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We
were
required
to
keep
kit
bags
packed
--
once
at
lunch
,
all
the
cadet
officers
of
my
company
were
tapped
;
they
left
without
eating
and
I
found
myself
cadet
company
commander
.
Like
boot
chevrons
,
this
is
an
uncomfortable
honor
,
but
in
less
than
two
days
my
own
call
came
.
I
bounced
down
to
the
Commandant
's
office
,
kit
bag
over
my
shoulder
and
feeling
grand
.
I
was
sick
of
late
hours
and
burning
eyes
and
never
catching
up
,
of
looking
stupid
in
class
;
a
few
weeks
in
the
cheerful
company
of
a
combat
team
was
just
what
Johnnie
needed
!
I
passed
some
new
cadets
,
trotting
to
class
in
close
formation
,
each
with
the
grim
look
that
every
O.
C.
S.
candidate
gets
when
he
realizes
that
possibly
he
made
a
mistake
in
bucking
for
officer
,
and
I
found
myself
singing
.
I
shut
up
when
I
was
within
earshot
of
the
office
.
Two
others
were
there
,
Cadets
Hassan
and
Byrd
.
Hassan
the
Assassin
was
the
oldest
man
in
our
class
and
looked
like
something
a
fisherman
had
let
out
of
a
bottle
,
while
Birdie
was
n't
much
bigger
than
a
sparrow
and
about
as
intimidating
.
We
were
ushered
into
the
Holy
of
Holies
.
The
Commandant
was
in
his
wheel
chair
--
we
never
saw
him
out
of
it
except
Saturday
inspection
and
parade
,
I
guess
walking
hurt
.
But
that
did
n't
mean
you
did
n't
see
him
--
you
could
be
working
a
prob
at
the
board
,
turn
around
and
find
that
wheel
chair
behind
you
,
and
Colonel
Nielssen
reading
your
mistakes
.
He
never
interrupted
--
there
was
a
standing
order
not
to
shout
"
Attention
!
"
But
it
's
disconcerting
.
There
seemed
to
be
about
six
of
him
.
The
Commandant
had
a
permanent
rank
of
fleet
general
(
yes
,
that
Nielssen
)
;
his
rank
as
colonel
was
temporary
,
pending
second
retirement
,
to
permit
him
to
be
Commandant
.
I
once
questioned
a
paymaster
about
this
and
confirmed
what
the
regulations
seemed
to
say
:
The
Commandant
got
only
the
pay
of
a
colonel
--
but
would
revert
to
the
pay
of
a
fleet
general
on
the
day
he
decided
to
retire
again
.
Well
,
as
Ace
says
,
it
takes
all
sorts
--
I
ca
n't
imagine
choosing
half
pay
for
the
privilege
of
riding
herd
on
cadets
.
Colonel
Nielssen
looked
up
and
said
,
"
Morning
,
gentlemen
.
Make
yourselves
comfortable
.
"
I
sat
down
but
was
n't
comfortable
.
He
glided
over
to
a
coffee
machine
,
drew
four
cups
,
and
Hassan
helped
him
deal
them
out
.
I
did
n't
want
coffee
but
a
cadet
does
n't
refuse
the
Commandant
's
hospitality
.
