I have a hunch that Thigpen is gonna try to become one of 22, if he doesn’t succeed. Heartbreaking, for sure, but when you can’t fit anywhere, that option is an attractive one.
Case Study: Tabs and Tyrants
- Thread starter Marauder06
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This has been my view of Thigpen from the very beginning of this case study; to include the ending.
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I think Thigpen was reacting the way he was because after the altercation in the bar, he was told that under no circumstances was he to stand by and let his LT take a beat down. Thigpen was not aware of the birthday plan; so as far as he knew, that platoon was beating the LT’s ass.
Bambi
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Thigpen has been described as mentally slow, low social awareness. His reaction to Faiths Alabama monkey stomp would signal possible trauma. He’s lonely, he can’t talk to anyone in depth about his problems/issues, he’s looked at as the “retarded little brother” and he may not understand the humor the guys have around it. He needs help before he hurts himself, or others.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Idk, if you recall, in the morning Faith says he won't be planning on getting punched on his birthday due to his experience at a JMC and Frat life being enough hazing to last him a lifetime. Thigpen is probably thinking of that as well.
Thigpen is gonna kill himself.
Chaptering him would have accomplished the same thing.
Chaptering him would have accomplished the same thing.
The next morning, Faith spent some time in the company commander’s office going over some career planning. Faith appreciated the fact the Captain Thompson was willing to take the time to do some professional development with Faith. Being the only officer platoon leader in the entire company had its advantages sometimes. When he emerged from Thompson’s office, Faith saw Corporal Laser waiting for him. “Sir, Sergeant Ellery asked to see you in the office, he said to tell you it’s important.” Faith made the short walk down to the office. Ellery and David were there already, and Corporal Laser came in as well, pulling the door behind him.
“One of our guys pissed hot,” Ellery informed Faith, meaning that one of 5th Platoon’s troops had a urinalysis result that indicated a positive result for drug consumption. “Marijuana and X.”
Faith was shocked. He could not imagine active-duty Army Soldiers doing drugs, especially with the frequency that the unit did urinalysis testing.
“Who?” he asked, incredulously.
“Do you want to guess, or…” Sergeant David asked, his voice trailing off.
Faith thought about it for a minute. He literally had no clue which one of his troops was a pothead.
“Wait—not Thigpen!” he exclaimed.
Sergeant David looked back at him, lips pursed and eyebrows raised.
“God damn it,” Faith sighed as he flopped down into his chair. “After all we did for him.”
The battalion policy on drugs was zero-tolerance. A first offense was grounds for an immediate Chapter separation from the service. If the Soldier was otherwise superb, his chain of command might be able to salvage him. But Thigpen was far from superb.
The results indicated that Thigpen tested positive for both marijuana and ecstasy. While not “hard core” drugs like heroin, cocaine, or meth, they were still illegal. And the Army took a very dim view of illegal drug use.
In the back of his mind, Faith thought that it might be some kind of mistake. Maybe the urinalysis returned a wrong result, or they got people mixed up or something. It happened. But when read his rights and confronted with the results of his failed urinalysis, Thigpen readily admitted to drug use. He was then advised that the process to separate him from the Army under Chapter 14 of Army Regulation 635-200. As was policy in the battalion, he was transferred “off the line” to Headquarters Platoon to await separation. At the end of the duty day, Corporal Laser walked Private Thigpen over to Headquarters and checked him in with his new supervisor. It happened that fast.
Faith was conflicted. On the one hand, it was kind of nice to be responsible for the battalion’s problem child anymore. Yet, Faith still felt as if he had failed. He mentally did the math and realized that Thigpen must have smoked a week or so after joining 5th Platoon… and Faith never knew. Whereas he was disappointed, Ellery was angry.
Faith was worried about Thigpen’s future. “Thigpen is not going to make it in the real world, without an NCO there to hold his hand every step of the way,” Faith opined to Sergeant Ellery.
“Sir, as of exactly 15 minutes ago, that is no longer our problem,” Ellery stated bluntly.
“One of our guys pissed hot,” Ellery informed Faith, meaning that one of 5th Platoon’s troops had a urinalysis result that indicated a positive result for drug consumption. “Marijuana and X.”
Faith was shocked. He could not imagine active-duty Army Soldiers doing drugs, especially with the frequency that the unit did urinalysis testing.
“Who?” he asked, incredulously.
