Book 1 - Chapter 6

DADDY'S LITTLE GIRL

Michael always looks forward to making baby girl laugh when he returned back from his field training exercises. However, this isn't one of those happy moments. The next morning the commanding sergeant major would be addressing the 187th while the brigade is in formation. 3 months of black cycle meant longer work days to include a 25-35 day away from somewhere in the tree lines of Tennessee. All this is scheduled to start in a few days.

“Listen up soldiers. When this black cycle is over, the 187th infantry group will be having a [bring your own family] Bar-B-Q picnic. While you`re out back making Uncle Sam proud, let the thought of beautiful burgers and tasty wives help you to train hard. Yeah! That's right. …Beautiful burgers. That works for me because lately, my wife’s been one notch above the got-damn wolverine. It`s time for you’ grunts to get out your workshops and get into the dirt, gentleman. Happy gruntin'.”

It's 48 hours later and a small fleet of tactical vehicles such as HMMWV's and LMTV's cleared the motor pool. They'd be meeting grouping with a more impressive fleet of M1-Abram track vehicles, Chinook and black-hawk fighter air assault vehicles. The 25 days of live-firing field exercises commenced. Corporal Oshun speaks to a fellow soldier while following their First Sergeants' orders to lay two mile of tangle foot.

“Man, I feel lucky. Most these guys come out here and hate it. I do to, but I constantly think about my wife and our daughter. It makes me happy to think they're back there waiting on me.”

“Yeah that may be true for you Oshun, but most guys don't have the true value of a happy marriage under their roofs. For instance: When was the last time you argued with your wife?”

“Shoots. Never, brah'.” Michael answered back.

“See? That's exactly what I mean. Me, I look forward to being out here because it gives me space from my family. They always want something. Hell, as soon as I'm all out of it. That's when they seem to want more.”

“Well, I miss my family just enough to keep me happy out here. Plus, I'm doing what my father loved to do. The sounds of the weaponry, small arms firing rounds and artillery rockets striking grid coordinates in the back ground. I love coming home dirty and seeing my lady clean, fresh and smiling. Makes me feel like I'm doing what the man is supposed to be doing.”

“You got a good one. She worships you.”

“That’s only half of the cake. What you guys see between me and Anuhea' is the result of me worshipping her.”

As a signal support systems specialist, Michael’s job is to support the 187th infantry brigade with maintaining tactical radio configurations and antenna groups. More so; as a E-4 corporal assigned to headquarters company signal shop, he's also privileged (or cursed) to be the sergeant major's backup R.T.O. (radio transmitting operator). This meant that he'd also be CSM. Savusa's HUMVEE driver if need be. The job was tough, but absolutely rewarding. Tactical telecommunications play an extremely vital role in training and in the theatre of live conflict. It seemed like forever, but eventually this was another black-cycle behind this brigade of dirty, tired soldiers. The black cycle was a complete training success. The brigade drove back to the motor-pool and pressure washed its fleet of tactical vehicles. They're covered in mud and dust from the rigorous terrain they had to maneuver through during training. This infantry unit is excited to be back home and these men had their brigadier family picnic as promised. Anuhea' and Michelle are so excited to see their champion. It'd been weeks of him “missing” in the backwoods of Fort Campbell. Anuhea' always called it “missing” and not “training”. “Missing” to her has multiple usages. Her husband was being “missed” and because she could not locate him, he was “missing” from their home.

