Claude's Ventures

Ballad of the Green Berets

Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Beret

Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America’s best
One hundred men we’ll test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Trained to live, off nature’s land
Trained in combat, hand to hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage deep, from the Green Beret

Silver wings upon their chest
These are men, America’s best
One hundred men we’ll test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request

Put silver wings on my son’s chest
Make him one of America’s best
He’ll be a man they’ll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret

– SSgt. Barry Sadler

Unfortunately, it took going to the IG (Inspector General) and several calls to be released from Camp Atterbury.

It was during my rounds of trying to get out of there that an officer (a name which will be withheld) said “Boy, they screwed you!” and “I would go to the IG.”  So I did.

The other issue that was keeping me from leaving lovely Camp Atterbury was I needed to handoff my equipment with the 310th ESC (my last tie).  My commander, an actual member of the 310th, didn’t want to take responsibility for it. The 310^th Liaison officer, who I was told met with my commander and the other NCO the day before they left, didn’t want the equipment or for that matter to see me (I think he thought I was going to force the equipment on him). So I sat there for several days after they left waiting for someone from the 310th to drive one hour from Indianapolis to Camp Atterbury. The day finally arrived I saw them for about 20 minutes and waved them good bye with the equipment in tow.

I was then able to outprocess the next day and leave Camp Atterbury.

Fortunate Son
Creedence Clearwater Revival

Some folks are born made to wave the flag,
Ooh, they’re red, white and blue.
And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”,
Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord,

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no,

Yeah!
Some folks are born silver spoon in hand,
Lord, don’t they help themselves, oh.
But when the taxman comes to the door,
Lord, the house looks like a rummage sale, yes,

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no millionaire’s son, no.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no.

Some folks inherit star spangled eyes,
Ooh, they send you down to war, Lord,
And when you ask them, “How much should we give?”
Ooh, they only answer More! more! more! yoh,

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no military son, son.
It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, one.

It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no no no,
It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate son, no no no,

Written by John Fogerty

Here at Camp Atterbury I’ve been assigned to the “Holding” Company (How appropriate).

The company is made up of Soldiers demobbing (coming from activation), mobbing (being activated), retiring, getting out of the Army, medical recovery, or being processed out of Army.

The day is pretty simple. There is a 7:30 a.m. and a 3:30 p.m. formation. At the formations roll call is taken to make sure everyone is accounted for and to announce various pieces of information. If you leave the area you have to go to the company office to sign out and say where you are going. Then you have to sign back in when you return.

SPC Paul H. Whitten, who hails from Myrtle Beach, S.C., shows off his latest T-shirt. Whitten is waiting for a ride to Afghanistan.

Those who have been determined to be at the holding company for a while are assigned duties. These duties include working at the library or gym, answering phones, or being in charge of something.

Presently, I’m still considered demobbing so I haven’t been given an assignment. I’m just hoping it doesn’t come to the point were I’m given assignments.

It’s backkkkkk!!!!

Last June I foundout that there were several problems with the way my orders were written and I began the process of fixing them.

Well, with all the phone calls and emails most of the problems were fixed –except for one item. I continued through October to try to get that corrected. Then I got a major assignment and forgot about it.

It turns out I cannot finish outprocessing from Camp Atterbury without this problem being fixed. The clerk here, like others in the past have assured me “it is a five minute fix.” That five minute fix is turning into 3 days. (I guess technically, I have been waiting for this misstake to be corrected since last June.)

My Colonel and the other NCO in the team have already left.

The Colonel asked if I was going to be alright if he left. I said I would feel better if he stayed until my orders were fixed (You know, Commander being the last one to leave — making sure all his men leave safely). His response was, “Ahhh, no.”