“Do you want to guess, or…” Sergeant David asked, his voice trailing off.
Faith thought about it for a minute. He literally had no clue which one of his troops was a pothead.
“Wait—not Thigpen!” he exclaimed.
Sergeant David looked back at him, lips pursed and eyebrows raised.
“God damn it,” Faith sighed as he flopped down into his chair. “After all we did for him.”
The battalion policy on drugs was zero-tolerance. A first offense was grounds for an immediate Chapter separation from the service. If the Soldier was otherwise superb, his chain of command might be able to salvage him. But Thigpen was far from superb.
The results indicated that Thigpen tested positive for both marijuana and ecstasy. While not “hard core” drugs like heroin, cocaine, or meth, they were still illegal. And the Army took a very dim view of illegal drug use.
In the back of his mind, Faith thought that it might be some kind of mistake. Maybe the urinalysis returned a wrong result, or they got people mixed up or something. It happened. But when read his rights and confronted with the results of his failed urinalysis, Thigpen readily admitted to drug use. He was then advised that the process to separate him from the Army under Chapter 14 of Army Regulation 635-200. As was policy in the battalion, he was transferred “off the line” to Headquarters Platoon to await separation. At the end of the duty day, Corporal Laser walked Private Thigpen over to Headquarters and checked him in with his new supervisor. It happened that fast.
Faith was conflicted. On the one hand, it was kind of nice to be responsible for the battalion’s problem child anymore. Yet, Faith still felt as if he had failed. He mentally did the math and realized that Thigpen must have smoked a week or so after joining 5th Platoon… and Faith never knew. Whereas he was disappointed, Ellery was angry.
Faith was worried about Thigpen’s future. “Thigpen is not going to make it in the real world, without an NCO there to hold his hand every step of the way,” Faith opined to Sergeant Ellery.
“Sir, as of exactly 15 minutes ago, that is no longer our problem,” Ellery stated bluntly.
Having dealt with my own Thigpens, I'm if the opinion that he may have been trying to ensure he got put out.
Sometimes privates realize the army isn't for them and they start looking for ways to get chaptered.
All the same, he's a high risk soldier still. Send him to ASAP (if that's a thing during this time period) and make sure he's still monitored while the separation process happens.
Sometimes privates realize the army isn't for them and they start looking for ways to get chaptered.
All the same, he's a high risk soldier still. Send him to ASAP (if that's a thing during this time period) and make sure he's still monitored while the separation process happens.
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Just like most young executives would. Time to grow up sir, and realize that you cannot save everyone.
Just like most seasoned leaders would. At some point you learn when to fish or cut bait.
I had a Marine who wanted out of Iraq so bad he convinced the psych that the reason he shit his pants every night was because he was terrified of dying. He got sent home with less than two months in country. With the doctors recommending he be returned to the states, there wasn't much that I could do. I did make sure the CO signed a Pg 11 entry stating his service in Iraq was NOT honorable and he was not authorized the Iraq Campaign Medal. Small victories.
SpongeBob*24
Verified Military
Idea:
In walks SSG Smith, a RANGER Tabbed [Fill in the blank MOS] with a decade of deployments. He's seen Thigpens before, and he knows how to fix them. Why was he kicked out of last Unit, thats Classified...rumor is he punched the S1 MAJ in the dick for not giving his TLs a Bronze Star but the S2 Female got one for Organizing their Calendar while deployed. Whatever the case, he's badd ass, and even SPC Stringer is scared of this guy. The day after Smitty checks into Faith's unit, he volunteers to babysit Thigpen. In a year, Tigpen has a SFAS date, is a blue belt in BJJ, and is dating Faith's ex-girlfriend!!!!!
In walks SSG Smith, a RANGER Tabbed [Fill in the blank MOS] with a decade of deployments. He's seen Thigpens before, and he knows how to fix them. Why was he kicked out of last Unit, thats Classified...rumor is he punched the S1 MAJ in the dick for not giving his TLs a Bronze Star but the S2 Female got one for Organizing their Calendar while deployed. Whatever the case, he's badd ass, and even SPC Stringer is scared of this guy. The day after Smitty checks into Faith's unit, he volunteers to babysit Thigpen. In a year, Tigpen has a SFAS date, is a blue belt in BJJ, and is dating Faith's ex-girlfriend!!!!!
