WHEN I WAS JUST A BOY

Just last week we observed a solemn event, the attack on Pearl Harbor and the mark of America's entry into the Second World War. As I read the newspapers and saw the survivors gathering at Pearl to commerate the event, it occurred to me that these men have seen so may changes since that fateful day in our military and it inspired me to dig up a small "poem" if you will. I had written this a few months ago after Vet's Day and it is my view on the changes I have seen in the amount of time I have spent in the military.



When I was just a boy


I heard my Uncle call my name. I answered the call and swore an oath as an enlisted soldier to protect, and defend the constitution of the United States of America.
We wore black combat boots, green field caps in our fancy Battle Dress Uniforms.
We drove around in jeeps and we ate from the new MRE’s (4 choices) and our hot meals were called T-Rats.
We used a compass, a protractor, and a map to find out where we were and where we were going.
I receive my orders and write them down in book form to digest and to relay to other soldiers.
We teamed up with a buddy and slept in our shelter halves, in the woods, covered up in a wool blanket.
We shot the M16 using Kentucky Windage with a 1911 45 caliber on our hips. The M60 was the baddest mutha on your squad and sang a song everyone knew when she opened up.
We shot 82mm mortars from hillsides and the radios we carried were on our backs, good for about 2 miles of communication Lord Willing.
We saluted the flag
We saluted our veterans
And we saluted our country
Because we loved, honored, and respected all of them.


When I was a young man


I heard my Uncle call my name. I answered the call and swore an oath as an officer to protect and defend the constitution of the United States of America.
We wore green combat boots, green boonie caps in my fancy BDU’s.
We drove around in Humvee’s and we ate from the new batch of MRE’s and our hot meals were meremited to us from the rear.
We used our maps, compasses, protractors as a backup to our GPS’s to find out where we were and where we were going.
I write orders on the back of a MRE cardboard box and issue them to soldiers in an informal setting.
We slept under the stars in a sleeping bag, in the woods with our poncho liner.
We shot our M16A2’s using adjustable sights with a 9mm Berretta on our hips. The M249 SAW was the new kid on the block and everyone wanted one.
We shot 60mm mortars in our platoons, from anywhere and the radios we carried were called Bricks, good for about 1 mile of communication Lord Willing.
We saluted the flag
We saluted our veterans
And we saluted our country
Because we loved, honored, and respected all of them.


Now I’m the Old Man


I still hear my Uncle calling my name. I answer the call and travel overseas to protect and defend the constitution of the United States of America.
I wear Desert fatigues and digital camouflage, with black berets and my combat roll.
I drive around in up armored humvees (1114’s) with our gun turrets and limited AC and eat lots of chicken off of the local economy.
I still use my map, compass and protractor in addition to my GPS and Bluforce tracker, to find out where I am and where I am going.
I write novels on the computer to issue Orders to Companies to get them the things they need to survive.
I sleep under mortar fire in confiscated buildings or in pre fab housing on forward operating bases, covering myself with my nylon sleeping bag.
I shoot my M4, with the red dot scope and infrared sight. My 9mm on my shoulder is like a second skin. The 240B and the Mk 19 rain justice downrange against a cowardly enemy.
I communicate with Motorola’s and cell and sat phones instantly to almost anywhere. Computers are a vital part of the process.
We salute the flag
We are the veteran’s
We salute our country

Because we have fought, loved, bled and died for all of them.


Salute



Captain Scott Chamberlain
Gunslinger 4



Safe Hunting