BEST ADVICE: STFU

557 MP. CO. CP Humphries, South Korea.

1997, December, 2 A.M.

ALERT! We sprang from out dreams into action. My platoon was the protection force for the company area; our squad was tasked with setting razor wire on the perimeter. The night was deep black and cold; I was a tired, half-ass soldier--high ranking in bad attitude.

I looked up as Sgt. Walker was passing, impulsively shouting, "Why do we even have to do this Sergeant?"     

He stopped, looked me dead in the eye, replied, "McCloy, YOU JOINED THE ARMY! Now shut the F*** up and do your job." He stared at me for a moment after words, watched as my soul became a gnat. Then, He abruptly turned, stridently marching off.

I did my small part, setting the razor wire in clouds of frozen exhalations, muting my inner whining. Ever since, when I hear that childish, pitiful inner voice, I just look right at it and tell it: Shut the F*** up--do your duty!

--Robert McCloy, Sgt. U.S. Army