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View Full Version : A Very Short and Very True Story



Wes Corona
10-21-2015, 12:31 PM
The names of the people have been changed. The event mentioned, however, is an actual depiction of what occurred.



Several decades past, I became associated with the military. Not by choice, but by a drafty situation. On the second day, after my arrival, we, the newcomers, were told to line up in alphabetical order to receive our military uniforms. We were each given a piece of paper with our name, military serial number, and branch of service printed on it. Last name first, first name, middle initial, in that order. As we received each piece of our uniforms, our paperwork would be cross-checked by the issuer with his paperwork.

The procedure was time consuming. We were finally in line to receive our army field jackets. When it came my turn, the issuer, behind a long counter, called out my name, SMITH, JAMES A. He sized me up and handed me my jacket. I believe it was a large. They had two sizes at he time, small and large. He checked my paperwork, to make sure I was who I was, handed my paperwork back to me and called out the next guy; TAYLOR, JAMES A.

He stopped a moment, and then called me back with a quizzical look on his face. SMITH, show me your paperwork, TAYLOR, give me your paperwork. He stared at both sheets of paper, and then asked us,
"Are you guys brothers?"

I still laugh about it even today.

YesNo
10-21-2015, 07:39 PM
It looks like that guy didn't get the memo about the ordering of those names.

Calidore
10-21-2015, 07:45 PM
Well, when he worked in a record store, they told him to file (for one example) Pink Floyd under P, not F, and that habit stuck.