Last edited:
[QUOTE="SpongeBob*24, post: 578311, member: 5624]
Idea:
In walks SSG Smith, a RANGER Tabbed [Fill in the blank MOS] with a decade of deployments. He's seen Thigpens before, and he knows how to fix them. Why was he kicked out of last Unit, thats Classified...rumor is he punched the S1 MAJ in the dick for not giving his TLs a Bronze Star but the S2 Female got one for Organizing their Calendar while deployed. Whatever the case, he's badd ass, and even SPC Stringer is scared of this guy. The day after Smitty checks into Faith's unit, he volunteers to babysit Thigpen. In a year, Tigpen has a SFAS date, is a blue belt in BJJ, and is dating Faith's ex-girlfriend!!!!!
[/QUOTE]
lol
Approved.
Idea:
In walks SSG Smith, a RANGER Tabbed [Fill in the blank MOS] with a decade of deployments. He's seen Thigpens before, and he knows how to fix them. Why was he kicked out of last Unit, thats Classified...rumor is he punched the S1 MAJ in the dick for not giving his TLs a Bronze Star but the S2 Female got one for Organizing their Calendar while deployed. Whatever the case, he's badd ass, and even SPC Stringer is scared of this guy. The day after Smitty checks into Faith's unit, he volunteers to babysit Thigpen. In a year, Tigpen has a SFAS date, is a blue belt in BJJ, and is dating Faith's ex-girlfriend!!!!!
[/QUOTE]
lol
Approved.
OK. After this one, there is one more post in this case study. I'll post it tomorrow. So get your prognostications/pleadings/insights in now.
-----
Overnight, Faith thought about what Ellery said regarding Thigpen’s situation. On the one hand, Faith was responsible for Thigpen. On the other, Thigpen is the one who made the decision to do drugs. NCOs couldn’t watch him every hour of every day. At some point, people have to be responsible for themselves. Faith was simultaneously disappointed, angry, and a little ashamed. He wish he would have done better… or more… or… something.
Faith’s tradition was to go to the gym after unit PT and get in a quick lift before showing and changing into his uniform. By the time he got back to the office, Sergeant Ellery was already changed and working. He was going over some counseling packets with Staff Sergeant David and Corporal Laser. Faith noticed a yellow sticky note on his computer monitor. It bore a single word: “SORRY.”
“What’s this?” Faith asked, taking it off the monitor and showing it to Ellery. “I don’t know sir, it was on there when I got back from PT. Maybe it’s the IT guys you yelled at yesterday,” he joked. “Maybe,” Faith said as he balled up the note and tossed it into the trash. It was going to be a very busy day. They had motor stables, mandatory classroom training, and Faith was tagged with doing the monthly 10% inventory of sensitive items.
Faith patted his pockets to ensure he had everything before he started the day. But something was missing. Seeing him patting down all of his pockets, Corporal Laser, who was in the office talking with Sergeant Ellery, asked him if something was wrong.
“My father got me a nice Leatherman tool for my commissioning,” Faith explained. “I used it to open some mail this morning after PT, and I’m pretty sure I left it here on my desk when I went to go take a shower. Now it’s gone.”
“I saw Thigpen walk out of the office at around 0830,” said Corporal Laser. “He said he was looking for you. I bet that piece of shit stole it.”
Faith kind of doubted that. More likely it slipped out of his pocket, either in his truck, or maybe it fell out at the gym. It had happened before. He’d look for it later.
“Well, if you find a Leatherman with the main blade missing the tip, it’s mine,” Faith said.
“Roger, sir,” Laser answered.
-----
Overnight, Faith thought about what Ellery said regarding Thigpen’s situation. On the one hand, Faith was responsible for Thigpen. On the other, Thigpen is the one who made the decision to do drugs. NCOs couldn’t watch him every hour of every day. At some point, people have to be responsible for themselves. Faith was simultaneously disappointed, angry, and a little ashamed. He wish he would have done better… or more… or… something.
Faith’s tradition was to go to the gym after unit PT and get in a quick lift before showing and changing into his uniform. By the time he got back to the office, Sergeant Ellery was already changed and working. He was going over some counseling packets with Staff Sergeant David and Corporal Laser. Faith noticed a yellow sticky note on his computer monitor. It bore a single word: “SORRY.”
