Memoir
Viewing comments for Chapter 9 "Level Seven in Somalia"True story
11 total reviews
Comment from brenda faye curtis
This story used great imagery! As I read, I could easily imagine the scene before me, and I got a kick out of the soldiers honing their skills on videogames. Maybe they should work on World of Warcraft next!
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2018
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This story used great imagery! As I read, I could easily imagine the scene before me, and I got a kick out of the soldiers honing their skills on videogames. Maybe they should work on World of Warcraft next!
Comment Written 03-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 03-Dec-2018
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Thanks, Brenda, for giving this a look. Bill
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You're welcome, Bill.
Comment from nomi338
Bravo. One of the greatest gifts that our creator passed on to us was the capacity for have compassionate mercy. The kind that makes it possible for him to forgive us our daily screw ups. As a former military man, I wholly recognize the potential gravity of how badly this young man's screw up could have been. We were all young and inexperienced at one time. Some of us screwed up our lives with our first mistake, the lucky ones got a second chance and used it to learn how to be disciplined and how to walk a straight line. God bless you for your merciful act.
reply by the author on 02-Dec-2018
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Bravo. One of the greatest gifts that our creator passed on to us was the capacity for have compassionate mercy. The kind that makes it possible for him to forgive us our daily screw ups. As a former military man, I wholly recognize the potential gravity of how badly this young man's screw up could have been. We were all young and inexperienced at one time. Some of us screwed up our lives with our first mistake, the lucky ones got a second chance and used it to learn how to be disciplined and how to walk a straight line. God bless you for your merciful act.
Comment Written 02-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 02-Dec-2018
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If I?d been a sergeant then, I would have probably fried him. As a Gunny, I tempered the my reactions more judiciously.
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Good for you. I became a whistle blower and because of it I became a frequent target of some vindictive sergeants. Despite their best efforts I prevailed for the full four years of my enlistment.
Comment from LIJ Red
I jumped on this because as a boy I was overly impressed by an apocalyptic novel entitled Level Seven...this was a good read, though. The more things change....fivers.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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I jumped on this because as a boy I was overly impressed by an apocalyptic novel entitled Level Seven...this was a good read, though. The more things change....fivers.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Level Seven, circa 1951. During his forced residence at a deep underground offensive-warfare complex, X-127 is ordered to push missile firing buttons to begin World War III (which lasts a total of 2 hours and 58 minutes). X-127 is the very last one at the story's conclusion, forty days after the detonations.
Sounds like a neat story line.
Comment from BeasPeas
This is great. Really enjoyable, Bill. Good luck in the contest with this entry. Well described, interesting. Good twist at the end. Your prose is your forte. Marilyn
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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This is great. Really enjoyable, Bill. Good luck in the contest with this entry. Well described, interesting. Good twist at the end. Your prose is your forte. Marilyn
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Thank you very much, Marilyn
Comment from judiverse
Great story! It all came together very smoothly. The dialogue sounded quite realistic to me, although I have no knowledge of military speak. Not being able to hear an intruder might have spelled disaster for some of the marines, but Super Mario must be so enticing. I'm not one for video games myself, but I understand they can be pretty addictive. Great conclusion with Gunny himself playing the game after he had confiscated it. Should be a top contender in the contest. judi
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Great story! It all came together very smoothly. The dialogue sounded quite realistic to me, although I have no knowledge of military speak. Not being able to hear an intruder might have spelled disaster for some of the marines, but Super Mario must be so enticing. I'm not one for video games myself, but I understand they can be pretty addictive. Great conclusion with Gunny himself playing the game after he had confiscated it. Should be a top contender in the contest. judi
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Thank you, Judi. This is based on a true incident, but it was during Desert Storm. I wasn?t as cheeky with that kid.
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You're welcome. The attitude sounds like what you'd expect, though. judi
Comment from Dean Kuch
Hahaha.
Typical Marine Corps Gunny.
Lance Corporal Watsizname should consider himself lucky he wasn't being brought up before the man for office hours.
In Cherry Point, NC, our Gunny walked into the squad bay with two hookers, one on each arm, while I was on routine guard duty.
"Cook", he said, "you never saw me, understand?"
I gave him a thumbs up and replied, "Sure thing, Gunny. I never saw a thing."
They all disappeared into the duty hut.
I can only imagine...
~Dean
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Hahaha.
Typical Marine Corps Gunny.
Lance Corporal Watsizname should consider himself lucky he wasn't being brought up before the man for office hours.
In Cherry Point, NC, our Gunny walked into the squad bay with two hookers, one on each arm, while I was on routine guard duty.
"Cook", he said, "you never saw me, understand?"
I gave him a thumbs up and replied, "Sure thing, Gunny. I never saw a thing."
They all disappeared into the duty hut.
I can only imagine...
~Dean
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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That was more like policy back then, right. Guards were busy protecting the goings on of the noncommissioned officers. Thanks for giving this a look, Dean.
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My pleasure, Bill. :}
Comment from Earl Corp
I can actually seeing this excange happen. Even though my service predated gameboys going to the field I can see it happening with Walkmans. Very good entry, good luck in the contest.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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I can actually seeing this excange happen. Even though my service predated gameboys going to the field I can see it happening with Walkmans. Very good entry, good luck in the contest.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Thanks, Earl.
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
This flash fiction has two sides, one very serious the other humorous. The serious side could have had the sleeping guard on a charge of murdering his comrades all because of a game. The humorous side was, you beat him at his Gameboy game! LOL!! Well done, that was a classic! Good luck in the contest! :)) Sandra xx
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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This flash fiction has two sides, one very serious the other humorous. The serious side could have had the sleeping guard on a charge of murdering his comrades all because of a game. The humorous side was, you beat him at his Gameboy game! LOL!! Well done, that was a classic! Good luck in the contest! :)) Sandra xx
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Thank you, Sandra.
Comment from writer_13
Your story reads as a non fiction since you create such a believable scene. You create a vivid picture with your words and I like the amusing ending to an otherwise serious story line.
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Your story reads as a non fiction since you create such a believable scene. You create a vivid picture with your words and I like the amusing ending to an otherwise serious story line.
Comment Written 01-Dec-2018
reply by the author on 01-Dec-2018
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Thanks, 13
Comment from lyenochka
I can't imagine how mentally boring guard duty must be especially when sleep deprived. But playing with a Gameboy while on duty, well that's probably not the best solution. Great story and I won't ask if it's true. Lol.
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reply by the author on 30-Nov-2018
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I can't imagine how mentally boring guard duty must be especially when sleep deprived. But playing with a Gameboy while on duty, well that's probably not the best solution. Great story and I won't ask if it's true. Lol.
This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.
Comment Written 30-Nov-2018
reply by the author on 30-Nov-2018
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The situation was true, but it occurred in Desert Storm. I had the guard's section chief confiscate his Gameboy. It was when they had first come on the scene and were a menace because of the addiction. He was given an Article 15 trial and reduced in rank when we returned to the states. We were at war and the CO could have easily had him court martialed and sent to prison.
