An expression we like to use a lot is, “when it rains, it pours” there will be period with nothing going on, then somehow events coincide on the same date. We had another rough night of sleep, because the little princess will spit up if laid down, the queen and I took turns sleeping with her in be. It was enough to get a couple hours of sleep. I’ve been planning to get chicks tomorrow since that’s when they arrive at the store, the less time they’re in bulk treatment the better. Yesterday, I got a call that the greenhouse and chicken coop will also be delivered tomorrow. Today, I was supposed to be planting my Spring trees, but with the delivery coming tomorrow and possibly having a truck drive all over the lawn, I decided to wait until Thursday.
We’ll move on to rap, recently I mentioned shouting the soldier’s creed everynight in basic training before bed and wanted to say the whole thing here. I’ll try to sound like I’m shouting without shouting because if I were to go all out, it would break the microphone. Trust, I could shout at someone across a football field. That’s why you have to see me live when I’m touring.
Rap: The soldier’s creed
I am an American Soldier.
I am a warrior and a member of a team.
I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.
I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.
I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
I am an expert and I am a professional.
I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
I am an American Soldier.
Time to break down the bars
*Starting off the soldier’s creed is a great reminder that I am an american soldier. I also see a pyramid with the first three lines. Starting with the individual, a warrior, and also a member of a team. Further and more broader the team is part of the Army and the United States.
*It mentions serving the people, the point of a soldier is they serve others not themselves.
*Living the Army Values is what makes one a soldier, the ego has been replaced by ethos. There’s an acronym for the army values that spells out leadership, that’s LDRSHIP. Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal courage. All day everyday.
*”Place the mission first” part of selfless service, we are here for a reason and it’s not to feel like cool guy John Rambo, kicking down doors spraying and praying. The difference between the army and senseless violence is having a mission. If things have to get hairy, it is only because we will do anything, ANYTHING, to accomplish the mission.
*The next three lines go into how that mission gets accomplished, never accept defeat, never quit, and never leave a fallen comrade. We’re part of a team and going home together is part of the mission, a mission we will not accept defeat in. There’s always another way around. Why I love the infantry is it’s human, they harness the abilities of all humans, survival of the fittest. If all else fails, call up the artillery and make everything go bye bye. Few words sound so sweet as fire for effect.
*Now getting into more of the individual standard, “I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.” warrior tasks and drills is the training. One tasks out of 40 for EIB, Expert infantryman’s badge, that touches on physically and mentally tough is a 12 mile road march in under three hours, with full battle rattle. That means we can pick up everything and be ready to fight in a new location.
*Adding discipline I’m reminded of doing a 25 mile road march. My unit was historically in the bataan death march so we did a 25 miler every year in remembrance. Something like 23 miles in I tripped and before I knew what had happened my body popped back up into formation. That is discipline, get in line!
*”maintain my arms, my equipment and myself” Keep weapons clean and operating, same for equipment. When it comes to warfare, the unit will only be as good as the equipment they operate. Let your plates fall into disrepair and they won’t stop a bullet. A weapon that jams every round is worthless. Maintaining myself means knowing how equipment works, physically be able to carry and operate it. Even a drone has a person operating or programing it on the other end.
*”I am an expert and I am a professional.” You know it.
*”I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.” Covered most of that already, destroy falls under doing anything and enemies of the United States would be defined in the mission. Close combat is why we maintains ourselves, the individual is a weapon, keep it sharp.
*”a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.” goes back to serving the people. America is a special place and it needs protection to remain that way, by remaining ready the soldier is protecting those freedoms, keep evil from even trying.
*Lastly another reminder that I am an american soldier. Where’s God in that? American soldier, America was founded on Christian beliefs, in God we trust.
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