“What’s this?” Faith asked, taking it off the monitor and showing it to Ellery. “I don’t know sir, it was on there when I got back from PT. Maybe it’s the IT guys you yelled at yesterday,” he joked. “Maybe,” Faith said as he balled up the note and tossed it into the trash. It was going to be a very busy day. They had motor stables, mandatory classroom training, and Faith was tagged with doing the monthly 10% inventory of sensitive items.
Faith patted his pockets to ensure he had everything before he started the day. But something was missing. Seeing him patting down all of his pockets, Corporal Laser, who was in the office talking with Sergeant Ellery, asked him if something was wrong.
“My father got me a nice Leatherman tool for my commissioning,” Faith explained. “I used it to open some mail this morning after PT, and I’m pretty sure I left it here on my desk when I went to go take a shower. Now it’s gone.”
“I saw Thigpen walk out of the office at around 0830,” said Corporal Laser. “He said he was looking for you. I bet that piece of shit stole it.”
Faith kind of doubted that. More likely it slipped out of his pocket, either in his truck, or maybe it fell out at the gym. It had happened before. He’d look for it later.
“Well, if you find a Leatherman with the main blade missing the tip, it’s mine,” Faith said.
“Roger, sir,” Laser answered.
The first problem with that is that you can't go around accusing people on one piece of circumstantial evidence provided by an unreliable witness. It might be worth pulling him aside later to ask about the note and to accept his apology and then ask if he'd seen the Leatherman on the desk and what his reaction might be (provided it hasn't been found in the mean time).
But right now I feel like Thigpen is being set up from a couple of different angles. He's an interesting case because the army let in him so does the army have a duty of care to these kinds of people who are so clearly unsuitable? Perhaps there could be a different MOS he could be moved into? He might flourish somewhere else.
But right now I feel like Thigpen is being set up from a couple of different angles. He's an interesting case because the army let in him so does the army have a duty of care to these kinds of people who are so clearly unsuitable? Perhaps there could be a different MOS he could be moved into? He might flourish somewhere else.
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This is the part I keep getting stuck on.
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To add -
Assuming he is not being set up by the other Soldiers, Thigpen put the "sorry" note on the monitor to apologize for the fuckup that he was.
The Leatherman will be found, Thigpen did not steal it...that behavior does not fit his profile.
Assuming he is not being set up by the other Soldiers, Thigpen put the "sorry" note on the monitor to apologize for the fuckup that he was.
The Leatherman will be found, Thigpen did not steal it...that behavior does not fit his profile.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
Man this reminds me of my first platoon and my second platoon so much. When I showed up to Knox, it was the Squadron rear element. It was full of high risk soldiers of all kinds and top performers who were also on their way out. So we had really good NCOs and a lot of questionable soldiers. 3/1 ID before I got there had one of the highest Suicide rates in the Army. There was a 1SG who was a top performer in the BDE try to kill himself (he'd just gotten divorced and his ex-wife got everything), I'm not sure what exactly happened. But she shouldn't have got a thing, one of the many NCOs that she was fooling around with while married to him was adversely separated for said actions.
Well, when I got to Bliss, our Troop was considered the best in the SQDN. Although if you looked around I'm not so sure about that when I got there. By end of my time with my platoon and my commander's tenure it definitely was overall. But when I got there two guys had DUIs and somehow didn't get separated. One dude was the CSM's driver, CSM vouched for him and he was retained. He was a decent performer, but not sure the best overall that you'd retain him instead of separating him.
Another dude, Private P was in jail for armed robbery, prior to that he had already been in the queue of adverse separation and I think he was a week away from his clearing date. Then there was Private F, he was being medically discharged, somehow he herniated his testicles while on duty at one point. My second day with the platoon I had to send him to the ER as he had started bleeding down there...no idea how, he was on a deadman profile and the only thing we had him do was sit, nothing else. He wasn't exactly a stellar cat and in fact he was friends with Private P. Well he pops hot and gets arrested for statutory. He was gone two weeks later. Wild time.
This wasn't even bad. A TRP had it a whole lot worse. B TRP had a PSG, who was going to be their 1SG in about a week get a DUI. That night I even saw the dude at the Dropkick Murphy's concert.
