Most people in America, if they are lucky to have a full time job, work an average of 40 hours a week. Sure there is the occasional day they may have to put in a little overtime or take some work home to make sure they meet a deadline, but for the most part they know they will be gainfully employed from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
The Soldier doesn’t work a 40-hour week. They start their day at 5am and may not get home until 6pm. This is an average day for most, it doesn’t include those in the combat zone or being on shift for 24 hours straight pulling guard much less going to the field for weeks at a time. These hours don’t even take into consideration those in leadership positions who show up before their Soldiers arrive and stay long past the hours Soldiers go home at night.
Monday
0415- wake up to shower, dress and grab a quick bite to eat
0450- take off from home to walk to work (I get to enjoy a few minutes to myself in the peaceful early morning and mentally prepare for the day)
0500- depart the battalion to drive up to Kunsan Air Base where one of our units is located
0730- call for directions because we have gotten lost on the Korean roads
0800- stop at a rest stop to call for more directions and get gas because we still don’t know where we are
0815-start heading back to base because we should have gotten on a highway we passed over an hour ago
0900- finally back on track to Kunsan
1025- arrive at Kunsan Air Base
1030- begin a brief to the unit in Kunsan with instruction on the command inspection we will be performing
1100- begin inspection, unfortunately the unit fails miserably
1200- go to the BX for lunch and exploring
1330- take off back to Camp Carroll
1645-arrive back at the battalion, thankfully didn’t get lost this time
1650- start going through the 30+ emails in my inbox I received in the past 9 hours
1800- brief the commander on the results of the inspection
1930- start my walk home
1934- receive a call from my boss asking who the officer on duty tonight was, I didn’t recall off the top of my head but it was someone who was excused from duty
1937- arrive back at work to begin my overnight shift as I chose to cover for the guy who couldn’t do it
1940-back in my office to try and accomplish work on my shift
2230- go on my rounds to check the barracks and motor pool
2330- try and take a nap
Tuesday
0130- get up for my next set of rounds, its peaceful to walk around at night while the base sleeps
0230- lay back down on my couch for another nap
0600- get up, freshen up and start working
0800- go to another inbrief for the inspection of the day
0820- sneak away to get some coffee
0900- stuck in the office working, it is becoming a long day already
1030- inspect the next unit, they pass based on my good graces
1300- go to a training meeting, I am the only staff officer to show up because the rest were doing there inspections
1301- I think to myself I should have scheduled my inspection during the meeting…bummer
1400- leave the meeting and head back to the my office
1604- caffeine run for a Mountain Dew
1800- outbrief to the commander about the days inspection
1945- finally on my way home
1953- stop at Subway for some food
2010- get to take off my uniform J
2030- unwind with some food and TV
2137- receive a call from a special someone back in the states
2304- lay my head down on my pillow
2305- SLEEP
Wednesday
0450- Alarm goes off , I get up, dress and head to the 0530 formation….and it all starts again
This week was one of the busiest and longest weeks of my life. Well maybe not but it feels like it right now. Heading home Friday night at 1940, I did the math in my head and counted 85+ hours I spent at work this week, just what I need at the age of 25, two full time jobs. Sometimes I look at my paycheck and think I make quite a bit for what I do. Not that I am complaining but I get paid salary and if I then try and figure out my hourly wage it turns out its not too much…oh well such is the life of the Soldier. We don’t do it for the money.
