Well, I have. And, I seen others do it. But, one situation that particularly sticks out happened while I was stationed in Woomera, South Australia as a young lieutenant with the US Air Force. Our new site nurse sent out a memo and boy did she miss something. But, I’m glad she did because it makes a great story and got us all laughing – even the new site nurse. After getting over the initial embarrassment, she thought it was hilarious too.
This is an entry taken from my upcoming book, Yanks in the Outback: A story of Woomera, South Australia, The Joint Defense Facility Nurrungar (JDFN) and the First Gulf War.
Note: Book is fiction but based on my real life experience while stationed in Woomera with the US Air Force from February 1990 until May 1991. Characters are made up but most are based on real people.
***
First Aid Response Team
10 May 1990 Thursday
We have a new site nurse. She’s not new to the site but she just started in her new position this week and she’s off to a blazing start. She got everyone’s attention but it caused her a bit of embarrassment.
I really appreciate what she did because it gave everyone a good laugh and she seems to be taking the whole thing in stride. Good sport.
Angela used to work in the cafeteria serving and preparing meals; the next thing you know she’s appointed as our new site nurse.
Welcome to Woomera … these things happen here.
She wasn’t the friendliest lady on the cafeteria staff but she was one of the youngest and also one of the prettiest. She came across as gruff and unhappy during the times I interacted with her. I would usually avoid her and just talk with the older lunch ladies who are much friendlier.
But, I noticed a change in Angela this week. She’s very upbeat and excited about her new position as the site nurse. She was telling me her ideas and although I don’t remember much about the details, I remember her enthusiasm. I wasn’t listening very closely to what she was saying, I was distracted by the fact that she was even talking to me and that she was so positive and upbeat. I thought, “Is this the same Angela? She’s not herself and it’s a big improvement!”
Angela’s first official act as the new site nurse really caused a stir.
***
It all started on Tuesday when she sent out a site wide memo describing her new initiative. She’s forming a “First Aid Response Team.”
Her memo was very well written and I could feel her enthusiasm jump out at me. It was contagious. After reading the memo I wanted to join the new team.
But, I wondered if she read it closely before sending it out. I wondered if she thought to have someone else read it first before sending it out to the entire site. I wondered if anyone else would notice what I noticed.
The next day, Wednesday, I got my answer. Someone did notice and just to let everyone know, sent out a reply memo.
The reply memo was very formal and came from TSgt Sims from “Commo” (Communications section). I knew it was going to be a must read because we hardly ever see memos from Commo and never from TSgt Sims. He didn’t disappoint. You could tell he put a lot of effort into this one. I wonder if he puts this much effort into doing his real work?
He set the tone right upfront in the Subject line …
SUBJ: First Aid Response Team (FART)
Then he started to grind …
I would like to congratulate you on the formation of the First Aid Response Team (FART). I can hardly believe we’ve gone this long without a FART. It seems to me a FART is critical to site operations. Without a FART we cannot be expected to operate at optimum level. Just knowing a FART is onsite ready to appear at a moment’s notice is reassuring.
And, on and on it went!
I saw Angela later that day (Wed) and I was glad to see her in good spirits. She was laughing as hard as the rest of us. She quickly told me she changed the name of the “TEAM” – to what I don’t remember. Nothing can be as catchy as her original!
I was relieved to see Angela enjoying her “mistake” as much as everyone else and now she’s moving on. That way I didn’t have to feel so guilty about how much I enjoyed reading TSgt Sims’ reply memo.