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was what he saw when he looked in the mirror.
    What he’d found had left him sickened not only for his country, but more importantly, for his own career. How was he supposed to become a top platoon commander if the Marine Corps gave him dumb farm boys from Arkansas and swamp people from Louisiana?
    Two months after reporting to his battalion, Second Lieutenant Stricklin pleaded with his company commander to allow him to pick new men from incoming School of Infantry classes. The captain, a former enlisted Mustang who Stricklin had come to loathe, practically laughed him out of the office.
    As was his right, 2 nd Lt. Stricklin requested mast with the battalion commander for the way his own company commander, a man who was charged by the Marine Corps to mentor 2 nd Lt. Stricklin, had treated him. Steve also wanted to ‘suggest’ to the battalion commander that maybe he be allowed to be re-assigned to another company.
    The meeting had not gone as planned. With his company commander and battalion Sergeant Major looking on, the battalion commander had at first politely listened to 2 nd Lt. Stricklin’s tale, but had then narrowed his eyes and spoken with utter disdain.
    “Who do you think you are, Lieutenant? What gives you the right to come in here and charge Captain Nanko?”
    “Sir, I believe it’s my right under the Uniform Code of Military Justice to—.”
    “That’s the only reason I sat and listened to your load of crap, Lieutenant .” The word lieutenant came out of the battalion commander’s mouth as if he’d vomited out the vilest piece of food. “Here’s what you’re going to do, Lieutenant. You will officially drop these ridiculous charges of harassment, for which you have no merit, I might add, and get your candy ass back to work.”
    “But, sir,” protested Stricklin.
    “I’m not finished,” growled the battalion commander. “I’m willing to keep this quiet as long as you shut your mouth and get back to what you were sent to this battalion for, getting your Marines ready for war. I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but we might be going over to the sandbox soon and you sure as shit better have your act together. I’ll tell you something else. I regularly talk to each of my company commanders about their troops. I also talk to my Marines, private on up. I know more than you think. I’ve heard about you, Lieutenant. I know you like to take credit for what your Marines do. I know that you like to place blame on others.”
    “Sir, if you would tell me who told you these lies—.”
    “I told you to shut your mouth, Lieutenant. And no, I will not tell you who told me. It doesn’t matter. Let’s just say that once the Lance Corporal rumor mill starts up, there isn’t much that can stop it. I’m willing to give you another chance, and so is Captain Nanko, as long as you start learning what it means to be a Marine officer. Despite what you might think, Lieutenant, leading Marines is a privilege, not a right.”
    Stricklin stood at attention in absolute shock. How could the battalion commander be so blind? Couldn’t he see that he was being bullied and thrown under the bus?
    “So what’s it gonna be, Lieutenant?”
    Stricklin hesitated, and then squared his jaw and looked straight ahead. “Sir, I’d like to respectfully request mast with the Commanding General.”
    The battalion commander let out a sigh and looked to Capt. Nanko, who nodded sadly.
    “That’s your right, Lieutenant. Sergeant Major, please provide Lieutenant Stricklin with the proper paperwork and get the general on the line for me.”
    The same thing had happened with the Commanding General. Stricklin still didn’t understand. They’d all been against him. In the end, he’d landed in the battalion’s S-3 (operations) shop where his daily routine was consumed with inspections of the battalion armory, barracks and offices. Surprisingly, he’d enjoyed the duty and took each and every detailed inspection seriously. He’d