Traveling Soldier and Military Project. I would love to hear what every one has to say.