But a simple change of uniform would do little to change the fact that he was a brand new second lieutenant, traditionally an object of contempt and pity in the United States Army. Old Army names like “shave tail” or more modern terms such as “butter bar” were some of the nicer words used to describe second lieutenants. Every officer, starting at the grade of first lieutenant and going all the way to the chief of staff, as well as every enlisted man, had their own particular second lieutenant story. Most of those stories portrayed the most junior of junior officers in the worst possible light. And though few needed additional embellishments, for second lieutenants do have a habit of doing the most peculiar things, everyone took great pains to dress their tales up as much as their command of the English language permitted them. Having been brought up in a military family, Nathan had heard more than his fair share of second lieutenant stories from his father and his father’s friends. In those days, Nathan had found them funny and entertaining. Today, as Nathan recalled some of the more outrageous tales he had heard over the years, he realized that he was now vulnerable to becoming part of that collection. Suddenly he found he was not at all amused.

The real trial for Nathan began when he reached his battalion. Thus far everywhere that Nathan had visited on post had been administrative offices or higher headquarters, places that Nathan, as a second lieutenant of infantry, would have little call to visit. As a platoon leader his world was the battalion and company area. Except when he was in the field, he would come to this place practically every day for the next two to three years. Even when the training schedule did not demand it, Nathan knew the place would draw him in, as it had pulled his father away from him when he was a boy and couldn’t understand that the Army was more than a job.

Making his way to the adjutant’s office, Nathan was directed to take a seat in front of a clerk’s desk. That he was in a combat unit was obvious even from the appearance of the clerk. While those at division and brigade had been properly dressed and had their hair trimmed well within regulations, the clerk before him now sported a severe buzz cut that left each individual hair standing upright, as if at attention. The clerk’s BDUs were obviously starched despite a prohibition against the practice. There was little doubt, Nathan thought as he watched the clerk thumb through his paperwork, that the clerk’s boots could be used as a mirror.