AIR CAV DAYS IN GERMANY: THE COLD WAR ADVENTURES OF REV

Chapter 33 WARRANT OFFICER FLIGHT SCHOOL PACKET

"Yo Wahoo?" Wahoo looked up from the flight helmet he was working on. He and Revv had an additional duty every Wednesday afternoon to work on aviation life support equipment for the squadron. Their work consisted of inspecting helmets, survival vests, testing equipment, and a few other odd jobs. Only the two of them were in basement work shop. "Yah?" "You've been working on your flight packet for warrant officer school haven't you?" Wahoo went back to work on the helmet sitting on the table. "Yah. What about aht?" he answered as he slowly backed a stripped screw out of the helmet's webbed headband. "How do I go about starting my paperwork?" Wahoo stopped working and looked up, "Yarh shittin me? Yarh really going to do it? You who kahnstahntly cohmplaihns about the Ahrmy?" Revv nodded with some trepidation. "I think so. I want to fly Blackhawks. Don't really care about being a warrant officer...the pay raise would be nice though." "Whan ahm done here I'll go make a copy of everything for you." "Thanks man."

Revv spent the next couple of weeks filling out numerous forms and scheduled a Class One Flight Physical. Surprisingly, Marcia had been a big help to him putting the packet together and giving him priority for test scheduling. Eye tests, hearing tests, an EKG, multiple tubes of drawn blood, and a physical by the flight surgeon were all accompanied by an encyclopedia's worth of medical forms and paperwork. When the multitude of tests had been completed the whole physical package was sent off to Fort Rucker, Alabama for final approval.

"Hawh in the hell dihd you get yarh Flaght Physical dahn so quihk?" asked Wahoo. "Not sure?" answered Revv. "Ahve been warhkin on mine for three months and yarhs is done in two weeks," complained Wahoo. Revv slightly shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know what happened man. Sorry if I somehow got ahead of you on the schedule."

The next day Revv made some time to stop by the medical clinic. Stopping at the front desk he asked for Marcia. When she approached the counter he asked, "Do you have a minute to talk?" Marcia looked a little confused but opened the door for Revv and took him to a small office in the back. After she closed the door Revv stuck out his hand, "Thanks." She took his hand with a knowing smile and innocently asked, "Thanks for what?" "You know, just thanks for helping me get the flight physical packet done quickly." "Call it payback. You were so nice to B.O.B.'s cousin I just had to help you. Plus, you never ran around talking about..." now she blushed. "You know, about what happened between us." "You sure smacked me hard," said Revv casually rubbing his lip. "I know," she started laughing almost uncontrollably, "and then...and then...and then you ran half naked out of my room the next morning when I beat you with my loofa." Revv was now laughing with her, "You heard about my Commander and First Sergeant seeing me that morning?" Marcia wiped a tear from her eye and nodded yes. "The whole base heard about it."

Once they stopped laughing Marcia gave Revv a serious look. "Revv?" "Yah?" "Can we be friends?" Revv was slightly taken aback by the question, "Yah, we can be friends." "Don't look up to me, don't look down on me and this will work." "Works for me." Leaning down she gave him a light kiss on the lips. "Friends?" "Friends," answered Revv.

Walking back to the hangar Revv found himself thingking that you could find friends in the strangest places.

With the biggest hurdle in his flight packet cleared Revv pulled out the copy of the flight school checklist Wahoo had given him. Running his finger down list he found his next big hurdle. He still had to schedule his Flight Aptitude Selection Test or FAST. During his senior year of high school he had taken the test and barely earned a passing score. Worth trying again, he thought considering how much aviation experience he had gained since his last attempt. Entering the Learning Center he asked the lady behind the desk how to schedule a FAST test.

"Have y'all taken one before?" sweetly asked the slightly overweight middle aged fake blonde who wore too much blue eye shadow. "Way back in high school." "You can only take it once." "Really? My score was pretty low... I was hoping to retake it," Revv answered with disappointment in his voice. "Let's look in your records. Oh here it is, whoops," she said turning and slipping Revv's old FAST test document into a shredder. "Clumsy ole me. Careful what y'all ask for honey. You just might get it." She opened her calendar, looked up at his name tape on his BDU shirt, and penciled his name on the big box for the next Wednesday. "Next Wednesday at 8 a.m. Hope you're ready for it," she said with a wink. "Thank you ma'am. See you next Wednesday at 8 a.m."

He turned to leave but stopped when he felt a pinch on his ass. The blonde woman smiled at him, "Y'all owe me one soldier," she said with another wink. A bit taken aback Revv gathered his wits and smiled, "You bet, whatever you need." Turning around again he left the office as casually as possible.

On Friday Revv formally requested interviews through his Platoon Sergeant with the Squadron Commander and a high ranking aviator for the packets required letters of recommendation. Over weekend Revv half-heartedly finished filling out the rest of the required forms. He wasn't quite sure if he was fully committed to his decision or not. The board can make the decision for me, he thought. If they like my packet and select me, I will go. Leave it up to fate. If not, UM here I come.

The next Wednesday he aced the FAST test. Blondie administered and graded his test. Handing him his official score memorandum she smiled, "Good job Revv. I'll be looking for y'all." "Just let me know where to be," Revv answered leaving the room hoping he wouldn't need to deal with her again. Bored married women weren't his thing. Not to mention, they could land a young soldier in a heap of trouble.

The final step to complete his flight packet was an official photograph in dress uniform. Revv showed up alone with his hair way too long for an official photo. Normally, young soldiers had a sergeant accompany them to make sure that their uniform was just right. Revv's heart still wasn't fully in this endeavor so he hadn't bothered asking anyone. As for the hair, he just couldn't bring himself to get a short haircut with the summer months coming up.

After letting the man at desk know he was there for his appointment he heard a bellow, "Come here soldier." Nearly jumping out of his skin Revv turned to see who had issued the order. A tall black Sergeant First Class was glaring at Revv. Revv walked over and stood at parade rest. "Yes sergeant?" "Where's your squad leader?" "Not sure sergeant." "He should be here with you. Attention!" Revv snapped to attention. The sergeant circled him at least three times adjusting Revv's rank and fidgeting here and there with his uniform. "At ease!" Revv relaxed. "Now you're ready for an official photo. Next time tell your lazy ass squad leader to come with you and get a real haircut." "Yes sergeant. Thank you sergeant." "Now go get your photo done soldier and do yourself a favor. Don't smile."

"Fix your hat soldier!" Revv jumped again but this time it happened in mid-stride while he was walking back to the barracks after the official photograph. SSG Terry was half hanging out of a passing car window pointing at him. Reaching up, Revv pulled his hat forward. His big mop of hair had pushed his hat backwards and it was sitting at a funny angle. After fixing his hat he saluted SSG Terry to let him know the hat was fixed. Where else but in the army can you fix a hat? thought Revv.

Three days later Revvpicked up his photograph which actually looked very good thanks to thesergeant's unsolicited help. Adding thephoto to the proper place in his warrant officer flight school packet Revvsealed the envelope and mailed the packet to Fort Rucker from the base postoffice.