Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Write for the HUMOR Genre (10/09/14)
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TITLE: I Was A Male In The Woman's Air Force | Previous Challenge Entry
By Leonard Granger
10/12/14 -
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One assignment I will always remember was being attached to the Women Air Force Squadron as the supply sergeant. When I arrived in the WAF SQ, the 1st Sergeant informed me that this was a newly authorized job and I should feel very honored to assist the young ladies in the squadron. After a big pep talk, she showed me where my work area would be located.
I was assigned a USAF pickup truck to meet Air Force requirements. This manual shift truck reminded me of a John Deere tractor, we used on our farm, but I think our tractor was in better shape.
Often wonder why I was given this assignment, helping about 150 young ladies, living in three, two story, dormitory buildings? Was it because I was young, strong, and had just been married a couple months? Or was it they wanted my accounting experience to keep track of all the property and supplies needed to maintain a WAF Sq rated to be the best in the Air Force?
On examining my working area more closely, I found the one set of storage bins housed , linens, sheets, pillow cases and mattress covers. The other bins had several cases of light bulbs, all sizes the Air Force allowed--that were 60 watt--and cases of paper towels and toilet paper. I lightly passed over the duty assignment papers the 1Sgt had given me on the previous day. Keeping accounting records of all the equipment in the Orderly Room, the desks, typewriters, filing cabinets, chairs and so on looked familiar. The linen exchange one day of the week was standard for everyone living in the barracks. It involved each barracks resident taking two sheets and a pillow case to the supply room for exchange. I would place 24 sheets in the 25th and tie them in a bundle. Every so often would find a love letter in a pillowcase. Maybe sweet dreams??? Posted them on the wall but few reclaimed the letters. Then later in the day, the linen was loaded in the truck and driven to the laundry.
I found out the toilet paper stock was treated like gold and security was like Ft. Knox. The only way to get a new roll was to turn in the empty spool for a replacement. The girls were very modest and they would kindly ask for T.P. I would smile and say " Sorry, you will need to go to the Base Exchange to get toothpaste". Then they would say, "you know what I need, as I have latrine duty today." ---O.K. now I know what you want, toilet paper.
Once a month was time for the inventory. I would count all the linens, and also the spare mattresses and beds stored in the supply room. A check of a running inventory of TP and light bulbs was verified. Then the hard part, had to take the 1sgt with me to go into the WAF Barracks, where she would call out "Man In The Barracks". After inventorying all the barracks furniture in the day rooms, I would go room to room to make sure each occupied room had the required items. A bed, mattress, 2 sheets, pillow case, mattress cover, and chair were all there. Some of girls had worked night shift and were asleep in various state of dress or undress. That didn't stop me in getting a good inventory. It was sort of embarrassing, for a young Christian airman, but this was all in the needs of the Air Force.
When a light bulb burnt out in a barracks room, I would go to the barracks with an escort and change the light bulb. For newly assigned, I being the young strong airman, I carried the bed and mattress to her room.
A new Base Commander was assigned and Woman's Lib began as I was removed from the WAF Squadron. The day I left the Women's Air Force Squadron, I was sort of sad; but felt the Lord had really given me a challenge, and never was told just why I had been assigned to help the young ladies. The only male airman in the Top Rated WAF SQ in the Air Force, was an early assignment experience I'll always remember. After retiring, I bought a farm and had several different John Deere tractors, but never owned a pickup truck,
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