First Sergeant is beside himself on the ride over to the DCO’s. He feels terrible that you got hemmed up in this situation. He knows that something like this could be a career killer for an officer. Over your strong objections, he insists that his plan is to explain to the DCO that the incident with Jody was totally on him, and that you had nothing to do with it.
Just like last time, you knock on the DCO’s door and enter when he directs you to do so. Entering the room, you see the DCO is seated, writing on a document on his desk. You and your first sergeant stand rigidly at attention as the DCO continues to write. Eventually he looks up at the two of you.
He proceeds to read you your rights. When he is complete, he looks up at you and says,
“Do you want a lawyer?”
“No, sir.”
“Are you now willing to speak with me about the charges in question?”
“Yes, sir.”
“OK, then. I’m going to ask you one question, and I want a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Do you understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Very well. On the night of 11 November, did you physically assault SPC Schum, steal his personal property, and leave him in a parking lot to die?”
Before you can respond, your first sergeant attempts to interject, “Sir, it was…”
Before you can cut him off, and before he can finish the sentence, the DCO fixes him with a stare that causes his mouth to close almost involuntarily. He stands up behind his desk and walks towards the two of you, pointing the stub of his right index finger directly at First Sergeant’s face.
“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, First Sergeant. What I want here is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer to the question I just asked, from Captain Faith. Now, let’s try this again.” He walks back towards his desk and sits back down.
“Once more, Captain Faith, on the night of 11 November, did you physically assault SPC Schum and steal his property?”
You and First Sergeant glance at each other quickly, once. Well, that question is easy enough to answer. Last night was the 21st, you were all in Iraq on the 11th. “No, sir.”
“Hm,” the DCO says, glancing briefly but pointedly in the direction of the bandage over the skinned knuckles of your right hand.
“Very well.” The DCO turns to look at First Sergeant. “First Sergeant, you are listed as a witness in this matter. On the night of 11 November, did you see CPT Faith or anyone else assault SPC Schum in any way?”
“No, sir.”
“Did you or anyone else steal any of SPC Schum’s property on that night?”
“No, sir.”
“Did you leave SPC Schum “to die” in the parking lot on the 11th?”
“No sir.”
The DCO looks back down at the paperwork on his desk and makes a few notes. As he’s writing he says something that you can’t quite hear but sounds a lot like “I would have.” He slides the paperwork that had been on his desk when you walked in- you can now see that it’s a charge sheet like the one DeSilva gave you this morning- to one side of his desk and takes something else out of his in-box. Unsure what to do, you and First Sergeant continue to stand at attention. After a moment or two he looks back up at you, his eyebrows raised in a “yes, can I help you?” gesture. Realizing you’ve been dismissed, you salute and beat feet out of the office. THAT was freakin’ weird. Unlike last time you and First Sergeant were in the DCO’s office, there are no jokes now.
Coming around the corner from the DCO’s office, you pass the Group CSM walking the other way. Without breaking stride, the Sergeant Major cuts in between the two of you, puts an arm around First Sergeant and guides him into the Sergeant Major’s office, nods good afternoon to you and closes the door. Whatever is going on right now is clearly “NCO business,” and your presence is neither required nor desired. You continue back to the company headquarters alone.
