It isn't that I have "lost" anything, rather my personal identity has vanished. It's not like a "regular" job where you can go home at the end of the day. You are basically just a cog in the giant "green machine" turning when and how your told to! Most of the time I do go home at 5 p.m., but there are some days where we will have to stay late and you don't even know the reason why. The worst part is that "they" have total control over your life. If they tell you you are going to put up "camo" in a lightning storm, then by god you are going to do it! If you refuse, then you are at the mercy of UCMJ (uniform code of military justice).
I am an E-4 (Specialist) and hope to make my E-5 (Sergeant) this year. I work on the hydraulic sysytems on helicopters, which there is far too little work to be done. I make bent metal tubing to fit certain tolerances as well as a lot of high pressure rubber hoses. Prior to being stationed here at Fort Polk I didd two tours in Honduras and one tour in Korea. In Korea I worked in Production Control which monitors the work being done on the aircraft and tracks maitenance and flying hours. That was the most I have learned since I have been in the Army. You might ask why I didn't work on aircraft? I didn't work on aircraft because I didn't even have a tool box. There are so many "slots" even if that particular worker can't be utilized they have to fill the slot. So engine guys were running supply, etc. In Honduras I worked Production Control again for the first year. The second year I worked on the Blackhawk with the crew cheifs. That was the most enjoyable experience of my Army career as of yet. We accomplished the mission and then we went home. Really simple! This is my first duty station where I have actually been able to do my "job." It has taken a little while to brush up on my skills. There isn't a whole lot of work to be done here either. Oh well, another day, another .50 before taxes!
Don't get me wrong I have learned a lot and this experience will stay with me the rest of my life, but there are just some things that don't make it worthwhile to stay in any longer. I am looking forward to being a PFC again! For those of you who don't know what that means: private ******* civillian!
