08 February 2010

SUPERRRRRR BOWL SNUNNDAYYY SIRRR, HICK UP ,...EXCUSE ME...SIR

From the Soldier Side: (I told this story last year and the year before, but it’s one of my favorites) Super Bowl Sunday, Jan 2005! There I was, in Baghdad, Iraq. My team had just flown in that day from some shitty mission.... (I think it was Mosoul/ Telafar). We were worn out and tired. We had been sent to Mosoul to help after the Army mess hall had been blown up by a suicide bomber. Still, after all these years, I think one of the hardest things to investigate is something where the primary suspect has killed himself. In that case, I really wish he had made a mistake with his fuse and blown himself up outside the camp.

But the biggest hinderance in that investigation was not the insurgents, but the idiot Sergeant who had put herself in charge...she had no idea what to do. 


Anyway, after we got off the Blackhawk chopper in Baghdad, we were trucked back out our rooms. We dropped our gear and headed for dinner….

We walked over to the mess hall. After clearing our weapons, grabbing a tray of chow, I saw that they had a bunch of ice cold beer. I thought it was a celebration for our safe return.

Nope. It was Super Bowl Sunday 2005. This is the most important holiday in the US Army. The Marines have the Marine Corps Birthday, I'm not sure what the Navy and Air Force have, but the Army has Super Bowl.

Now, I figure a lot of you won't understand how important beer was....because General Order #1 said we could not have anything with alcohol in it...unless a General authorized it. But, even with a General's approval, there could only be a 2 beer limit per person.

Now, to be honest with you, I don't normally drink that much any more. But that time of the deployment, a cold beer sounded really good. 2 cold beers sounded even better. They went down quick.....ice cold, yummy.

Then, my #2 guy looked around and found all the Islamic Terps and the Mormon soldiers. We convinced them that they should get their ration of beer and bring them to us.....only 2 at a time.

I lost count of how many beers I had. And wouldn't you know it, walking out of the mess hall (really kind of staggering) there was the battalion commander and the sergeant major. They were assholes, and I just walked by and said: "Gentlemen, dinner is on me."

We made it back to our rooms and passed out. I never did watch that game and I have no idea who was even playing. But the 2 beers were sure gooooood!  I admit.. I was a bit ripped.

Note: For those of you who have a direct feed, I do look forward to comments...that's the only way I know what to write about.... Thanks-editor.

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15 comments:

anon said...

I can't believe I'm reading that post to The Bee Gee's. Stayin' Alive, good choice! But I've got a creepy urge to do The Hustle, go figure, I'm old.

I'm sure a beer or10 must have been most welcome.

People blowing themselves up right in your dining hall? Ew.

Terrorists have no manners at all.

Tika said...

Still reading and still very interested! I mailed a Gunny pal some snacks to have with his game and beer last year. . . of course, he got them 3 weeks after the game because he and his unit were way out in the back of somewhere for 1.5 months. Never did hear if he got his beer.

Coffeypot said...

You have an EDITOR? WOW! I do my fuckups all by myself. I don't need help.

You are more professional than me, too. I would have told the BatCom and SgtM, “Gentlemen, the dinner is on me.” and I would then have thrown up down my shirt.

Saker said...

That was pretty devious, Sarge. If you're stumped on what to write about, share more tales of "creative interpretation of the rules." :D

CI-Roller Dude said...

PG, The "Staying alive" was actually better done by a group from Bosnia, but I can't find it on line...

Ally, I lost track of how many times we didn't get our mail and packs until weeks after we returned from a mission. One really dumbass pouge captain actually had our mail forwarded to a camp nobody even knew we were at and all the stuff for my team got returned to the States--- I was very pissed and stood up to 2 Sergeant Majors who attempted to put the blame on me.

Coffee, I guess you didn't get stuck in the snow and have to eat yourself. I am the chief writer, editor, publisher etc.

Saker, I can read the rules very well and find loopholes in most Army rules.

Mandie said...

Nice choice in music there, Dude.

But that post was hilarious!

Honestly, who would've thought of that?

Kanani said...

Sorry, I was going to read this, but you've got the Bee Gees on and I have to dance instead.

CI-Roller Dude said...

Sorry to blow it...but I hated the BeeGees. Just thought "Staying Alive' was the best song for this post.

Anonymous said...

1. Didn't know general officers could supercede General Order Number One.
2. Figures.
3. Know you can find a way around the rules.
4. Heard a hundred good senior NCO's say, "Here's the regs. Now here's what we're going to do...."
V/R JWest

CI-Roller Dude said...

MrWest,
We had "General Order #1" in Bosnia to. But down in the Sereaveo base they could drink...didn't make any sense. The unit replacing us in Bosnia had an alcholic general in charge, so I heard he was trying to cancel The No Drinking Policy.

I think when you have folks with loaded weapons, you should not drink. I violated my own rule only once, but I had my guys put their weapons ammo in their pockets. I guess I'm going to hell anyway.

Most Army rules are written so badly that it's easy to "bend" them a little.

Miss Em said...

You know that the upper echolon wrote those rules in such a manner because the upper echolon already knew that the grunts and especially the Sgts would find a way around them so why make it any harder than it already was.

Hope this made sense because I just finished my bottle of wine with my Chicken Pasta.
Guess that's why the screen won't stay in one place to read those damn words.

Miss Em
Austell, Ga

Anonymous said...

I just figured you must have had "2beers" or something when you put the BeeGees on here... hehe

Now Bosnian BeeGees? OMG, I wanna hear THAT. hahhaa.....

CI-Roller Dude said...

Miss E,
I perhaps one shouldn't blog while drinking

J, It's Dobra

Miss Em said...

At least I wasn't hic-cupping.
And the chicken pasta wasn't half bad. Guess the wine helped.
Miss Em

Evil Mistress of the Dark said...

Hi a am a friend of ol coffypot just started blogging and he wanted me to share my first one with you. I just love your songs.
Also was in lawenforcement (CHP Dispatcher and Vet from the 70's)

krazedkatz blog spot