looked down at her feet. “Yes, sir. I’ll go do it now.”
Katie turned about and walked over to CPT Stanley. Stan started to get the troopers up.
“As you were. I’ve come over to apologize for the chewing out I gave you and the troopers. It seems we all need more training. I’m sorry for all the yelling and screaming I did.”
CPT Miller looked at Katie. “I agree with you. We do need more training. We got our butts handed to us. We’ll do better next time.”
“Katie, give us forty-five minutes and then conduct your attack.”
“Yes, sir. Start our attack in forty-five minutes.”
I walked back to Alpha Company. David was watching Karen get her defensive position ready. CPL Samantha Meyer was showing Karen the best places to set up the machine guns. Samantha was doing a very good job. I wanted to ask Karen if there were alternate positions set up, but I just watched. Suddenly, Karen called her platoon leaders to her. After pointing out alternate positions, she turned to me.
“Colonel, we’re ready for them.”
“Dave, give Katie the green light.”
“Yes, sir. Bravo, you can start your assault.”
“Dave, get the drones up, start them at Bravo’s start point. Keep them in sight, but don’t let Karen know where they’re at.”
“Yes, sir. Markus, get them up.”
I used my tablet to watch the battle. As the drone flew northeast, I looked for Alpha Company. Where did they go? I watched Geoffrey stop his company and split them up to attack from three different directions.
“I know where they’re at, but I can’t see them. Geoffrey knows they’re out there, but he is going in blind.”
As we watched, Bravo was hit from short range. Bravo stepped into a kill zone and was getting hit hard. Damn, she’s good and knows her troopers. The battle lasted only a few minutes. Katie walked up to us.
“Damn, she’s good. I couldn’t see her soldiers. They were well camouflaged—good cover and concealment. Handed us our butts again.”
“Katie, have a lunch ready for us when they get their rifles cleaned.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll let the mess hall know.”
I walked to Karen. “Get them formed up.”
“Yes, sir. You heard the Colonel, let’s get formed up.”
I watched them quickly form up. Karen called them to attention and then turned about. I walked to Karen.
Karen saluted me. “Sir, the company is formed.”
I returned her salute. “Post.”
After Karen posted, I said, “At ease. We’ll head back so you can clean your rifles. After which, we will get some lunch at our mess hall. On my command, fall out and then fall in on the trucks. Fall out.”
I stopped Karen. “Come with me.”
I followed Jamie to the wolverine for the ride back. “That was very good. Do that in the exercise, and LTC Reynolds will get his butt handed to him.”
At the barracks, I helped the troopers get every weapon cleaned. When all weapons were turned in, we left for the mess hall.
“Karen, I want you to sit with me. Your troopers need to see you as a leader.”
“Yes, sir.”
I surveyed the field with Karen. First Platoon was on our right, Second Platoon on the left, and Third Platoon was our reserve. I watched Karen check each fighting position and check the alternate positions. Samantha pointed out the best positions to for the machine guns to Karen. Once done, Karen met with the platoon leaders to give final instructions. The right flank, if hit, was to slow the enemy and then fall back to the northeast while Second Platoon provided supporting fire from the center.
Karen looked at me. “Well, we’re as ready as we can be.”
I told her, “Come with me to the command post to wait on the attack.”
“It’s so dark out. I wonder if we can hit anyone.”
“Karen, don’t worry, your troopers are well trained. Just relax and think of something else.”
“Yeah, well this waiting is hard. How do you do it?”
“Karen, you just have to understand the enemy is coming, and he will fall into your trap in his own time.”
LTC Steven Reynolds gave his troops orders to move to attack positions. As First and Second Platoons moved north in the eastern area to creek, Third Platoon moved north in the western area. A decoy was to be done by Third Platoon while First and Second Platoons conducted a major assault. Suddenly, a trip flare went off.
LTC Reynolds called Third Platoon. “What is happening?”
Karl Weber answered, “We tripped a flare sir.”
“Is there any response from Alpha Company?”
“No, sir, they are not doing anything”
“OK, continue the operation.”
“Yes, sir”
When First and Second Platoons reached the turn in the creek, they followed the creek to try to infiltrate Alpha Company’s position.
Karen and me waited for two hours, with nothing happening. Suddenly, a trip flare on our right flank went off.
“They’re on our right flank.”
“Hold on, Karen, let’s see what develops. Get First Platoon ready for the attack.”
Suddenly, smoke grenades went off, obscuring our vision. The firing started. Karen ordered open fire. After thirty seconds, Karen ordered First Platoon to fall back to secondary positions. Second Platoon started to engage targets as First Platoon fell back. I watch Karen as the attack unfolded.
Karen hollered, “I don’t get it, there is barely a platoon attacking.”
“Maybe this is a diversion.”
Suddenly, the machine gun at the creek rattled off a dozen rounds. A flare launched over the creek showed two platoons attacking. I watched Karen go into action.
With First Platoon in the lead, machine gun fire sounded from the west area. Another minute or two, half of Alpha would be moving to the firefight. Suddenly, a machine gun opened up. Dave Master’s MILES went off with half of First Platoon’s soldiers.
Janet McCoy saw the flare outline all her soldiers of Second Platoon. Everyone was trying to get out of the creek or get shot. However, once out of the creek bank, they found themselves in a crossfire.
Karen
