CLEAR THE AIR
I need to take a moment to clear the air and offer an apology here as I’ve managed to do something I was dead set against doing when I started Sgt Hook. When I first began this thing called a blog, I went to great lengths to keep my true identity anonymous for a few reasons. OPSEC, or operational security being a prime one, and I didn’t want my soldiers to read this and wonder if they were the subject of a posting or would be the next character in an entry. In short, I didn’t want Sgt Hook to become a distraction to my soldiers. I have failed in that end.
Whenever I write about a soldier of mine, I always change names, descriptions, even details of the actual incident so as to protect them. I often borrow from other experiences in my life to add to the story that I am relating as long as it doesn’t change the message I’m trying to get across. And that message has always been simply one, to try and enlighten the gentle reader on the life of a soldier.
Last night I posted an entry entitled “True Colors” whereby I related an experience with a young soldier who is no longer in the Army. I reasoned that enough time had passed and that the young man was no longer in the service, so this story could be told in an effort to demonstrate the challenges of leadership, especially when ramping up for a deployment. A second character in the story was the young soldier’s platoon sergeant. To illustrate this character I borrowed from my past. When I was still a sergeant first class, a platoon sergeant myself, I had a section sergeant working for me who I was eventually forced to “fire” because of what in my opinion was poor leadership. He too is no longer in the Army. So I introduced these two individuals in a story that I posted here on Sgt Hook. Imagine my surprise when I discovered this morning that the young soldier’s actual platoon sergeant read the story and was understandably hurt by the lack of accuracy (on the part of the platoon sergeant) as he was portrayed in a negative light. The post has been taken down.
For the record, the young soldier’s “real” platoon sergeant did an outstanding job in that position and never gave up on his soldiers or the unit despite having to deal with headaches like the one I described. But, I do owe him and all of the soldiers an apology, for I sincerely never intended to insult anyone in any manner and I certainly did not want this blog to become a distraction to your accomplishing the mission. For that I apologize.
For the record, to a man and a woman, the soldiers of my previous unit are the best in this man’s Army and I’d gladly serve with each and every one again. Because my writings here at Sgt Hook have now become a distraction to those fine soldiers, I will be closing down this blog. I owe it to them.
I’d like to thank all of those who read this drivel and have supported the soldiers as they fight for your freedom. I hope that I’ve been able to put the soldier in a new light for many. They’re good people and as I am, you too can be very proud of them all.
Sgt Hook out.
Posted by Hook @ 1534 zulu | | Permalink
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