Part Three of the story...

(an old picture-obviously cuz im in the old BDU's)

I suggest scrolling down and reading part one and two of the story to both fully understand and appreciate part three of the story…


About two miles down the road a young 2LT by the name of Benjamin Paine is just returning from five days out Forward Operating Base (FOB) Voyager…His body is exhausted from the heat and humidity, his feet hurt from five days of walking and running around the red Georgia clay of Fort Benning in the Oh so comfortable” standard issue brown boots. A steady stream sweat makes its way down the brim of his ACU cover (a baseball like hat), dropping heavily onto his nose, pausing ever-so-slightly before pouring down his face glancing off his chin as it careened down towards his already sweat soaked ACU uniform. 2LT Paine had just fought his way through your standard BlueBird school bus with his ruck sack, duffle bag, load bearing equipment (vest with ammo pouches, canteens, flashlight, etc.) and weapon. A skill aquired through several years of service to “God and Country”. He sets his extensive baggage down on the sizzling blacktop outside his barracks, leans back, exposing his entire face to the sun. Reaching back with both his hands he stretches his back in a futile attempt to relieve the pain in his back. As he does this he lets out a sigh of relief and tilts his head back to parallel with the blacktop allowing the shade from his cover to once again protect his face from the wave of heat he felt any time the sun touched his bare skin. Glancing around the parking lot he sees lines of future LT’s heading back to the barracks like ants marching one by one out of a long line of buses that brought the entire Company back from FOB Voyager. He, like every other future 2LT, anxiously makes his way back to his room in the barracks. Moving both slowly and gingerly from the parking lot to the front steps of the barracks. It is important to note that the 10 steps leading from the ground level to the stairs always seem ten times harder to traverse when a soldier returns from a training then they are to head down…the stairwell offers ever bit of resistance it cans as 2LT Paine wedges himself up the stairs to the second floor where his room is located. He had learned from making this trip several times that if he just leaned forward and pushed himself forward as hard and as quickly as possible, the sheer physics of such a motion was more than enough to cram his body plus his ridiculous amount of gear through the doorway that seemed to have been built by gnomes. He moved his way slowly down the hallway arriving at his door to find it locked. He had hoped his roommate had beaten him up to stairs to avoid having to put all is stuff down just to unlock the door. 2LT Paine, after dropping his gear, reaches up and lifts up the ceiling panel directly in front of his door and secures the key he and his roommate had hid during week one…He grabs his key, unlocks the door and prepares himself for the blast of cold air that no doubt awaits. (Given the fact that 2LT Paine is not a native of the hot and humid south, the first time he had returned back to his room from a rough day of training, he opened the door and was assaulted by the rush of cold air he was met with. If one is not mentally prepared, it can become an overwhelming experience.)
As he opens the door the cold air hits his sweaty body sending a chill down his body. He drags his ruck sack and duffle bag along the linoleum floor and with a quick jerk, tosses both bags onto his bed.... (to be cont...)