Beyond the Wire

Beyond the Wire



"Sergeant Huff, there's movement on the perimeter and I want you to check it out."

"Colonel Hunt, Sir! Uh ... why would you want me to take a patrol outside the wire ... just to see if the enemy is staging an attack?"

Colonel Hunt grinned. “Do I have to repeat the order, Sergeant?”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea sir. Last time we were caught outside the perimeter at night, we got dumped right in the middle of a blistering firefight between the enemy and our camp. Nearly got two men killed that night.”

“Too scared to follow orders, Sergeant?

Sergeant Huff glanced at the Intelligence Officer standing behind the Colonel. “What kind of activity have you noticed, sir?”

“Starlight scope spotted two or more people moving approximately a hundred yards out,” Captain Smith mumbled. “Bravo Company reported what sounded like canteens sloshing, and gear rattling. Artillery reported seeing several figures moving along the road at our nine o’clock position.

“No. I’m not scared, Colonel,” Sergeant Huff sighed. “Not scared of the enemy, but plenty scared of the green kids we have manning our perimeter. Two times over the past week we’ve been fired on as we tried to reenter the firebase even though we gave the correct countersign. And that was during the day. I hate to think what could happen at night.”

“Lieutenant Brown’s been begging to take over the Reconnaissance Platoon for quite a while now.” Colonel Hunt smiled. “He needs his six months combat time to get his ticket punched. Infantry officer without combat time has no chance of getting promoted, or retained.”

Sergeant Huff speared the colonel with an angry stare. “With all due respect sir, Lieutenant Brown couldn’t lead a detail to clean out the latrine. He’d have half the platoon killed on his first mission.”

“No way to talk about an officer, Sergeant!”

“If he needs combat time, give him one of the line platoons in Bravo or Delta Company. They haven’t exactly made contact with the enemy in a long time. It’d be hard for him to mess up with Captain Shelby or Captain Connors ragging his ass and making the decisions for him. One wrong decision in Recon and someone goes home in a body bag, sir.”

“You protecting your platoon or do you just have it in for Lieutenant Brown, Sergeant?”

“I’ve taken care of Recon for over ten months in some heavy combat, sir. I lost a few men when the odds were against us, but saved one hell of a lot more. You know the missions we’ve been on; tough, demanding, and quite frankly special operations type missions not designed or intended for a small recon platoon like ours.”

“You insinuating that I’ve been sending you out on missions you’re not qualified to handle, Sergeant?”

Sergeant Huff took another deep breath and glanced at a spider web in the corner of the tent. “Half my men have never been to Ranger School, most are not Airborne qualified, and very few even have Long Range Reconnaissance training, sir. I’ve had to do all the training myself in between missions. Some of those missions called for highly qualified soldiers.”

Colonel Hunt paused to lite a cigar. “That’s a very diplomatic way of saying I’m pushing Recon too hard, isn’t it?”

“I’m not a qualified diplomat, sir.”

“Get your unqualified ass out there and see what’s going on!” Colonel Hunt barked!

Sergeant Huff threw his web gear on the poncho he used as a bed and turned to see his Radio Operator staring at him.

“Colonel pissed off?” Specialist Henson asked.

“He wants to put Lieutenant Brown in command of Recon,” Sergeant Huff sighed. “It might be the best thing for the platoon in the long run.”

“You kiddin’ me, Sarge? That dirt bag will get us all killed!”

“Way I look at it, as long as I’m in command of Recon the Colonel will continue to send us out on unnecessary and dangerous missions. I think he’s waiting for me to quit, or screw up so he can replace me. He likes to take care of his junior officers.”

“The Sergeant Major wouldn’t let him do that, would he?”

“Sergeant Major Adams is due to rotate out in a few weeks. No tellin’ who or what will replace him. Could be a good Top Sergeant or a bad one.” Sergeant Huff reached for the mike then decided against it. “Go get Hercules and tell him we have a job to do.”

“Just Herk, not the rest of Alpha Team?”

“Just Herk. No sense in taking a herd of men outside the wire when two men with good eyes can see all that needs to be seen.”

“You going outside the wire at two in the friggin morning with all those green horns manning the perimeter?”

“Colonel’s restless tonight.”

“Why don’t you send Sergeant T. or Pender? They haven’t taken a patrol out in several days.”

“No. This one’s especially dangerous. Besides, Herk and I are trained for this kind of job. George and Mike aren’t quite ready yet.”

“You worry too much ‘bout the men, Sarge. They gotta grow up and take care of themselves someday.”

