In 1982 SP5 Wasp (a white) was a US Army Repair Parts Specialist
(MOS 76C20) stationed in Korea. He received a commendation from a
Korean General for superior vehicle and weapons systems support
during a high profile exercise. In April, he was promoted to SSG (MOS
76Y30).
With the promotion, the new SSG Wasp incurred a change in MOS from
76C20 to 76Y30, and was required to already know the functions of the
inherited MOS structure upon promotion. SSG Wasp had not bothered to
research the tasks and functions of a Supply Sergeant, because he was
still a Repair Parts Specialist. It was common for the Army to leave
a soldier in a position one rank below after a promotion. Upon
reassignment, the newly promoted soldier would get a position
commensurate with the new rank.
However, this was not the case for SSG Wasp. A week after his
promotion, he was reassigned to the position of company Supply
Sergeant, and the incumbent SSG Parker (a black) was reassigned to
SSG Wasp’s position (a lower, SP5 position). SSG Parker had
managed to lose accountability of over $100,000 of equipment.
SSG Wasp spent every waking minute for several weeks scouring over
the regulations that governed supply accountability. He took counsel
with several friends, who were also Supply Sergeants: they had the
experience that he lacked. SSG Wasp was a sponge for knowledge.
Eventually SSG Wasp had recovered accountability of most of the
equipment.
Army promotions to E-6 and below were managed at the local command
level. Promotions to E-7 and above were managed at DA HQs.
In April of 1985, SSG Wasp (stationed in the US) was “in the
zone” for the first time for promotion to E-7 (first time
in-the-zone selections were rare). When the selection results were
published in the Army Times, SSG Wasp checked for his name, and was
not surprised when it wasn’t listed. Then he started checking for
friends and colleagues. Imagine his surprise when he saw the name of
SSG Parker!
SSG Wasp contacted Personnel and requested a change to the
category of race he had been assigned when he enlisted, reflected in
his personnel records. His category was changed from White to Other.
Soon SSG Wasp was selected for two advanced logistics courses.
When the next E-7 selection list was published in 1986, SSG Wasp’s
name was included.
SSG Wasp was promoted to E-7 (SFC) in 1987 and selected for a
special NSA-sponsored unaccompanied assignment to a remote
mountaintop in Sinop, Turkey.
From Turkey, SFC Wasp was assigned to a NATO facility in the
Netherlands, as the Detachment Sergeant. There he met a senior NCO
who had just served on an E-7 promotion board at HQ DA. He related
that the board was instructed “
to give special consideration to
females, and other minorities, who may have been institutionally
discriminated against” before and hindered their past
performance.
Suddenly, the promotion of the incompetent SSG Parker made sense.
Two events occurred in 1992 that affected SFC Wasp:
1) His unit was re-designated from a Detachment to a Company,
and the senior NCO position was changed from Detachment Sergeant
(E-7) to First Sergeant (E-8).
2) SFC Wasp was selected for promotion to E-8 (Master
Sergeant/First Sergeant). It was his first time in the zone.
A week before SFC Wasp’s promotion to E-8 (Master Sergeant), the
Battalion Command Sergeant Major informed him that his promotion
would be to First Sergeant, not Master Sergeant. SFC Wasp had been
chosen over 4 other Master Sergeants in his same unit to be the first
First Sergeant of HHC, 54th ASG.
In 1994, 1SG Wasp was selected for the non-resident Sergeants
Major Academy. In 1995 he was reassigned to the US, as a Master
Sergeant, pending a class date to complete the Academy at Fort Bliss,
Texas.
He was assigned to a Headquarters control unit, with a staff of
another E-8, two E-7’s, and an E-5.
All soldiers were black.
During the first field exercise at Yakima, the black staff refused
to erect tents, trench around tents, set up a perimeter watch, or do
other tasks. They all complained that they were senior NCO’s and
“we needs us some Privates here to help us”. MSG Wasp went to
his First Sergeant (
another black soldier) with the problem,
and was told to "deal with it."
Returning from Yakima, MSG Wasp heard of a newly built Intel
facility in the area, and they were hiring. He applied for several
computer technician positions, but got on as a production line
mechanic, with the chance for an opportunity at a full time position.
MSG Wasp applied for retirement from the Army. The Battalion
Sergeant Major asked why the retirement? Wasp was "headed to
the Academy, and was a shoe-in for first-time selection as an E-9."
MSG Wasp replied, “No, Sergeant Major, I’m headed home and I’m
a shoe-in to be called Mr. Wasp.”
During his retirement out-processing from the Army, MSG Wasp
requested a change to the category of race reflected in his records.
His category was changed from Other to White. MSG Wasp retired
without fanfare.
And so goes the plight of a WASP, temporarily transformed into an
“other” person, after enlightenment.
