Small ray of sunshine

There's been a lot of grumpiness around here of late. We're not getting out much, and are mostly engaged in perpetuating some serious self-licking ice cream cone action.

So there we were in the office this afternoon. SGT C and I were griping. SGT B was on the NIPR, and I asked him to click into my AKO email. He did.

You've got an email from the first sergeant, he sang (with a certain degree of snarky cheer).

Awesome, replied Abby. I love communication from my chain of command. Let's see what wise things they have to say! (Or something very similar to that)

The subject line on the email read MAY JUNIOR BOARD PPRL.

SGT C, sensing my impending ecstasy at receiving email from Higher, edged toward the door as the email popped up.

I'm out, Sergeant..., he began.

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SOLDIERS WHO MADE THE LIST....read the email.

No. Don't leave. I need to read this. Stand right there and don't read over my shoulder, I did my best Sergeant growl. SGT C's packet was in front of the board, but they've been rough on him because, between two prior OIF/OEF deployments, a fine young family and a real job, SGT C has not yet gone to college. This has, in the eyes of previous boards, made him a giant, epic tower of FAIL.

The attachment opened....cover letter...[scroll...scroll....]...list of new Sergeants...list of new Staff Sergeants...

Hey! I smacked SGT C on the shoulder. Look!

He leaned. He peered. SGT B leaned and peered.

And there was grinning and backslapping and handshaking and great rejoicing all around. Effective 14 May, SGT C had become SSG C. That's good stuff, and it couldn't happen to a better guy.

The nail, it has been struck...

upon its head.

Tamara earned herself a hearty hooah from all three of the NCOs on my team with this shockingly accurate observation:

That whole corner of the world is like a Renaissance Festival gone amok; one where the participants don't take off their medieval garb and come back to the 21st Century at the end of the day, because it's never Miller Time in a country where booze is illegal and most anything fun can result in having various bits chopped off in a court of law.

It's one of those things we try not to say, but which does cross your mind from time to time if you hang out here long enough.

Mothers' Day

Just a note to wish all of my moms out there a Happy Mothers' Day. For the rest of you, make sure you call and tell YOUR Mom how fabulous she is. My Mom is, of course, the most fabulous one out there, but I'm sure y'all have some pretty good ones, too.

Next year, we have spend the day together, Mom!