So, I am now officially in the Tactical Command Platoon (TAC-CP) and we've got this real crazy (in a good way) platoon sergeant, Sgt. Wallent, running the place.

He's nuts about the Army. Every time we have a Field Problem or an Alert, he's having us pick up all these 50 cal. machine guns and L.A.W.s and dragging them around with us. No one else wanted to mess with them but our platoon sergeant wanted them "in case we will ever need them". The guy really loved playing army. He once took us all up hill #518, placed us grunts at the top of the hill, then all the NCO's "attacked" us in the middle of the night. We were all sleeping (like normal people do) instead of pulling guard (like ab-normal people do) and got caught with our pants down. I'll tell the whole story if I get enough interest.

It's Thursday, May 12th and we had just finished Reforger 1977. We're all tired and ready to kick back for a week or so... but NOOOOO... Sgt. Wallent came up with this brilliant idea for an excuse to give everyone a free helicopter ride.

I'm glad he did.

First, we drove two trucks up to hill #518, which is just north of Frankfurt. We took a SMALL 5/4 ton truck and completely camouflaged it according to the book. Then we took a LARGE 2 & 1/2 ton truck and just parked it near the camouflaged truck.

The whole idea being to fly over the two (not) identical trucks and get a first-hand look at how more hidden a truck is from the air when we spend all that time throwing camouflage over it.

So, we have a SMALL camouflaged truck and a LARGE non camouflaged truck, just to keep it even...

We drive back from hill #518 and head over to Eschborn, the nearest heliport from McNair Kaserne.

We ran two helicopters and ran in two shifts to let everyone in the company get a trip.

...

Everyone could plainly see the camouflaged truck from the helicopters.

No one could ever find the non camouflaged truck.

I helped park the two trucks and also helped camouflage the SMALL truck. I had a reputation as being a smart ass and prankster.

Coincidence?

Sometimes, life is good.