Not, By Nature, A Happy Man

Junior year, VA Tech

Published on April 23, 2006 By pseudosoldier In Personal Relationships

Fall of '96. The week before classes began. "New Cadet Week" at the VA Tech Corps of Cadets. The cadre arrived the week prior to that to get trained up. Each cadet company (there were nine at the time, four in each battalion plus the band) had a CO, an

(both Seniors), a 1SG, two Platoon Sergeants (C/SSGs, all three were Juniors), and two Cadre Corporals (Sophomores). There were somewhere between a dozen and twenty new cadets per company... it has been awhile, and I'm uncertain now.

I don't know that I had said anything to them to this point. It was time for the Cadre introductions. The CO spoke first, I think, since he was also the RA (resident advisor) for the hall. The

would be next, then the C/1SG. Next was either C/SSG (Cadet Staff Sergeant) Doe or the other one... I'm only concerned about Doe, of course.

"I am not, by nature, a happy man. But if you try hard, make an effort, and show some success, you might maybe make me crack a smile."

It was hard in the second semester. With grades slipping away, and depression descending, C/SSG Doe was demoted to C/PVT Doe. Golf Company was kind to him. When the empty vodka bottles were found in his room during a health and welfare inspection, the CO stood up for him and said it was just decoration, not contraband. The New Cadets all liked him; they figured out pretty quickly that he wasn't yelling to be a jerk, he just liked to be loud. They ragged on him a bit, but it was all in fun. It wasn't easy for him to leave during that second semester, but he certainly couldn't stay.

He doesn't even know what happened to all the others.

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