The wildest one though was a guy SPC SJ, my last week I get a call from CID saying this guy needs to come down there. I drive him there, probably a dumb idea but he needed to get there. The agent tells me what's up and I'm like wtf. This guy was a decent worker when guided by a solid NCO and a really good MATV driver. Well, he came over from another BN's recce plt. Let's just say said BN's recce plt wasn't known to be full of top performers and they in fact got into a lot of shady shit. Well this dude was supposed to be on paternity leave, his last night he's at the club with one of his friends from his old unit. Well his buddy gets kicked out of the club, grabs his piece from the vic and shoots into the crowd. Someone in the crowd returns fire and SJ drives the getaway vehicle to the post hospital of all places instead of say the ER down the street and leaving his buddy at the BK.
All of these things happened in the Zero Tolerance of Character Issues Era of the early-mid 2010s.
Well, when I got to Bliss, our Troop was considered the best in the SQDN. Although if you looked around I'm not so sure about that when I got there. By end of my time with my platoon and my commander's tenure it definitely was overall. But when I got there two guys had DUIs and somehow didn't get separated. One dude was the CSM's driver, CSM vouched for him and he was retained. He was a decent performer, but not sure the best overall that you'd retain him instead of separating him.
Another dude, Private P was in jail for armed robbery, prior to that he had already been in the queue of adverse separation and I think he was a week away from his clearing date. Then there was Private F, he was being medically discharged, somehow he herniated his testicles while on duty at one point. My second day with the platoon I had to send him to the ER as he had started bleeding down there...no idea how, he was on a deadman profile and the only thing we had him do was sit, nothing else. He wasn't exactly a stellar cat and in fact he was friends with Private P. Well he pops hot and gets arrested for statutory. He was gone two weeks later. Wild time.
This wasn't even bad. A TRP had it a whole lot worse. B TRP had a PSG, who was going to be their 1SG in about a week get a DUI. That night I even saw the dude at the Dropkick Murphy's concert.
The wildest one though was a guy SPC SJ, my last week I get a call from CID saying this guy needs to come down there. I drive him there, probably a dumb idea but he needed to get there. The agent tells me what's up and I'm like wtf. This guy was a decent worker when guided by a solid NCO and a really good MATV driver. Well, he came over from another BN's recce plt. Let's just say said BN's recce plt wasn't known to be full of top performers and they in fact got into a lot of shady shit. Well this dude was supposed to be on paternity leave, his last night he's at the club with one of his friends from his old unit. Well his buddy gets kicked out of the club, grabs his piece from the vic and shoots into the crowd. Someone in the crowd returns fire and SJ drives the getaway vehicle to the post hospital of all places instead of say the ER down the street and leaving his buddy at the BK.
All of these things happened in the Zero Tolerance of Character Issues Era of the early-mid 2010s.
Unless he plans to end himself with it. He seems very unstable from my view. I hope it is not the case, but this is a messed up young individual.
It had been a long day. Faith backtracked everywhere he had gone that morning, but did not find his Leatherman. It only really had sentimental value, but he was annoyed that he managed to replace it. By the time he got back to the office that night, the only other person there was the specialist manning the company CQ desk.
“Hey sir, Private Thigpen from Headquarters Company came by looking for you, about 20 minutes ago,” that night’s CQ clerk, Specialist Eager, said.
“Thanks, Eager,” Faith replied. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“No sir, he didn’t want to leave a message, or his phone number.”
“OK, thanks.” Faith sighed. Well, whatever Thigpen wanted, Faith wasn’t about to spend the rest of the night tracking down a private in another company. That night after work Faith looked in his Truck and in his couch for his Leatherman but couldn’t find it. That kind of sucked, but if his blade didn’t turn up, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d lost one.
Faith hit the sack early that night, after a light dinner and a couple of beers. He was jarred from sleep at about 0300 by the ringing of his cell phone. He answered it right before voice mail kicked in. “Sir, this is Staff Duty. There was an incident in the Headquarters Company barracks last night. They need an officer to do a room inventory,” the voice on the other end of the line informed him.
“F’ing Headquarters,” Faith thought. Faith was confused. Calling in an officer to do a barracks inventory was standard practice anytime a Soldier went AWOL… but normally they never called someone in to do the inventory in the middle of the night. And besides, if a guy is AWOL at 0300 he’s still going to be AWOL at 0900, so why rush?
“I’m in Delta Company,” Faith stated grumpily. “Call one of Headquarters Company’s officers to do it.”
“Sir, Sergeant Major said to call you specifically,” replied the voice on the other end of the line.
Well, that was different. Faith felt his level of concern rise. “OK, what is going on?” he inquired.
