Read Online Soldiers in Heat: Training Session by Joanna A. Haze - Free Book Online

resisted punching him for the
remark.
    “ What did they say you did wrong?”
Jonathan asked.
    “ Service and Support. They laughed
and put me out when I said we had F22’s on standby.”
    “ F22’s? Dude, where the heck do
you see any fighter jets? You’re supposed to use the weapons you
know we have. The example didn’t even have fighter jets. You can’t
just make stuff up.” Jonathan looked at him sideways.
    “ And somehow my passing is because
I’m a female? No, I think it had to do with me using mortar rounds
from our artillery and not F22’s.” She rolled her eyes at him and
put her head down so he couldn’t see her holding back her
amusement.
    “ Screw both of you.” He stormed
away from the area.
    Jonathan turned towards Kimberly and laughed.
“F22’s? Really? The Air Force is loaning us their jets
now?”
    “ He’s still trying to be a big
shot.”
    “ More like get shot down. No
wonder they kicked Harvey out the tent,” Jonathan said.
    They stopped talking when Rice
returned.
    “ It went fine for me. I don’t know
what Harvey’s problem was,” Rice said.
    “ F22’s,” Kimberly said.
    Rice looked at her and cracked up. “What a
douche.”
    “ I guess I should do my duties and
go check on him.” She headed in the direction Harvey had stormed
off to. Kimberly saw him standing by the water buffalo filling up
his Camel Pac. “You okay Harvey?”
    “ I’m fine.”
    “ It didn’t seem that way. You were
pretty upset when you walked off.”
    “ Why’d you call me out in front of
the white boy?” he huffed.
    “ What? I didn’t call you out. I
asked how you did.”
    “ You can speak to white boy but
never make time for me?” He walked away from her.
    “ They’re all white.” She followed.
“I speak to everyone. Look around there’s only a hand full of black
people here. I’m not going to separate myself and only speak to
those who are black.”
    Cutting his eyes at her, Harvey twisted the
cap to his Camel Pac and put it on his back. “I know better for
next time.”
    “ You ever think part of the issue
is you’re too eager to show off? Leading isn’t always about jumping
in head first, especially if you’re unsure of what it is you need
to do. Look, most of us are prior enlisted; we’ve all been through
a majority of this training. But we haven’t done it their way.
There’s nothing wrong with relearning something. If you were to act
that way when leading troops, someone is going to get hurt. You
have to stop and think about your actions.”
    Harvey shrugged his shoulders.
“Whatever.”
    “ Harvey.” His behavior was working
on her nerves.
    “ Look, I said whatever. It’s all
good.”
    “ Fine. We’re in this mess
together. If you need help, ask for it. There’s no reason for you
to fail. Let’s get back. I can take a look at what you have. Then
you can go again and show the cadre what you’re made
of.”
    He followed her to the rest of the squad.
Kimberly sat down with Harvey and showed him the areas, besides the
F22’s, that needed improvement. Once he updated everything,
Kimberly gave him another pep talk and sent him to go stand in line
and wait for the next opening with the cadre.
    “ I applaud your leadership, but I
still don’t like nor trust the guy,” Jonathan said when no one else
was paying attention.
    “ I feel bad for him. Besides, we
do get evaluated by our peers. You’ll have your say then, just as
he will have his.”
     
     

Chapter
Fourteen
     
    The cadre who came up with the route for the
seven-mile road march had to be one sick bastard. The trek uphill
most of the duration, and the terrain constantly changed from
gravel, sand, to wooded area. With less than a mile left, all
Jonathan could do was will himself forward.
    His entire body hurt. He, along with the
entire company, wore full “battle rattle.” All the marches leading
up to this one were mild in comparison. The medal plates in his
vest crushed against is body. Weight from