The Plight of a WASP

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.