“Don’t know sir, they just asked for me to call you and ask you to come down right away.“
Well, that wasn’t particularly helpful. “Can you at least tell me the room number?”
“Headquarters Wing, Room 425. First Sergeant and the command sergeant major will meet you there, sir.”
“Roger.”
Faith was tired, grumpy, and deeply annoyed. Because he lived in the Bachelor Officer Quarters, he was less than five minutes from the company area. And because of this fact of geography, he was frequently called in when things required something “officer-y.” “We have a staff duty officer roster for a reason,” he grumbled to himself as he drove in. “Headquarters Company needs to start handling its own fucking problems.”
Whatever happened in Headquarters Company, it was definitely something very bad. There was a fire truck, and ambulance, and two military police cars, lights flashing, parked on the street. As Faith parked, two medical technicians were loading a man on a stretcher into the ambulance. He was not moving, and they did not appear to be in a hurry. So either whatever happened wasn’t life threatening, or… the man was already dead. “Probably just alcohol poisoning,” Faith thought. “They’ll get him to the hospital, pump his stomach, and he’ll wake up this afternoon with the mother of all hangovers. Back at PT on Monday morning.”
Faith made his way to the Headquarters wing of the barracks and climbed the steps up to the fourth floor.
Faith couldn’t help but notice that this was the cleanest, tidiest barracks room he had ever been in. Everything was in its place. Everything was “dress-right, dress.” He was impressed. “Looks like Headquarters really got its act together,” Faith thought.
The Headquarters Company first sergeant and the battalion sergeant major in the hallway, well into an intense conversation. They saw Faith and their conversation stopped abruptly, as if they didn’t want him to hear what they were talking about. “That was weird,” Faith thought as he moved into the barracks room. Military police and civilian lab technicians moved through the area, which for a barracks room was rather spacious. A lab tech? Maybe someone in the barracks got busted for drugs or something. One of the techs carried a clear plastic evidence bag. In it was a familiar-looking silver Leatherman-style multi-tool. The blade was extended and was missing a piece near the tip. It was also covered in blood.
Faith stopped the lab tech that was carrying the bag with the Leatherman. “Hey, I’m Lieutenant Faint, and I’m pretty sure that’s mine,” he said.
“Not anymore sir,” the tech responded. “Now it’s evidence.” That sounded ominous. Faith was annoyed, but there wasn’t a lot he could do. “OK, fine. I’m here to do the inventory.” he asked.
“First Sergeant is over there,” the other man said, indicating the attached bathroom. We’re done processing the scene and you can start your inventory there, if you like.”
Wait, “processing the scene?” Of an AWOL? What an odd choice of words…
Faith nodded and made his way into the bathroom. The floors and bathroom were streaked with blood. As he approached the bathroom, Faith noticed that Delta Company’s First Sergeant was there, on his knees, helping to clean up the blood. “Hey First Sergeant,” Faith said, as cheerfully as he could. The other man did not respond.
“If I didn’t know better,” Faith thought, “I’d say First Sergeant had been crying.” It was also really, really odd that the first sergeant for Delta Company would be here, for something related to Headquarters Company, and that he’d be cleaning up the mess. That was definitely not his job. But maybe First Sergeant knew this guy somehow, or he didn’t want Headquarters Company’s soldiers to have to clean up what used to be one of their buddies.
The bathroom was like the barracks room: immaculate. Besides the blood on the floor, there was only one thing that Faith noticed was out of order: scrawled on the mirror in deep green cammo stick were the words, “CAN’T DO ANYTHING.”
And then it all made sense.
-Fin
“Hey sir, Private Thigpen from Headquarters Company came by looking for you, about 20 minutes ago,” that night’s CQ clerk, Specialist Eager, said.
“Thanks, Eager,” Faith replied. “Did he say what he wanted?”
“No sir, he didn’t want to leave a message, or his phone number.”
“OK, thanks.” Faith sighed. Well, whatever Thigpen wanted, Faith wasn’t about to spend the rest of the night tracking down a private in another company. That night after work Faith looked in his Truck and in his couch for his Leatherman but couldn’t find it. That kind of sucked, but if his blade didn’t turn up, it wouldn’t be the first time he’d lost one.
