Twas the Night Before Mobilization

Neal poses in front of a HET.

'Twas the night before mob'ing, when all through the halls,
Not a creature was stirring, not even the Slaws.

The duffles were packed with thought and with care,
In hopes that everything was all crammed in there.

The colonel was nestled all snug on her cot,
While visions of logistics danced in her thoughts.

And Captain in his beret and Giles in his fleece,
Were having a long talk about war and peace.

When out on the road, there arose such a clatter,
They sprang from their desks to see what was the matter!

Away to the window they poured like the rain,
Yanked up the blinds and peered out from the frame.

The moon and the light of street lamps below,
Gave the luster of mid-day to events they'd behold.

When what to their bomb-searching eyes should attest,
An up-armored Humvee and 8 rumbling HETs!

With a fiery lieutenant leading the show,
They suddenly saw, it was Firrento!

More rapid than gunfire, the 5-tons rolled on,
Soldiers all driving, destroying the lawn.

"Now Grayson! now Martin! now Paxton and Sheal!
On Weston! on Hayman! on Hammond and Deal!

To the front of the gate! to the top of the wall!
Now drive away! drive away! drive away all!"

As dry leaves will whip in the December wind,
When met with an obstacle, they all did ascend.

So, up the rooftop, the HETs they all flew,
With a Humvee of gear; Firrento, too!

And then in a flash, they heard way up higher,
The squealing and screeching of their balding tires.

As Giles grabbed Captain and was turning around,
Down through the air shaft Firrento was bound!

He was clothed in Dress Blues, from service cap to shoes,
Limping from the fall, he threatened to sue.

A bag of OCIE he had flung on his back,
He looked like CIF, just opening his pack.

His eyes - how they twinkled! his smile was so merry,
His cheeks rosy red - like chow hall cranberries!

His pursed commander's mouth, drawn up in a grin,
Baby butt's got nothin' on his clean-shaven chin.

The white of his teeth, his slim silhouette,
What keeps him from bouncing around in a HET??

He had slender man-hands and toned runner's calves,
He smelled a little like patients and Tiger Balm salve.

So clean-cut, so fit, so essence of brass,
Leading HRC was his skinny lil' ass.

A wink of his eye, a click of his heel,
Giles rubbing his eyes to see if it's real.

He spoke not a word, just unpacked the gear,
Sunglasses, Gortex, wet weather pants in here.

He turned to his men, a salute he then mimed,
And giving a nod, up the air shaft he climbed.

He sprang to his HET and called to move out,
They shot to the sky, broke free of the clouds.

"We got this!" he screamed, as they roared out of sight,
"Merry Christmas to all! And to all a goodnight!"

by: Moi

* I apologize for the all of the acronyms. I can only tell you that OCIE is the gear that Soldiers get - and usually it's pretty fancy stuff (in the way that everyone who has ever slept in an Army sleeping bag will never appreciate North Face sleeping bags again). And CIF is who gives out the OCIE.

*Firrento (also not his real name) is the commander of our unit and is truly a skinny little dude. And a physical therapist, hence the Tiger Balm.

*Also I am not an Australian journalist leaking sensitive documents over the WWW. Names and unit abbreviations have been changed to protect our men and women in uniform.