Thoughts

May. 29th, 2004 12:22 pm
piplover: (hope)
[personal profile] piplover
Living on a military post has some unique and intersting facts of life. The fact that a person can actually walk across the street without getting smushed is one of them, as people are required to stop for a person, and not speed up, as per the usual.
But one of the most powerful things about living on post happens at 1630 every day. At this time, the flag is lowered.
When we hear the music that is played across the post, whether in the motor pool or in a car driving down the street, we stop. People pull over, get out of their cars and stand to attention. If you are in civilian clothes you still stop what you are doing. Everything becomes silent, save for the cries of "Flag!" being bellowed to those who didn't hear the music.
As the second half of the music is played, all those in uniform salute, facing the flag if you can see it, or the music if you can't. Those in civilian clothes place their hands to their hearts.
And for those few moments, all across the post, it is quiet, save for the music.
I have been in conversatins before where a person stops midsentence, salutes the flag, and then, when the music is done, turns back to me and resumes their sentence as though nothing had happened.
It is a small thing, but one that gets to me every time. Just as when they play taps at 2200 every night, if I hear it, I pause for a moment and listen, and try to remember why I am here.
Not profound things, but something I felt like sharing. Hope I didn't bore anyone.

Date: 2004-05-29 12:40 pm (UTC)
shirebound: (Sam hug - solodancer)
From: [personal profile] shirebound
Thank you for sharing that!

Date: 2004-05-29 01:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rabidsamfan.livejournal.com
I still stop whenever I hear the music and turn toward it, and I've been out of the Guard for a long time now. You're right, a military base gets very special at that time of day.

Date: 2004-05-29 01:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] g-i-dennis.livejournal.com
I always like it around MI Village when people try to duck out of Retreat and get caught by a Drill Sergeant.

Fort Huachuca is actually quite good at having the bugle calls heard anywhere on post. Bragg sucks for that. We barely hear Reville in the morning, and often we don't hear it.

Date: 2004-05-29 02:00 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] piplover.livejournal.com
My only complaint about the sound system is that it's not completely synchronized. So we hear Retreat from one speaker, and then a second later we hear it again from further away. It can get very...dischordant.

Date: 2004-05-29 02:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ansostuff.livejournal.com
I think it`s interesting to hear about your life as a soldier! I`ve never been to the army (even if women here can chose to do so), but my aunt made quite the ruckus in the family when she did, jumping parachutes and other not very "girly" things. My grandfather was outraged, and when I started studying theology just after I think he was beyond shock. I didn`t become a priest, but I thought about it then, and both girls in the army and religion is something my grandparents does not think well of, so you can just imagine the shock... :)

Date: 2004-05-29 02:26 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] piplover.livejournal.com
I've been lucky that both my parents are very supportive of me. In fact, if you read the entry before this, you'll find the rather embarrassing reply my dad wrote. He just got an LJ yesterday, and decided it would be fun to make me blush.
But without the support of my family, I never would have made it this far.
I think it is harder for the older generation to see their youth doing things they never would have considered. I'm glad that your Aunt had the courage to join the Army, though I don't have the courage to jump out of airplanes. I'm a whimp.
I think it takes more courage to follow your own path and go against the ideas of those you love than some showing how strong a person is.
However, it is fun to see a person's face when you shock them!

Date: 2004-05-30 12:13 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ansostuff.livejournal.com
I`m happy my parents supports me too, even if they don`t always understand why I do things. My aunt is really brave, she also took an engenieering education and worked in the power company for some years before settling behind a desk.

Date: 2004-05-29 03:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gtaotaku.livejournal.com
And for those few moments, all across the post, it is quiet, save for the music.

What a wonderful image. It feels peaceful.

Date: 2004-05-31 12:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] luv2hobbits.livejournal.com
Didn't bore at all! It was quite interesting, that would be an interesting experience.
:_)

Profile

piplover: (Default)
piplover

February 2022

S M T W T F S
  12345
678 9101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728     

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jun. 9th, 2025 03:39 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios