Lieutenant Colonel (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 6) Read Online Free PDF Page B

most storied.
    Ryck made his way to the bleacher area and spotted Lieutenant Colonel Richard Ashton, his counterpart with 3/7.  His staff and commanders had observed the assault from the bleachers along with a major from Ryck’s own First Division’s training shop and more than a few staff from Third Marine Division.  Only one of the 3/7 companies had been needed to play the bad guys, so the rest of the battalion had gathered on the low dunes around the bleachers.  Most of them were walking in the direction of the field day, but the staff was waiting for his staff.
    “Rick,” Ryck said, leaving it at that.
    “Ryck,” the 3/7 battalion commander simply said in return.
    Ryck had known Rick back at NOTC, but they had not been particularly close.  Over the last few days, they had become much closer, and their simple Rick/Ryck greetings had become something of an inside joke between the two.
    “So, what did you think of our babies?” 3/7 Rick asked.
    “Lots of fun, but I’m not convinced as to their practicality.  If this had been a real assault, your Kilo Company could have kicked us right back off the beach.  Without supporting arms, unless it is a clandestine insert, I don’t have a warm and fuzzy about them.”
    3/7 Rick looked over at his Three, Major Mort Rhee and nodded as if saying “See, I told you so.”
    He looked back at Ryck and said, “That pretty much falls in line with what we think.  The Marines love them, and they could be useful for inserts, but that’s about it.  General Zutten has visions of grand amphibious assaults, but . . .”
    “But you don’t, and you want us to back you on that,” Ryck said. 
    Major General Zutten was Third Divisions CG, and he had a reputation as someone who charged ahead at a full gallop at all times.
    “Well, I wouldn’t put it like that.  You need to make your own reports,” 3/7 Rick said.
    “No, don’t worry about that.  We need to work together and be honest brokers.  If we both feel the same way, then we’ve got to let our higher-ups know.  They’re relying on us,” Ryck said.
    “Well, yeah.  That’s true.  But I—we—are glad that we seem to be on the same page with this.”
    “Speaking of opinions, we’ve been all aquasleds here.  But what’s your gut on the Armadillos?  I read after-action reports, but man-to-man, what do you think?” Ryck asked his fellow battalion commander.
    “Hate them,” 3/7 Rick said without hesitation.  “At any decent speed, the Marines arrive too beat up to be effective, and as far as the Armadillo-C, forget it.  Unless it’s at a standstill, it’s unworkable.  Even at a standstill, the C4 is a joke.  I’m shit-canning the C if we have a real-time mission.”
    “Shit-canning the C?  But our command is really pushing them,” Ryck said.
    “And so is ours.  Oh, both Cs will be along for the ride.  The Alpha Command C will just be empty unless we’re halted.  On the move, we’ll be in PICS.  Better mobility and better C4, or at least more usable.  The Bravo Command will travel in their C, but it’ll kangaroo up, then stop and monitor, then kangaroo up again.”
    The sergeant major and the XO had moved up alongside Ryck to listen, and when LtCol Ashton said that, they exchanged looks that Ryck couldn’t decipher.  Both Marines were in the Bravo Command group, and if Ryck copied what 3/7 was doing, the two would still be stuck inside the Armadillos.
    “I’m not sure that our command will let us do that.  They are putting beaucoup resources into them, and they’ll be monitoring all of our training.”
    “Listen, Ryck,” 3/7 Rick said, his voice low as he put an arm around Ryck’s shoulder, pulling him in close.  “We’ll train with them, and if the situation arises that we need them, then we’ll use them.  But if it comes to the shit, I’m going to do what it takes to complete the mission, and I can’t command getting mauled in the back of that metal monstrosity while