The Laughing Wolf

Some Thoughts On Soldiers

Or rather, what or who makes a good soldier? Not in terms of once they are a soldier, but the types of people that go on to make good soldiers.

This was a train of thought, oft derailed, brought on by my friend’s description of the kid, her friend, who became a soldier. She made a number of observations, but one that struck home for me was a description of some of his “geekiness.”

It struck me that many of the people I had known who went on to become outstanding in some field of the military arts were geeks, dorks, or the quiet ones. In thinking of tales told by others, this rang true as well. Then again, you do really always want to watch the quiet ones, for they are the ones who will surprise you most.

I told my friend a story I had been told, of a person from the inner city who joined up. This person had never been outside the city, never fired a gun, and had never done many of the things that are part and parcel of being a soldier. Despite this, they had a natural aptitude for shooting and marksmanship, and became quite a sniper. If memory serves, I believe they left the military and became a teacher, back in the inner city. Wonder if any of the students know that the teacher (and, face it, most students think teachers are geeks) used to be one of the best at reaching out a thousand or so yards and stopping bad people from doing bad things to others?

One geek I know was in Military Intelligence, and we were all thankful they were not in the field. I am not saying they were clueless and clumsy, but they could be both lost and a menace in their own home. Behind a desk and designing systems and programs they were the best, however, and did a number of good things for this country that helped those out in the field.

Then there was the British helicopter pilot, who delighted in taking the tops out of pine trees near the fort. Never did find out if it was true that he was doing it for money part of the time, so that people could put up television antennas in those ancient pre-cable days. I do believe those who told me he did some of it just because he was crazy.

There were two Air Force helicopter pilots who would be gravely offended at being called geeks, but they really were. What else can you call people who delighted in doing things like using bolts, screws, and glue to turn everything in the CO’s office upside down, such that the floor became the ceiling? Or would take interesting little side trips off from the herd and official flight plan (going between two oak trees, on our side, really was fun), doing mock strafing runs across fields, and making machine gun sounds like small children?

Or the tank driver who loved taking out trees and obstacles, and thought he was a race car driver? He wasn’t, and had the tickets to prove it, though I am so glad they never caught him when he took the tank out of the exercise zone and into a Kwik-E-Mart, and filled up all the external storage with ice and beer for the troops.

Yep, the geeks, the dorks, and the quiet ones. They often did become some of the best of the best for no one had ever plumbed their depths or given them a real area in which to shine. That may well be the secret to what makes a good troop: someone who is given a chance to find a niche they like, and allowed to make the most of it. Military or corporate, it is a good way to find, nurture, and develop talent. Think on that a bit.

-30-