Swear words

I re-enlisted a soldier yesterday. It's usually a little ceremony where a soldier recites his oath- extending his contractual obligation to the US Army- in front of a formation of his unit. Custom dictates that the officer is usually the soldier's commander, but it can be any officer that the soldier chooses. We were in the middle of a patrol- stopping off at the base where our battalion headquarters is located when a Sergeant First Class in the unit that I'm replacing grabbed me in the hallway. "Sir- I need to get my paperwork in today-" The clerk following him around was hesitantly looking over the freshly printed contract; but don't you want the Battalion Commander?... "Screw the ceremony crap- Sir, can you swear me in?" Right there, in the midst of the bustle of the crowded hallway, I firmly took the contract from the clerk, looked that sergeant dead in the eye and started with that familiar phase: "Raise your right hand and repeat after me...I, state your name, do solemnly swear or affirm..."I've known the guy for a little over a week. And a week from now, he'll be on his way out of this place and long gone from my world.It's easy to look at the military and scoff at the patches, the ribbons, and all the gratuitous pomp. There is some absurdity in the pettiness, for sure. But in that moment, standing at attention reciting an oath of allegiance to the Army, the Constitution, and the United States of America-- it wasn't really about all that. We had rolled out of the wire together. As nonchalant as it may have seemed, we both knew there was a reason he came to me- and I volunteered so readily. It's a kind of professional relationship that is rare in this world- a trust, a respect, a shared understanding of some weighty responsibilities. I would be deeply honored to be asked to re-enlist such a superb non-commissioned officer under any circumstances-- but the opportunity to do it here, and now-- was extraordinary.We rolled out to do another patrol today. He gave me grief about being an ex-tanker, and I switched his handmike out so he couldn't transmit. He went on talking for ten minutes before he realized nobody in the vehicle could hear him. Serves him right. We roll out tomorrow morning- we're headed down to one of the 'hotter' zones in our AO. I wouldn't pick anybody else to be on my crew.