» Wed Aug 11, 2010 1:42 am FOB X-Ray
3rd Armored Brigade (3rd Armored Division, II Corps, NCR Army)
14:20 Hours
"So then I told him, there is no way in hell that?."
"Parsons would you do me a favor and shut the [censored] up!" Seriously, you tell that story once a week and to be honest it's really starting to wear on me."
"Oh and what would you rather have me do? Sit there and listen to that country music [censored], about where freedom reigns and eagles fly?."
"Shut up Parsons! You are a straight up pinko-communist, you know that?"
"Gentlemen, would kindly shut the hell up, you are interrupting me doing nothing, and I'll be damned if anyone of you is going to get away with that."
"Oh come on Sergeant we were just debating the finer points of why my story telling is by far more entertaining than that crap that O'Leary calls music."
Before Sergeant McAllister could tell them to shut up again, the loud and imposing voice of Sergeant-Major Kowalski broke up the banter between Parsons and O'Leary.
"Holy hell, what the [censored] is this? Sergeant why are your men sitting here, and shooting the [censored]? In case you may have forgotten Sergeant McAllister we are?.."
Before the Sergeant-Major could continue his ranting and raving, the sound of small explosion cut him off.
"Mortar attack, mortar attack?.take cover".
For a few minutes, the sounds of exploding mortar rounds and the crack of FN and M60 fire could be heard, followed by what seemed like an eternity of deafening silence.
"Damn Brotherhood spotter, I thought those artillery morons had already turned him into mystery meat".
"Hell we're lucky the days, that those inbred hicks don't land a fire mission on us, how can you expect them to take out a Brotherhood spotter, or one their damn indirect fire teams?"
Before Parsons and O'Leary could continue, what went for after action banter, the sound of the Sergeant Major's voice again broke the silence, this time telling them to assemble up with their troop.
C Troop (3rd Battalion) staging area
FOB X-Ray
14:30 Hours
Captain Steiner's voice echoed across the staging area, as he explained in graphic and rather vulgar detail what actions that Brigade would take, in light of this recent mortar attack.
"And remember gents, you are authorized to engage any and all targets. Carry on".
Parsons looked over at O'Leary and began to comment on their less than enviable situation.
"Well hell, don't we all just love the army, making us go recce a town which they already know is crawling with Brotherhood of Steel insurgents, and furthermore we are going to do it in unarmored jeeps with .50's, because for some damn reason we are the only brigade in the division who is low on fuel."
"Well I suggest you take up your complain with President Tandi, after all, it's because of her son old "Hot Head" Hoss, the most incompetent officer to ever emerge from that degenerate cesspit that is the NCR Army Reserve. Apparently, that degenerate alcoholic, along with the 7th Infantry Division and our other 3 sister brigades are supporting his bloodbath, which he calls "The Great Push Forward" which is supposedly going to break the back of the Brotherhood's Shield Brigade".
"If there is one constant in the army, then it would have to be stupidity. Why not send the arty boys in and let them recce the town and draw fire?"
"Those morons already did, apparently their less than stable Sergeant, and you know who I'm talking about. Well he massacred the [censored] out of a merchant caravan just outside the town. Now if that's not bad enough, they got cut up badly going in there."
"Well if they got cut up so badly, why the hell are they sending us in?"
"Army wants to make sure that the Brotherhood are still there, it's a PR thing after all. Makes it look like we are exercising due diligence, rather than just flattening a town".
"Just so some liberal weenie in The Hub can sleep well at night, knowing that our boys are fighting the good fight huh".
"I hear ya brother, I hear ya".
Stay tuned for more?..
