cold

[P38]

A US Air Force C-141 is scheduled to leave Thule Air Base, Greenland

at midnight.

 

During the pilot's preflight check, he discovers that the latrine holding

tank is still full from the last flight. So a message is sent to the base,

and an airman who was off duty is called out to take care of it.

 

The young man finally gets to the air base and makes his way to the

aircraft, only to find that the latrine pump truck has been left outdoors

and is frozen solid, so he must find another one in the hangar, which

takes even more time. He returns to the aircraft and is less than

enthusiastic about what he has to do. Nevertheless, he goes about

the pumping job deliberately and carefully (and slowly) so as to not

risk criticism later.

 

As he's leaving the plane, the pilot stops him and says, "Son, your

attitude and performance has caused this flight to be late, and I'm

going to personally see to it that you are not just reprimanded, but

punished."

 

Shivering in the cold, his task finished, he takes a deep breath,

stands up tall and says, "Sir, with all due respect, I'm not your son;

I'm an Airman in the United States Air Force. I've been in Thule,

Greenland for 11 months without any leave, and reindeer are

beginning to look pretty good to me. I have one stripe; it's two-

thirty in the morning, the temperature is 40 degrees below zero

and my job here is to pump shit from your aircraft. Now, just

exactly what form of punishment did you have in mind? "