Can You See Me Now

Remember that commercial where the guy walks all over with the cell phone to his ear and says, "Can you hear me now?"

I have decided to start asking during the appropriate time of day, "Can you see me now." I will explain in a minute why.

I came into the Army in 1984. Yes I am old. I have 26 years of service and have seen many changes. Through all these changes one thing has always remain constant the words cover and concealment. Those words now have new meaning in my life in the Army now. As you see the title to my blog site is, "Life In This Multi-Color Leisure suit. Well the Army has decided to add a new color or in some cases multi new colors to this leisure suit. I will explain shortly bear with me as I digress into this.

You see the U.S. Army has spent millions of dollars attempting to figure out through various tests to determine what is the best way to camouflage our fighting men and women. (Okay those laughing now can stop I am not talking about the ACUs, that seems only best used to camouflage a Soldier sleeping on a sofa with various flowers.)

Much effort and time over the years has been put in to design of clothing and teaching this art of cover and concealment so the enemy can't see you. Now the Army is spending more money for us to cover and conceal our camouflage uniform with what is known in most places as a reflective belt we in the Army refer to it as a PT Belt or Physical Training belt. No it does nothing to enhance our physical abilities although that would be nice it is meant to keep us safe from being hit while doing PT. I have seen everything from yellow to orange to pink pt belts worn around here in Camp Arifjan Kuwait.

It seems that the same people who gave us warnings on cups to tell us it was hot and many other idiot warnings have creeped into the Army. For now we have to walk around, after dark, on post here in Kuwait, along with some in Iraq and Afghanistan with reflector belts around their waists or across their body.

You know someone somewhere got hit by a vehicle so now we must glow in the dark to be seen. It is like having thousand points of light to focus rounds on. Now unless the person that got hit was hit by someone driving on a walking area did someone ever think to consider making sure Soldiers did not walk down the middle of the driving area or him to stay alert and stay alive. NOOOO we now have to walk around with PT Belts.

So in the morning as I get dressed I put my PT Belt on under my shirt so I can have easy access where ever I am at for God forbid I not have my PT Belt on when it gets dark.

So can you see me now? How about now? OH wait let me get my PT belt on. How about now?