Hey All, I think all of us have had moments of decision when we have that little nagging feeling...............some may call it instinct, a gut feeling or maybe your subconscious. Whatever it is....................I've always been sorry when I didn't heed the message.
Korea. When stationed overseas.............military personnel are issued a RCP Card. It looks just like a credit card and is used to track specific purchases. Depending on marital status and family size, each soldier is allowed to spend just so much money and buy only so much liquor, beer, cigarettes etc. These items along with many others were in high demand on the black market and people could easily supplement their monthly income by purchasing and selling what they didn't use or spend on themselves personally. Spouses get a card too.
I was a SGT/E5 by this time with a Korean wife and a son. We were allotted more than enough to cover our family needs for things purchased in the Commissary and PX. I was informed to report to the 1st Sgt at company HQ at 1000 Hrs. I wasn't informed as to the nature of this order but, being a dutiful soldier.........I obeyed. I arrived with plenty of time and when the 1st SGT finally had time for me.................he told me I was overdrawn by dollar amount on my RCP account. He had all the signed slips....................in the "old days" they put your card in a slide type machine with a paper over it. I sat with him and examined all the slips...................I had only signed 2 of them, my spouse at the time............ all the rest. Sure enough we were over the limit. I then had to see the "Old Man", the Commanding Officer. He explained that I could be punished under the Uniform Code of Military Justice -UCMJ, which was entirely up to his discretion. He sent me home to talk this problem over with my wife and I was to report back to him after lunch.
When I got home my wife was very surprised to see me. When I explained why I was home...................she was even more surprised. She went to a drawer and pulled out a cigar box with RCP slips in it and added everything up with a calculator and added it again to be sure......................we hadn't overspent by her tally. She insisted that they had made a mistake as she was very "careful" to keep track what she bought. I went over to the open drawer and looked inside...................I then pulled out a slip that apparently was under the cigar box................this changed everything. I was curious to just what we had purchased that cost so much money..........................since we were out of rations allotment, but, not out of month. She had been black marketing and now my career was in jeopardy.................... just shoot me now, please. I then asked how long she was doing this and just where was all that money she made. She claimed to have had been at it awhile and sent the money to her family back home..........................the same family, I had never met. Did they even exist? She advised me to tell the CO that we had a big party and had overspent, but would be more careful in the future, She wanted me to lie for her and cover up her illegal activity..................................as I walked back to post, I had this nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach that wouldn't quit.
I officially reported to the Old Man and he asked for my explanation.............................."Sir. I'm not going to insult your intelligence. I have only signed 2 of those slips. My wife has been black marketing her ass off.", I said. There was a long pause as he regarded me with his hands folded in front of his mouth. His reply gave me hope in all the virtues that I had been taught He leaned back in his chair and said "Sgt Scarborough, if you had come in here with some bullshit story about having a big party................I would have had you Court Martialed and busted back to a Private. Get your house in order and don't let this happen again. Dismissed." I sharply saluted, did a quick about face and walked outside HQ...................I stood there, considering what had just happened,. Grandmom Scarborough was right........................"nobody likes a liar"................honesty really was best policy.
We had a long talk at my house that afternoon and we had come to an understanding. I felt like I had a daughter instead of a wife and she insisted she was being treated as a child. My career was on the line and I wouldn't accept another mistake on this subject..................it was my name she would ruin.
A few months went by and I received a phone call from the front gate...................my spouse. She informed me "we" had a problem. She had over purchased cocoa, a controlled item like cigarettes and had found her error too late. I asked when this happened. As it was only a couple of days, I instructed her to go back to where ever she disposed of it and get it back, then, do a return merchandise at the Commissary. Immediately! It worked...................... no violation was recorded. She wasn't very pleased after I took her RCP card away though. From then on I would to do the shopping..................small price.
I wish that was" the end" of my marital problems. I was the Titanic and had only seen the tip of this berg................................. just a part of my continuing education. Life is learning, loving and learning how to love others. Sometimes.....................it's learning how to love yourself, even though you've made mistakes....................................and sometimes it seems that it is easier to forgive others.........than yourself.
Until next time.............................................God Bless.
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