Lieutenancy Wingmen Reunited

My Friend and I Last Night

Last night was a whole lot of fun due to the visit of a good friend from my days as a lieutenant in Panama in 1981.  He and I were brand new infantry lieutenants in the same company for our first assignments as officers.  We arrived within a month of each other and shared a great number of adventures – many of which I cannot share here (c’mon, my kids read this blog).  We were both single guys working at the first job either of us had ever had with any kind of responsibility.  Our company commander was a great man, he eventually became an acclaimed general, but at that time he was turning us into soldiers, somewhat of a challenge.  We referred to the lieutenants who survived his rule as the graduates of his School for Lieutenants.  My friend was there when I met my wife and they were always good buddies as well.  He was at my side at my wedding.  We were together when he and I had to tackle and subdue a couple of very drunk soldiers wandering the company area causing trouble.  He left Panama after a very serious helicopter crash which left him with spinal fluid leaking out of his nose.  It’s a tribute to his toughness and drive that he fought back and continued his military career, eventually moving into special operations.  We have stayed remotely in touch over the years but had only seen each other twice over the thirty years.  He contacted me last week to say he was going to be in the area this week and we planned to get together.  We took him out for pizza at Zorbas and then just hung out and swapped memories from that seminal time in both of our lives.  It was so nice to be able to relive those days.  We both admitted that we probably couldn’t get out of work at 11pm, head downtown and party until 4am, then get up for physical training at 5:30 for several weeks in a row anymore (remember the kids are reading).  It talks to the bond forged in our youth that we were able to pick up the friendship seamlessly after 30 years.  We pledged to track down the remaining members of the school of lieutenants and hold some sort of reunion.  I think my wife still has illusions about fixing one of her sisters up with one of the other lieutenants.  Some things never change. 

My Friend and Wife Last Night

Me (left) and My Friend in Panama 1983

My Freind and I at my Wedding 1982, Wow, I look Scared

The School of Lieutenants 1983, My Friend on Far Left, Me on Far Right,
My Wife's Future Brother In Law Next to My Friend