I'm deployed again. Another base, another desert. This time, I'm in a logistics squadron. My job is to load 40-foot trailers. We were a unit that received airlift supplies and ordnance, then forwarded such resource to troops downrange.
There was a time not long ago, when military installations had active railroad lines on base/post. These tracks were a vital part of shipping material in and out of the installation. There were side lines where flat cars would stage, while trailers were prepped for loading onto the flat cars. I was loading one of the trailers.
The trailer was sturdy, but the walls were transparent (which I didn't find odd). Initially, I did a poor job of loading the trailer, only loading the stacks a couple of feet high. I left too much space above the boxes. It was inefficient and borderline dangerous. Boxes could topple over during transit, or even fall on someone else when the next troop downrange opens the trailer.
I got to the end of the trailer and finally realized I needed to re-do the load. Instead of physically moving the boxes, I was able to visualize the new box configuration. With a wave of my hand, boxes stacked neatly, from the floor of the trailer to the ceiling, as if organized by invisible hands. Wall after wall of boxes went up in a stable, neat fashion. I didn't feel a sense of wonder over this new-found power. Just a sense of expectation & the desire to finish the job in order to move on to the next task.
Soon, I was nearly finished. Suddenly, I could hear a klaxon, alerting the base to increase its readiness posture. I hurriedly hopped down from my work platform & headed to my billet, where I had my weapon and protective gear. It was combat time, and our location was at risk of attack. The rest of the loading would have to wait.
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