The morning our ship was scheduled to leave, we were standing at ease awaiting orders to board. In another classic example of hurry up and wait, we were mustered in the boarding area by oh seven hundred. At thirteen hundred hours we were still awaiting orders to board. When the order finally came, we made our way toward the ship. I was halfway up the gangplank when two MPs arrived in a speeding Jeep and hurriedly rushed by us. They spoke to the officer at the top of the gangplank briefly and showed him some papers. The line stopped moving while the officer looked at his clipboard. The MPs and the officer spoke again briefly and the MP’s started back down the gangplank.
One of the MP’s a heavily muscled sergeant first class stripes walked past me and bellowed. ‘I’m looking for one Private Jonas Taylor, I repeat Private Jonas Thomas Taylor.’
Everyone near me was looking at me, wondering why the hell two MPs were after my ass. I called out, ‘Here Sergeant!’
He was already about forty feet past me. He stopped and turned around looking for me. ‘Where are you Private?’ He was already hustling back toward me.
I raised my hand and said, ‘Here, Sergeant!’ He was already nearly on top of me with his partner hot on his heels.
They each took an arm and roughly pulled me out of line and down the gangplank without explanation. They were far from gentle. The corporal nearly ripped my arm out of the socket he grabbed me so forcefully. They dragged me down to a waiting jeep and ordered me into the front passenger seat. The sergeant took my pack, tossed it into the back then climbed in behind me. The corporal started the engine and accelerated away rapidly. He took a left turn at the end of the wharf. I held on tightly so I didn’t get thrown from the Jeep.
From behind me, the sergeant asked, ‘What the fuck did you do, Private?
”Excuse me, Sergeant?’ I asked, unsure what he wanted to know.
‘I said, what the fuck did you do?’ he repeated, much louder.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about, Sergeant.’
‘Yeah, right. I get dispatched all the time to collect soldiers that haven’t done anything. Well, you’re about to find out. I ain’t never seen the Top Kick so pissed off as he was when he ordered me to take you into custody before the ship left. And I’ve seen him plenty pissed. I’m glad I’m not in your boots, Private. Whatever you did, you’re in deep shit.’
I couldn’t think of anything that I’d done that would send two MPs to collect me on orders from a first sergeant.
Added by carrteun