Howdy Freewriters 🤗! Welcome to my 5 Minute Freewrite blog 😊.
For a while, the chain of command was a blur. We sat through the SS2s’ rank talk, trying to make sense of it all. Know the ranks, know when to salute, know when to stand at attention. To be safe, double if you don’t know how to read the ranks. No punishment will follow. And never salute while doubling; that would be foolish.
The lesson was simple but heavy: the stars carried everything. A single star told you when to raise your hand in salute. More stars, more authority. Those with V-shaped stripes on their sleeves? You didn’t salute them, you stood at attention. Salute them by mistake, and you’d be branded nongwe, a blockhead. Respect was enough; no hand to the forehead.
The rules felt like French in our ears, but one golden rule stuck: if you can’t read the chain of command, don’t risk embarrassment. Just double. Running saved many of us recruits from awkward stumbles.
In NYS, you had to rank it – because the ranks ruled everything.
Thank you for reading ❤️.
Image is mine.
