Living on Kadena is nice in a lot of ways. Marines are not allowed to drive vehicles for anywhere from 6 months to a year. It is easier for the Armed Forces Network Marines to get vehicles because we have to travel for our job. Since I don't have a car that means I have to walk everywhere. The people around here are quite nice about giving rides though if you run into them. Sometimes they make it a point to run into you...I was walking back from the commissary where you buy food. I had just bought a few things, about two bags worth. A man in a car pulls up to me and asks if I needed a ride. I wasn't too far from my barracks (the Airmen call them dorms) but I hopped in for the conversation.
The man driving looked older, probably in his late 30s, early 40s. He was wearing a t-shirt and you could definitely tell the man had muscle. He had a traditional Marine's high and tight. Then the corner of his windshield caught my eye. Sergeant major chevrons. Are you kidding me?
He introduced himself as Sergeant Major Ploskonka. He joked about being Polish and then I told him my name and he laughed. We missed the turn to my barracks but he was free to ride around. He wasn't from Kadena, obviously. He was the sergeant major for the 9th Engineer Support Battalion out of Camp Hanson which is northeast from Kadena.
We parked next to my building and started to really talk. I mean REALLY talk. We probably talked to each other for an hour. He was telling me about how leadership works, how he made it and the mistakes he made along the way and how he overcame them. He explained the Marine Corps is like a fire, we start out as embers, privates, we're giving oxygen (training) and we start piling on the tinder, small sticks, branches, logs eventually we become a fire, combined with our officers, a fire in itself, we become an unstopable forest fire.
I did a quick google search on him and found he made sergeant major in 23 years. That is very impressive. There are only 500 sergeant major in the entire Marine Corps. He has 800 Marines under his leadership. from this website it said his personal awards include the Purple Heart, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with combat distinguishing device and 2 gold stars, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with 3 gold stars and the Combat Action Ribbon.
And he took the time to give me a ride.
I love the Marine Corps
2 comments:
Oorah. I'm impressed, too.
One thing I gotta fix and that is the plural of SgtMaj is Sergeants Major.... There are 800 Sergeants Major in the Marine Corps. Just one of the little nuances that really bug the shit out of me when I hear it wrong. I have even had to correct Sergeants Major on the proper use.
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