Chosen Soldier - Dick Couch [170]
The next morning, Captain Santos, after three restless hours sleep, finds Colonel Chissom by the fire pit.
“Mind if I join you, sir?” Chissom says nothing, but motions for him to take a seat. Santos desperately wants to have it out with Chissom—confront him, air it out, and move on. This direct approach is how most American military officers—and American business executives, for that matter—handle these issues. But last night, Santos, Patrick Kwele, and Tom Olin talked about it, and now Santos is prepared to deal with it differently.
“I need to apologize for last night, Colonel,” Santos says. “Our customs and military traditions are very different from yours. There are some things my country forbids me to do and will hold me strictly accountable for. Yet I failed to appreciate just how hard it is for you and your men in your struggle for freedom. Perhaps I need to work harder to understand your ways and the gallant efforts of your freedom fighters. I hope we can still work together for the liberation of Pineland.”
Chissom nods slowly. “I think I understand, Captain, and we do need to work together if we are to free our country. Let us try to be allies.”
That morning, Doc Kohl holds sick call for the Gs—there are real-world issues with poison oak, a few cuts, and a brown recluse spider bite. The latter is a serious matter; Kohl dresses the bite and starts the soldier on antibiotics. Later that morning, a cadre medic, in the guise of a Red Cross worker, stops by to check Kohl’s diagnosis and treatment. The ODA weapons sergeants begin to hold classes in weapons and tactics, and the communicators work with the Gs on the PRC-119 and PRC-148 MBITR radios. The training is supervised by First Lieutenant Kwele and is going so well that the Gs are an hour into Ra-haa before they realize it and head for their hooches to rest. Captain Santos stays close to Colonel Chissom, engaging him on issues that range from future joint operations to his vision for Pineland after the peace is won. That afternoon, Sergeant Olin and Sergeant Johnson agree that the three security positions that guard the camp will be jointly manned by one American and one Pinelander.
The relationship between Captain Miguel Santos and Colonel Bill Chissom will continue to blossom and then become strained, as relationships will between the Gs and 915. Some of this is scenario driven to generate teaching points, and sometimes it’s the reaction or response to the conduct of 915. I find it surprising how the soldiers in the role of Pineland guerrillas take so well to their persona of insurgents. On occasion, I find them being overly cooperative, as I know they’re secretly rooting for the 915 Special Forces students, but for the most part they live and act the part of Gs. The time and attention that go into this one scenario, or lane, to train twelve Special Forces candidates is simply phenomenal. Twenty-eight soldiers work in shifts around the clock to train the twelve, plus the part-timers in the form of Colonel Merced, the auxiliary personnel, and other role players. And this is one lane. There are twenty-four other scenarios being played out across the state of North Carolina. A total of twenty-five student ODAs working under three forward operating bases are embedded with their guerrilla contingents, all working to liberate this small nation called Pineland.
I was able to get out to see some team leader/G-chief interaction at other G bases during the previous Robin Sage class, Class 1-05, and they struggled, just like Captain Miguel Santos is with Colonel Chissom. Each student ODA scenario or lane is a scripted, well-tested, well-thought-out series of events designed to challenge and teach these Green Beret students. These scenarios are also flexible and can be advanced, or delayed, or modified, within limits, depending on the decisions and actions of the student ODAs. In some lanes, certain businesses and sometimes whole communities are in on the game. There are stores that will sell goods and food