“Can’t grow up if they get killed doing something they’re not trained to do. You know that, Henny. Now, go get Herk.”

Sergeant Huff stood outside the Bravo Company tent to maintain his night vision and called through the canvas wall. “You tell your line rats that we’re going outside the wire, Captain Connors?”

“My First Sergeant already spread the word, Sergeant.” Captain Connors emerged from the tent and quickly pulled the flap back behind him. “This is a crazy idea to go outside the wire!” He blurted. Could be a battalion or regiment on our perimeter getting ready to hit us with everything they’ve got.”

“Colonel’s orders, sir.”

Captain Connors shook his head indicating he disagreed with the order. “You got a pair, Sergeant. I wouldn’t go outside that wire if the Commanding General ordered me to do it. It might be a suicide mission.”

Sergeant Huff smiled, showing white teeth in the dark. “I’ve done it before, sir. It can get a little spooky, but you can’t let it get to you.

“You sure as hell have a platoon leader’s job in my company any time you want one. Hell! I’ll even trade two lieutenants for you if need be.”

“Thanks Captain. Huff adjusted his pistol belt. He carried only a pistol and knife. A rifle might snag on the brush in the dark and give away his position.  “Let’s go Herk.” He signaled for the sergeant to follow him. The wide scared eyes of the perimeter guards followed them as they slid beyond the sharp concertina wire into enemy territory.

“Smell that, Sergeant?” Herk whispered.

“Fish breath,” Sergeant Huff replied. “We have a welcoming committee out here somewhere.”

“Over there, just off the road,” Herk whispered ten minutes later. “Is that an ant nest or Charlie?”

“Ant nests don’t move,” Sergeant Huff replied, watching a small knot of enemy soldiers moving towards the firebase. “They’re moving in between us and the base. Looks like they’re sending in their sappers to blow the wire.”

Herk grunted. “Let’s head back in Sarge.”

“We gotta check the other side of the perimeter first. See if they’re staging on that side too.”

“Son of a…!” Herk yelled, as a parachute flare lit up the entire perimeter around the fire base. “Didn’t anyone tell those artillery guys we were going outside the wire?”

“Quiet, Herk!” There must be several hundred enemy soldiers around us.”

“Why haven’t they spotted us?”

“Probably have. They must think we’re part of their assault force. Too dark to make out any details. You still have that fish smell smeared on you like I told you to do?”

“Yeah Sarge. I smell just like them.”

“Let’s make our way back to the fire base as casual as we can. Act like we’re going to place a Bangalore torpedo to blow the wire. That should get us close enough to give them the password so we can get back in.”

“What if some green horn idiot mistakes us for Charlie and blows his claymore on us?”

“Chance we gotta take.”

“Enemy is massing on the south side for an attack, sir,” Sergeant Huff reported nearly an hour later.

Colonel Hunt grunted. “What about the north side, Sergeant?”

“Couldn’t make it around to that side, sir. Too many enemy personnel between us. Estimated force at least battalion strength.”

“Not bad for… half a job, Sergeant. I did specify the perimeter, didn’t I? All of it?”

“Yes sir.”

“Perhaps Lieutenant Brown will follow my orders. He’ll take command of Recon in the morning. That’s all, Sergeant.”

With a sigh of resignation, Sergeant Huff asked, “May I ask where I’m to be reassigned, sir?”

“Nowhere Sergeant. You don’t think I’m crazy enough to let Lieutenant Brown take command of the platoon without a good Platoon Sergeant, do you? I also expect you to continue leading the patrols while the Lieutenant gets himself organized.”

“Meaning there will be no changes in the conduct of operations, but Lieutenant Brown will get the credit for, command time?”

“You have a problem with that, Sergeant?”

Sergeant Huff smiled. “No problem at all, Colonel. He can command all he wants from Base Camp. I will see to it that his exemplary command garners him a decoration. That will help his promotion chances.”

“One last thing, Sergeant?”

“Sir?”

“Thank you…!”

“Thank you, Colonel!” Huff hesitated. “Any word on the decorations, sir?”

“What? You want medals Sergeant?”

“The ones I put in for the men, sir. I don’t want nor will I accept medals for doing my job. The men deserve them.”

“All approved, Sergeant.”

Colonel Hunt smiled as Sergeant Huff saluted and left the tent. He turned to Captain Smith. “Wish I had a whole battalion like him. Too bad he won’t accept a commission.”

“He’s what Sergeants are all about sir. The backbone of the Army.”



Word count – 1,687