Episode 9

In todays episode, we have a couple of stories:

1. Our first story is about a soldier who had anger issues and got involved in a violent altercation after a night of heavy drinking. The soldier nearly stabbed another soldier and then had to face, and live to regret, the decision.
2. Our second tale is a poignant story from a deployment to Balad Airfield during the Iraq War. The narrator describes a heartbreaking incident where a commanding officer, mistook a family for insurgents and opened fire, resulting in the deaths of four innocent civilians. The sender carries the weight of not intervening or speaking up, even though they were a junior enlisted member at the time.
3. This story revolves around a time when a military camp faced a shortage of food rations, leading the soldiers to take matters into their own hands. They encountered a cow crossing the road and decided to claim it for their own use, along with some chickens. The soldiers then organized a feast around a bonfire, cooking and sharing the meat.
4. In this story, set in 1989 while the sender was in the Navy, they describe how they were issued uncomfortable flight deck boots. When the boots wore out within a few months due to their demanding duties, the supply clerk refused to issue new boots, citing a six-month policy. The narrator had to resort to creative solutions like wire and duct tape to repair the boots. Eventually, they caught the attention of their squadron's commanding officer, leading to a resolution of the issue. It was later revealed that the supply clerk had been involved in unethical practices.

These stories cover a range of experiences, from humorous and lighthearted incidents to tragic and morally challenging situations within the military. Thank you for sharing them, and if you have any specific questions or further details about any of the stories, please feel free to ask.

Otherwise, send your stories into [e-mail] and we’ll see you next week!