It`s a beautiful sunny day at the headquarters company barracks. Michael’s girls are among many young ladies enjoying this picnic. Every smiling face is enjoying either tether-ball, toss water balloons, play horseshoes, sit and enjoy dominoes, linger around the two active Bar-B-Que pits or be content to watch the soldiers try to out run their defender playing tag football. The Kentucky sun is hospitable. It`s a grand time. Anuhea' is meeting new people not to far from where little Michelle was watching her dad play football. The festivities were coming to an end in spectacular grunt style. The “First Sergeant” challenged the soldiers to climb the headquarters ropes (even while wearing their civilian clothes). These boys never minded jumping in the sand pit for a chance to show their wives how tough they are. Somehow, it`s a measure of how “HOOAH” each of them could be. A small audience collected at the base of the two ropes. One by one, the motivated gun-ho troops would call out a soldier from a different military occupational specialty. It escalated into a time to represent the different affiliations. The kids concentrated on the rope a few feet away. Both were hoisted to a simple system of two telephone poles with a cross section 30ft over a sand pit. One-by-one the kids tried and failed to reach the top of their rope in front of 100+ onlookers. Of course, they are, but they're being motivated seeing the soldiers climb high and cheered on by their teammates. On any day of the week during physical training, this is difficult enough for physically fit men and their egos. Yet, here the kids have fun attempting what (only) a dozen of the soldiers have accomplished thus far to reach the top. Five-year-old Michelle is silently intrigued. This was her first picnic behind the screaming eagle’s front gate. She'd never seen this type of activity before. She tilted her head upwardly into the sky and see's the horizontal section of pole that greeted the two knots of rope-- 30ft high above the sand pit. Kids seem to naturally appreciate sand pits. Just as the soldiers and their families started leaving the sand pit (where the children still try effortlessly), Michelle let go of daddy's hand and studied her way to the base of the rope. The soldiers are starting to relax and fallback when Michael smiles proudly and figures some encouragement would get her to actually try it. Passing the “point of progress” that the other kids had reached was not a concern for Michael. He wants Michelle to try and have fun doing it. This focused young girl looks straight up and grabs the rope. Her hands barely wrap completely around the thick hemp. To the surprise and astonishment of the enlisted soldiers and officers present, Michelle flared her legs parallel to the horizon to signal that she`s about to attempt a climbing method that did not utilize natural leg strength. She'd studied the GUNG-HO supervisor Sgt. Corbin from motor pool do this successfully several minutes earlier. No jumping start was necessary. As she begins to hoist herself upwards one small arm’s length at a time, the crowd went crazy. Her concentration-- her hand coordination-- her strength! Wow! The enlisted soldiers went bonkers. The officers present are stunned. She's half way up and not stopping. Matter of fact she never stops to look down. Anuhea's disbelief was interrupted with concern about Michelle's safety and falling from so high. Luckily, there're so many men around (capable of catching Michelle), that she released her anxiety to enjoy the cheering and excitement this was causing. Even those who weren't initially assembled at the rope when Michelle started upward, heard the commotion, rushed over and joined the spectacular presentation. HHC Company Communications Shop personnel rushed to Michael's side where he's standing with his mouth wide open. They chant and charge up the young girl as if they're winning the super bowl. Every eye was witnessing a fearless girl “gung-ho” this exercise. Just as she reaches the top of the rope, she wraps her legs around the hemp rope and looks 30feet down. Anuhea' stands witnessing this while covering her mouth in shocking disbelief. Michelle than wisely used the hand-under-hand technique properly to climb down in full control. This five-year-old understood very well that sliding down would've caused friction and burned her small hands. Just as she entered reaching distance, Michael pulled Michelle off the rope and hoisted her on his shoulder. A sleuth of high fives later, Michelle had accomplished creating the loudest brigade picnic ever. She's a celebrity in this armed force unit. She’s a true Rakkasaan-- Daddy's little girl. HOOAH!

THE WATER PARK

It`s been several weeks since Michelle made the Rakkasaan unit proud. Michael wants to take Michelle somewhere where he could really have some alone time with his pride-and-joy.

“Nunu, I'd like to take Michelle to the water park this weekend-- Just me and her.”

“Oh. No problem, babe'. …Another date?”

Of course Anuhea' has never objected to Michael spending alone time with his #1 fan. She likes to refer to these daddy/daughter times as “dates”. She smiles at him. A day later, Anuhea' is away just as they planned it out. Michael is excited to announce the water park to his “date”. He loved to make her smile.

“Michelle… Honey! I'm going to a pool park. You wanna' go with daddy?”

