Soldiers in Heat: Training Session by Joanna A. Haze Page A
Authors: Joanna A. Haze
Get some rest.
You’ll need it.”
Kimberly put her bags in the wall locker
assigned to her bunk. Her cell vibrated.
What the hell is going on? Are you really
gone? Baby, I’m so sorry! She ignored the three messages from
Jonathan, changed into her physical fitness uniform, and climbed
under the cover. Overwhelmed with disbelief, she fell asleep,
hoping to wake from this nightmare.
“ Wake up! Get up!” the lights
flicked on as someone shouted.
Kimberly looked at her watch. 0515.
“ Uniform of the day: physical
fitness shorts and short sleeves, no reflector belts or
flashlights,” the same girl shouted.
The room busied with movement. All the females
were out their beds fixing their clothes, hair, and beds. She
followed suit.
In minutes, they were outside and in
formation. All three of the HHC Cadre and their Commander had a
scowl on their face. They were led through stretching
exercises.
What the hell?
Several of the male candidates rolled tires in
their direction—huge truck tires. For the next hour, she and the
others had to flip the truck tires down fifty meters and then back.
All the pain she’d felt in OCS was nothing compared to the trauma
flipping tires put her through.
Afterward, they formed back up and marched to
chow. Her heart sank as she had to pass up Delta Company on her way
in. She couldn’t bring herself to look at any of them. She was
beyond ashamed.
Kimberly forced her food down and rushed out
of the dining facility. Once back at HHC, she showered and helped
the others to clean the bay area. They finished and held another
formation in which details they passed out details. She was
assigned to cleaning the Water Leadership Course.
“ Meet by the trucks in ten
minutes,” the Student in Charge said.
Kimberly perked up. She had enough time to run
into the office.
“ Staff Sergeant,” she said to the
tall, brown-haired cadre.
“ What, candidate?” he said,
glancing up from his desk.
At least I’m still a
candidate.
“ I need to put in my request for
the board hearing.”
“ Oh, so you’re innocent, huh?” He
laughed. “You and every other candidate here. You’re in luck.
There’s a hearing in three days. Most of the people here are on
injured status. Only one other is going to the hearing. I can put
you on the list.”
“ Thank you, Staff Sergeant
Jackson.” She held back her smile.
“ Candidate.”
“ Yes, Staff Sergeant?”
“ Get out my office.”
Kimberly exited and made her way back outside.
The trucks were loading up. She spent the next six hours out in the
hot sun scrubbing mud and mold off the sides of the course. She and
a few candidates scrubbed, and one power sprayed the walls. The
course was comprised of five areas, each with different water
obstacles. While in Delta Company, she had gone through the course.
The goal was to come together as a team and overcome the obstacles
together. If one fell in the rest of the squad jumped in to join
them. With Harvey on her side, she hit the water several
times.
By the end of the day, she wanted to collapse
but had to make it to chow. Once again, she avoided eye contact
with Delta Company. She ate in silence and returned to the female
bay at HHC.
“ You can come watch a movie in the
day room with us if you like,” a red-headed girl asked. During the
course of the day, Kimberly had found out her name was
McCoy.
Kimberly waved her off and went to her bunk.
Pulling out her phone she saw Jonathan had left her several
messages throughout the day. She responded letting him know she was
okay. He surprised her by calling back.
“ Baby, what the heck is going on?
I came in the building and found out you were gone,” he
said.
“ It was my husband.”
“ This can’t be happening,” he
said. “Why didn’t you go in front of the Battalion Commander? The
Company Commander doesn’t have that authority.”
“ The Battalion Commander ruled
without seeing me.” She closed her eye and leaned against the pole
of
You’ll need it.”
Kimberly put her bags in the wall locker
assigned to her bunk. Her cell vibrated.
What the hell is going on? Are you really
gone? Baby, I’m so sorry! She ignored the three messages from
Jonathan, changed into her physical fitness uniform, and climbed
under the cover. Overwhelmed with disbelief, she fell asleep,
hoping to wake from this nightmare.
“ Wake up! Get up!” the lights
flicked on as someone shouted.
Kimberly looked at her watch. 0515.
“ Uniform of the day: physical
fitness shorts and short sleeves, no reflector belts or
flashlights,” the same girl shouted.
The room busied with movement. All the females
were out their beds fixing their clothes, hair, and beds. She
followed suit.
In minutes, they were outside and in
formation. All three of the HHC Cadre and their Commander had a
scowl on their face. They were led through stretching
exercises.
What the hell?
Several of the male candidates rolled tires in
their direction—huge truck tires. For the next hour, she and the
others had to flip the truck tires down fifty meters and then back.
All the pain she’d felt in OCS was nothing compared to the trauma
flipping tires put her through.
Afterward, they formed back up and marched to
chow. Her heart sank as she had to pass up Delta Company on her way
in. She couldn’t bring herself to look at any of them. She was
beyond ashamed.
Kimberly forced her food down and rushed out
of the dining facility. Once back at HHC, she showered and helped
the others to clean the bay area. They finished and held another
formation in which details they passed out details. She was
assigned to cleaning the Water Leadership Course.
“ Meet by the trucks in ten
minutes,” the Student in Charge said.
Kimberly perked up. She had enough time to run
into the office.
“ Staff Sergeant,” she said to the
tall, brown-haired cadre.
“ What, candidate?” he said,
glancing up from his desk.
At least I’m still a
candidate.
“ I need to put in my request for
the board hearing.”
“ Oh, so you’re innocent, huh?” He
laughed. “You and every other candidate here. You’re in luck.
There’s a hearing in three days. Most of the people here are on
injured status. Only one other is going to the hearing. I can put
you on the list.”
“ Thank you, Staff Sergeant
Jackson.” She held back her smile.
“ Candidate.”
“ Yes, Staff Sergeant?”
“ Get out my office.”
Kimberly exited and made her way back outside.
The trucks were loading up. She spent the next six hours out in the
hot sun scrubbing mud and mold off the sides of the course. She and
a few candidates scrubbed, and one power sprayed the walls. The
course was comprised of five areas, each with different water
obstacles. While in Delta Company, she had gone through the course.
The goal was to come together as a team and overcome the obstacles
together. If one fell in the rest of the squad jumped in to join
them. With Harvey on her side, she hit the water several
times.
By the end of the day, she wanted to collapse
but had to make it to chow. Once again, she avoided eye contact
with Delta Company. She ate in silence and returned to the female
bay at HHC.
“ You can come watch a movie in the
day room with us if you like,” a red-headed girl asked. During the
course of the day, Kimberly had found out her name was
McCoy.
Kimberly waved her off and went to her bunk.
Pulling out her phone she saw Jonathan had left her several
messages throughout the day. She responded letting him know she was
okay. He surprised her by calling back.
“ Baby, what the heck is going on?
I came in the building and found out you were gone,” he
said.
“ It was my husband.”
“ This can’t be happening,” he
said. “Why didn’t you go in front of the Battalion Commander? The
Company Commander doesn’t have that authority.”
“ The Battalion Commander ruled
without seeing me.” She closed her eye and leaned against the pole
of