Going Nowhere

Consider this: You've been working the same job with the same expectations and increasing responsibilities for the past eleven years. By now, most would have perfected their routine and learned what to do and what to expect. The hero of our story is begging to made an example of under these exact conditions.

Yesterday (12 July 2009) my platoon sergeant was talking to the squad leader and asking him if he thought that he had met the deadline. The squad leader immediately insisted that he had, then quickly changed his opinion saying that he felt he had prioritized based on the work he was given. The platoon sergeant asked him again while looking at a paper providing the deadline at which time the squad leader finally admitted he did not meet the deadline, even though he was still working on it and the deadline just happened to be Friday. He then continued to go outside to smoke with me where he had a small complaint about having to wear his uniform on a Sunday when the platoon sergeant didn't. He appealed to me verbally, even though there was obviously nothing I could do.