Meet Gunny

Ninety-seven days down. Three to go. Memory 98/100:

Each company is run by a commissioned officer (generally a lieutenant or a Marine Corps captain,) and a senior enlisted leader. They are the authority of the company, in charge of the midshipman leadership.

I didn’t know this on Induction Day. The first thing they told me was “every sentence begins with sir or ma’am, and every sentence ends with sir or ma’am.” So I figured it was my job to never mess that up. I was a punctual, precise, and persistent sir yeller.

I made it through the whole doggone day without messing it up. Then during our thirty minutes of personal time, I had to go to the bathroom really badly. I ventured out by myself (super scared,) and for whatever reason, I ended up going too far. I wandered into no-man’s land: the main P-way.

I greeted all of the detailers with a sharp sir or ma’am sandwich. They didn’t give me any trouble. Then I greeted another one, except he was wearing a red shirt.

“Sir, good evening, sir.”

“Do I look like a sir to you?!” He was insta-angry. My hands insta-shook.

“Sir, n-n-n-no….sir?” I didn’t know what to do.

He stood close, and he crossed his arms so I could see the muscles bulge. The detailer standing next to him gave me a look of disgust and questioned my intelligence, “Don’t know anything, huh?”

I probably would have fainted right there if it wasn’t for Cody. He was strolling by for whatever reason. “Good evening, Gunnery Sergeant!” They let him pass. I quickly caught on.

“Gunnery Sergeant, good evening, Gunnery Sergeant!”

He was our company’s senior enlisted leader. I didn’t know what a Gunnery Sergeant was, but I soon found out. I studied the enlisted ranks of the Marine Corps that night in bed, out of my Reef Points. Throughout my time as a plebe, I would come to greatly fear my Gunnery Sergeant but gain a great respect for him. I have had three Gunnery Sergeants pass through my company during my time, and they have always been outstanding to work with and for.