The New RTO for the Artillery FO

You can file this story under "The Army way" or "wrong place, wrong time."

Late in my tour, it came to pass that it was time for our artillery FO's RTO to DEROS. The call went out to higher-higher to request a replacement. The word then went down to FSB Jeffries to look for someone with "radio experience." It just so happened that there was a radio technician in the communication bunker repairing some equipment that day. Yup! Before you could say "Lock and load," the poor kid, with no infantry training beyond basic, was handed an M16 and a ruck and helicoptered to the bush. I believe Wolf Kutter would describe it as a "Hey you" event.