Faith hit the sack early that night, after a light dinner and a couple of beers. He was jarred from sleep at about 0300 by the ringing of his cell phone. He answered it right before voice mail kicked in. “Sir, this is Staff Duty. There was an incident in the Headquarters Company barracks last night. They need an officer to do a room inventory,” the voice on the other end of the line informed him.
“F’ing Headquarters,” Faith thought. Faith was confused. Calling in an officer to do a barracks inventory was standard practice anytime a Soldier went AWOL… but normally they never called someone in to do the inventory in the middle of the night. And besides, if a guy is AWOL at 0300 he’s still going to be AWOL at 0900, so why rush?
“I’m in Delta Company,” Faith stated grumpily. “Call one of Headquarters Company’s officers to do it.”
“Sir, Sergeant Major said to call you specifically,” replied the voice on the other end of the line.
Well, that was different. Faith felt his level of concern rise. “OK, what is going on?” he inquired.
“Don’t know sir, they just asked for me to call you and ask you to come down right away.“
Well, that wasn’t particularly helpful. “Can you at least tell me the room number?”
“Headquarters Wing, Room 425. First Sergeant and the command sergeant major will meet you there, sir.”
“Roger.”
Faith was tired, grumpy, and deeply annoyed. Because he lived in the Bachelor Officer Quarters, he was less than five minutes from the company area. And because of this fact of geography, he was frequently called in when things required something “officer-y.” “We have a staff duty officer roster for a reason,” he grumbled to himself as he drove in. “Headquarters Company needs to start handling its own fucking problems.”
Whatever happened in Headquarters Company, it was definitely something very bad. There was a fire truck, and ambulance, and two military police cars, lights flashing, parked on the street. As Faith parked, two medical technicians were loading a man on a stretcher into the ambulance. He was not moving, and they did not appear to be in a hurry. So either whatever happened wasn’t life threatening, or… the man was already dead. “Probably just alcohol poisoning,” Faith thought. “They’ll get him to the hospital, pump his stomach, and he’ll wake up this afternoon with the mother of all hangovers. Back at PT on Monday morning.”
Faith made his way to the Headquarters wing of the barracks and climbed the steps up to the fourth floor.
Faith couldn’t help but notice that this was the cleanest, tidiest barracks room he had ever been in. Everything was in its place. Everything was “dress-right, dress.” He was impressed. “Looks like Headquarters really got its act together,” Faith thought.
The Headquarters Company first sergeant and the battalion sergeant major in the hallway, well into an intense conversation. They saw Faith and their conversation stopped abruptly, as if they didn’t want him to hear what they were talking about. “That was weird,” Faith thought as he moved into the barracks room. Military police and civilian lab technicians moved through the area, which for a barracks room was rather spacious. A lab tech? Maybe someone in the barracks got busted for drugs or something. One of the techs carried a clear plastic evidence bag. In it was a familiar-looking silver Leatherman-style multi-tool. The blade was extended and was missing a piece near the tip. It was also covered in blood.
Faith stopped the lab tech that was carrying the bag with the Leatherman. “Hey, I’m Lieutenant Faint, and I’m pretty sure that’s mine,” he said.
“Not anymore sir,” the tech responded. “Now it’s evidence.” That sounded ominous. Faith was annoyed, but there wasn’t a lot he could do. “OK, fine. I’m here to do the inventory.” he asked.
“First Sergeant is over there,” the other man said, indicating the attached bathroom. We’re done processing the scene and you can start your inventory there, if you like.”
Wait, “processing the scene?” Of an AWOL? What an odd choice of words…
Faith nodded and made his way into the bathroom. The floors and bathroom were streaked with blood. As he approached the bathroom, Faith noticed that Delta Company’s First Sergeant was there, on his knees, helping to clean up the blood. “Hey First Sergeant,” Faith said, as cheerfully as he could. The other man did not respond.
“If I didn’t know better,” Faith thought, “I’d say First Sergeant had been crying.” It was also really, really odd that the first sergeant for Delta Company would be here, for something related to Headquarters Company, and that he’d be cleaning up the mess. That was definitely not his job. But maybe First Sergeant knew this guy somehow, or he didn’t want Headquarters Company’s soldiers to have to clean up what used to be one of their buddies.
The bathroom was like the barracks room: immaculate. Besides the blood on the floor, there was only one thing that Faith noticed was out of order: scrawled on the mirror in deep green cammo stick were the words, “CAN’T DO ANYTHING.”
And then it all made sense.
-Fin
