Quick hits
Dec. 14th, 2008 02:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bktheirregularYesterday I was on sentry duty for three shifts, including 2 to 4 in the morning. This afternoon and evening, I have an off-base pass. Found an internet cafe in Mesologi, so quick update.
***
The other day:
Me: "I know the duty is lousy, but if it's got to be done, might as well do the best job I can, right?"
Sergeant: "If all our trainees were like you, we'd have one hell of an army."
Me: "Sarge, if all the troops were like me, in two months you wouldn't *have* an army."
***
Health: apparently the mandatory chest x-ray the army gives you turned up the same hinky something-or-other that had me scared in the spring. Monday they told me that I needed a spiral-CT scan urgently. Wednesday they shipped me back to Athens to the army hospital - three and a half hours by bus each way, I might add, and every time they do that I've got to be in what they laughingly call "dress uniform" - standard BDU's with a flag patch on one shoulder and a unit patch on the other - at five o'clock in the stinking morning. Anyway, Wednesday they told me to come back Monday (i.e. tomorrow) for that "urgent" spiral-CT. And a visit from a thoracic surgeon. They basically do medicine by the numbers in the army here.
***
Paperwork: as of yesterday, I'm one month in, eligible to get my good-conduct paper, bring it to Athens, and finalize my buyout. Except that I have to get the paper at the base in Mesologi, and I'm getting sent to Athens at five in the morning (see health above). So instead of going to get my paper tomorrow and asking for leave to go back to Athens (three days: one to travel, one full day for paperwork as per Murphy's Law, one day to return), I'm going to be up at 4am to get on a bus at 5:45am (assembly is at 5:00, and you have to be shaved and boot-shined), don't know when I'll get back but probably too late to get to the office on base, then Tuesday or Wednesday try to find a five-minute sliver of time to grab the paper. And then ask for leave.
***
Health again: once I'm back, need to get my knee looked at. Also need to see if my blood chemistry has altered any from a month and a half of medicine-by-numbers that ignored one critical test for my progress with the thyroid. I'm the old man of the company, and feeling it more and more every day.
***
And once I'm back, I have to start learning how to interact with people. It's obviously something that I never got right, growing up.
***
The other day:
Me: "I know the duty is lousy, but if it's got to be done, might as well do the best job I can, right?"
Sergeant: "If all our trainees were like you, we'd have one hell of an army."
Me: "Sarge, if all the troops were like me, in two months you wouldn't *have* an army."
***
Health: apparently the mandatory chest x-ray the army gives you turned up the same hinky something-or-other that had me scared in the spring. Monday they told me that I needed a spiral-CT scan urgently. Wednesday they shipped me back to Athens to the army hospital - three and a half hours by bus each way, I might add, and every time they do that I've got to be in what they laughingly call "dress uniform" - standard BDU's with a flag patch on one shoulder and a unit patch on the other - at five o'clock in the stinking morning. Anyway, Wednesday they told me to come back Monday (i.e. tomorrow) for that "urgent" spiral-CT. And a visit from a thoracic surgeon. They basically do medicine by the numbers in the army here.
***
Paperwork: as of yesterday, I'm one month in, eligible to get my good-conduct paper, bring it to Athens, and finalize my buyout. Except that I have to get the paper at the base in Mesologi, and I'm getting sent to Athens at five in the morning (see health above). So instead of going to get my paper tomorrow and asking for leave to go back to Athens (three days: one to travel, one full day for paperwork as per Murphy's Law, one day to return), I'm going to be up at 4am to get on a bus at 5:45am (assembly is at 5:00, and you have to be shaved and boot-shined), don't know when I'll get back but probably too late to get to the office on base, then Tuesday or Wednesday try to find a five-minute sliver of time to grab the paper. And then ask for leave.
***
Health again: once I'm back, need to get my knee looked at. Also need to see if my blood chemistry has altered any from a month and a half of medicine-by-numbers that ignored one critical test for my progress with the thyroid. I'm the old man of the company, and feeling it more and more every day.
***
And once I'm back, I have to start learning how to interact with people. It's obviously something that I never got right, growing up.
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no subject
Date: 2008-12-14 12:48 pm (UTC)I'm glad that you're nowhere near the riots, though.
no subject
Date: 2008-12-14 12:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-12-14 05:13 pm (UTC)Out of curiosity, does the buyout mean you can finish your time in the army, or do you still have 14-15 more days to go regardless? (Then again, reading this, I wonder if it may take that long to get the paperwork.)
Regardless, good luck with the paperwork run. Keep us posted when you can.
)