He intentionally makes it seem as though this is a spur of the moment venture. Michael successfully figured it'd prove to feel more like a surprise to a five-year-old. The house echoed the loud squelch of an overly excited youngster. She runs right up to daddy barefooted and hugs his legs with that smile only she could pull off. Although Michelle doesn't watch TV-- where she'd (more than likely) be exposed to the concept of a pool, she'd been to one of the pools located on post at the 101rst division before. Its impression was enough to make her well aware that pool meant water-- lots of it.

“Well, go get your swimsuit on. We got water to play in.”

With that, she zips upstairs and (moments later) jumps down the stairs in her one-piece swimsuit. It`s green with palm brown palm trees on it and compliments her walnut colored skin as well as her smile compliments her heart. The commute to the water park is quiet, but Michelle never stopped smiling. When they arrive, the small admission fees were paid and they walked through the front cast iron gates holding each other's hand. Michelle is bedazzled. Her walk slows (almost to a halt). Her smile turns into pure concentration. This five-year-old has never seen this before. Many kids are playing around an endless array of huge, high-standing twisting tubes. They're even climbing into these waters spitting behemoths. Her facial expression was doing all the talking. Her facial expressions were doing all the talking. They're saying this isn't the pool I remember at all. This is a world apart. Her eyes are curiously taking this all in. The kids, the parents, the personalities, the splashing, the screaming are creating excitement.

“Well baby girl, which one do we slide down first?”

At this point, Michelle is obviously too busy scanning the scene to pay any attention to Michael's voice. He doesn`t mind at all. It actually makes him smile.

“I know whatcha' mean. I'll tell you what! Let's just walk around and check this place out.”

Michelle must’ve heard daddy' say this because although she never looks up at Michael, her grip tightens on his hand as she slowly starts to advance forward. Action now surrounds her on all sides. A group of young girls about Michelle's age zipped close by and caught her studying gaze. They just inadvertently taught Michelle that it`s proper etiquette to hurry, but not run. One smiling child after another Michelle grows comfortable to relax. One scream after another, she starts to enjoy herself for the joy of being content. Michelle spots a large flat pool that was somehow creating its own waves for its swimmers and points to it. It`s walk-in accessible and made sense because it most resembled the pool she was expecting to see.

“That one?”

She nods her head yes. They grab two donut tubes and enter the water. Michelle found it to be an adventure-- in her attempts to board the tube. It eventually became cooperative. This wave pool is packed full of patrons. Michelle figures it out very fast that bumping into others on their tubes is unavoidable. Not only is it inevitable, but it`s half the fun. It`s designed to be a part of this features experience. There`s no need to feel bad about intruding on stranger’s personal space. As her uh-oh’s became ah-ha's, she `s smiling hard at everyone she bumps into.

“There you go Michelle! Give a smile, receive a smile.”

...And smile she did plenty of. Although this is one of the water parks most relaxing features, it`s no shortage of fun. The two laughed at every rude splash that reached their faces. Her talent for squelching may be slightly interrupting to their neighbors at home, but here, at this park her loud squelch is being more than welcomed. It`s blending in with the fun.

Its two hours later when this good thing neared its end. Michelle could've spent days adventuring here, but it was an empty stomach that decided to break the news.

“Daddy's getting hungry. You wanna' go grab some ice cream and go check on Mom?”

Michelle nods her head “yes” with her squinting eyes still being caused by her smiling cheeks. They kicked water until their tubes reached the edge of the pool (that makes its own waves) and able to stand. It had been the only section of the park Michelle was interested in exploring. She showed no interest to leave the artificial waves, so Michael was content allowing her to laugh and squelch as she pleased.

The daddy and daughter duo make it back home after ice cream. They find that Anuhea' had been waiting to see how Michelle's sun-tanned smile. It would tell her everything she needed to know about how the day went. As soon as the front door opens, Michelle runs right pass mom with a loud squelch. Her tan and her excitement shot straight upstairs.

“Wow! It seems like someone really enjoyed her date!”

“It was fun. Your daughter wanted to stay in one spot the entire time. You know how she is. When she`s observing, she`s content.”

They hug and share a kiss.