Big Daddy

Certain days you realize you have it good in life. Let me tell you a short story about how lucky I am, and maybe you'll understand what I'm feeling.

Let's start off with two facts: Fact #1 I'm a cocky bastard. Anyone disagree with that? No one? Fact #2 I don't do a very good job of hiding it. Any care to disagree? Alright good, let's move on to the story.

I realized several months ago that I would have had a totally different experience in any other Civil Affairs team. LT takes an unusual approach to leadership, encouraging dissent and listening to everyone's opinion before pulling the trigger. He values broad perspectives and never takes the status quo for granted - to him, there is always a way to improve.

But the next guy in my chain of command isn't him - it's my Gunny. Our pre-deployment training was strange because he was gone a lot of the time, on leave and then at Civil Affairs school. Team 1 effectively lost our number two Marine, the one who makes things happen. I tried to step into that role but it requires a familiarity with the Corps you can't get as an off-again, on-again reservist. We missed him, more than we realized at that point.

He is a quite a guy, and I've come to respect him more and more. There really in no other name for him than Big Daddy. He's short, about 5' 7", built compact and strong. Creole always complains that he can do pull-ups forever because of his "old man strength." Only in the Corps is 33 considered old. Big Daddy runs us hard but fair, and takes care of us when we're in trouble. I can't even begin to count the number of times he's given me good advice on a problem I saw as overwhelming or hopeless.

He also lets me off easy, and that was huge during the deployment. 99% of the Staff Sergeants and Gunnery Sergeants in the Corps would have smacked me down hard for being too forward, too cocky, too aggressive, and not deferential enough. I'm nothing is not a stubborn and prideful cuss, so you all know how I would respond to criticism like that.

Don't get me wrong - these complaints are all spot on. But Big Daddy gave me a soft landing. He took the time to show me how I'd dropped a lot of attitudes of respect for rank and tradition during my time in college, and how this undermined the Total Marine concept we were both trying to impart on the younger guys. We walked through it together and I'll be damned if I didn't come out of that conversation more dedicated to him than ever before, even though he basically told me I was being a jackass.

I've never quite found this type of relationship before. We're as different as night and day but have worked out a system of cooperation second to none. Whatever I think about my own abilities, I thank God every day Big Daddy is there to catch me if I fall.

Funny what you can be grateful for.