Message from discussion Gate Guards

From: Pete C. <s...@myremarq.com>
Subject: Gate Guards
Date: 1999/06/23
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I was just reading a post in another group that reminded me
of something that happened in Hungary.  I tried to respond,
but the server is all messed up.  This is probably a better
forum for it anyway.  I'm sure quite a few of you have had
similar experiences.  Kind of funny now, not so amusing
then.
I was an Infantry Platoon Leader assigned to a very strange
US Infantry Company that was part of a NATO rapid reaction
force.  Since we couldn't really fall under NATO for day to
day crap (supplies, UCMJ, etc), we were put under a log unit
that would babysit us until it was time to go play war.  Of
course this is every log batallion commander's dream, having
a bunch of 11 Bangs at his whim.
Anyway, this log unit deployed to Kaposvar, Hungary, and we
stayed home to get ready for a big exercise in Belgium.  He
fought like hell and finally deployed us down there like we
were going into a firefight.  We got there and there was
nothing, and I mean NOTHING, for us to do.  My platoon went
to Kaposvar, another platoon went to Zagreb.  We just tried
to keep the troops out of trouble and used the little
training area we had to get some prep work done.
The they decided to put us in charge of security for the
Base Cluster (there were 7 seperate bases if I remember
right).  We set up the QRF and such, but the guard duty was
run by the mayor's cell on a DA6 (we had nothing to do with
them).
Anyway, the BC was getting antsy because he didn't know
anything about grunt stuff and wanted to be more involved in
our day to day stuff (guess he was bored too).  He came up
with the idea that we should make up a bunch of checklists,
quizzes kinda, to go to each of the bases and check out
their gate guards.  My PSG would go to a couple of
bases with another NCO and a driver.  I went to a
couple of others with a squad leader and a driver (yes
I know it was NCO business and didn't really get
involved, I was there primarily to watch because I was
bored).  After that long lead up, finally, the point of my
saga:
Some of the crazy ass antics being pulled off by our
well-trained (cough) troops in the Kapsovar base cluster.

-We went to one and the female PFC was sleeping in the guard
shack with a romance novel over her face.  We woke her
gently and posed a few questions.  She was unable to tell us
for sure if she had any "bullets in my gun (M16)"
-We went to several and could not find the gate guard.
Screamed and yelled and made a racket. no sign of anybody.
At one base, the guard finally came out of a building and
said we "woke his ass up."
-One of my favorites, when asked his general orders, PFC
Snuffy responded "I ain't never even seen a General."
-Another of my favorites, we went to an interior part of
Taszar Airfield that has a gate guard for some reason
(wasn't the ASP, but I can't remember what), the female
soldier was standing at the gate.  We stopped the HMMWV
about 20 feet from her and got out.  She screamed, truned
around and ran.  We chased her for about 200 meters telling
her to calm down, we just wanted to talk to her, but she
jumped into a 5 ton and wouldn't open the door.  After a
great deal of convincing she came out and talked to us.  As
far as her weapon went, she "thinks my friend gots it."
-At another base, the guard didn't enjoy the line of
questioning my squad leader was posing him (very
professional, VERY LARGE E6).  He kept walking away from him
and the SSG kept correcting him.  As the soldier got more
angry, he (I think without realizing it) leveled his weapon
on this big sonuvabich.  He proceeded to disarm the gate
guard and give him a bit of a going over.  (Damn shame I had
to tie my boot behind the vehicle and missed the whole
thing.

-We spent about 20 minutes at Kaposujlak Airfield helping a
PFC find her weapon.  I have no idea why, but it was laying
in the grass about 50 meters from her.
-After all these humorous (though scary when you think about
it) antics, I have to give my hats off to the MP's that
stood the main gate at Taszar airfield.  These were some of
the most professional troops I have ever seen, doing work
that was way beneath them (everyone automatically equates
gate-guard with MP, but it is usually a waste of their
talents).  These guys were always sharp and on-the-ball, and
loved to hear about our "rounds" from the evening.  They put
up with a lot of crap from all the different NATO units
passing through, and did it all with class.

Well, that's all the ones I can think of for now.  Anybody
else have any "Gate Guard" tales to add?

Peace,
Pete
"Kill something each day, no matter how small, just to
maintain proficiency."
I went



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