Let's Just Call It Even

Marching my platoon was the most fun I had ever had in the Army. It just was. There was something about that day, those moments when something within me came alive and it was birthed right there in my voice and marching. I was me and yet I wasn’t. I can’t explain it. But whatever that was, it felt awesome. I was on fire.

Until the Instructor came running towards me –

Whatever, I thought, so I sang girly lyrics. I certainly put up with way more garbage than that!

“Sergeant! Sergeant! Sergeant Dodge!” He’s coming at me and so I stood there waiting to be humiliated once again.

“Sergeant Dodge! That was THE BEST marching I have EVER seen done by a student. It quite frankly could be the best marching I had ever seen done, period. You had such control and command and *shakes head* wow, after that last mess you called marching I would have never guesses you were capable of anything even close to this just –GREAT JOB! And I will be telling your Instructors about this!”

Then he looks over to address the platoon, “And when your Platoon Sergeant sounds off with cadence, you best better be sounding off too! No one asked you if you liked the words.”

We were all dismissed and went into the Mess Hall. Some of the guys were genuinely upset because of the cadence I sang, some were mildly upset, others were amused. I was very amused. I got some hard-core CAV soldiers singing about wearing a mini skirt because after all, they thought nothing of singing cadence about their male parts so you know . . . .

We all sat down to eat and my cadence was the topic of conversation. One soldier who was particularly upset angrily said to me, “That wasn’t cool. That wasn’t cool at all!”

I looked at him and said, “That was payback for your dingle-dangle dangling in the dirt. So let’s just call it even.”

He was not amused, the others broke into laughter.

Hello, my name is Sergeant Dodge and I will be your Platoon Sergeant!