spoke to Mr. Landberg. “Mr. Jamison and ColonelMitchem will want to talk to the team now.”
Captain Dickenson looked over at the team, “Director Jamison is the director, a civilian GS-15 in charge of the program, and Lieutenant Colonel Mitchem is our commanding officer.”
Mike nodded, and filed the information away. Since Jamison was a GS-15, technically he outranked the Lieutenant Colonel.
Landberg spoke, “Well, I’m finished, so you can call them now.” He grabbed all of the files and signed forms, and left the room.
Captain Dickenson got up from his chair, and left the room. After the phone call, he came back, and took a seat. He, Lieutenant Pang, and the team sat around, making small talk until the director and lieutenant colonel came into the room. Captain Dickenson stood as they entered the room. The team and Lieutenant Pang also stood. Mike held out his hand, which was ignored.
Colonel Mitchem took in their civilian attire with aplomb, but the civilian was taken aback. Colonel Mitchem was trim in his uniform, graying hair around the temple, average height. Jamison was completely different. The guy was twitchy. Mike was uncomfortable looking at the guy. Jamison definitely had anervous vibe coming from him. He was dressed completely in black; black jacket, black turtle neck, and black slacks. He had a shock of white hair, and stood about five foot five, shorter than everybody in the room except for Lieutenant Pang. The shock of white hair made Mike think of a cotton swab. Jamison was slightly hunched over, making him look smaller. A perpetual sneer seemed etched into his face. The guy didn’t look happy. Mike immediately detested him. “Who the hell wears turtlenecks anymore ?” Mike thought to himself.
“Who are you? We asked for military, not civilians.”
Mike started to reply to Jamison. “Sir, . . . “
Jamison ignored him and turned to the Lieutenant Colonel. “I thought you said they were infantry soldiers.”
LTC Mitchem turned to them, “Are you infantry soldiers?”
Mike nodded, “We are all combat soldiers. We all have infantry experience.”
Jamison still didn’t acknowledge him, “Why are they dressed in civilian clothes? They should be in uniform.” Mike noticed that Jamison didn’t look anybody in the eye as he was talking to them.
Mike started to speak, “Sir, . . . “
Jamison looked towards Mike, but didn’t look directly at him, his eyes not meeting Mike’s. He snarled a reply, “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Mike tried again, “Sir . . .”
Jamison slammed his hand on the wood of the table, then pointed at Mike, his face red with anger. Hissing, he said, “I told you to shut up.”
The entire team grew quiet and still. This was a major breach in decorum. They didn’t like the way Jamison was treating Mike.What made it worse was that Colonel Mitchem didn’t seem like he was going to step in to defuse the situation. Dickenson and Pang looked embarrassed. Mike could feel the blood creeping up his neck and into his face.Mike could see the wariness in Mitchem’s face. He didn’t know if it was because of his team or because of Jamison.
Mitchem spoke, “Why are you in civilian clothes?”
Mike answered, “This is our uniform, unless we’re directed to wear something else.”
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside, he had a memorandum indicating that he and his team were allowed relaxed grooming standards, based on the mission. There was no end date on the memorandum. The memorandum included civilian clothes. He pulled out the memorandum and slid it over to the Colonel. The Colonel started to reach for it, but Jamison got to it first. He snatched up the paper, hands jerking slightly as he read it.He passed the paper to Mitchem. Mitchem took a look at the paper and then passed it back to Mike.
Jamison looked over at Captain Dickenson, “Make sure they
Captain Dickenson looked over at the team, “Director Jamison is the director, a civilian GS-15 in charge of the program, and Lieutenant Colonel Mitchem is our commanding officer.”
Mike nodded, and filed the information away. Since Jamison was a GS-15, technically he outranked the Lieutenant Colonel.
Landberg spoke, “Well, I’m finished, so you can call them now.” He grabbed all of the files and signed forms, and left the room.
Captain Dickenson got up from his chair, and left the room. After the phone call, he came back, and took a seat. He, Lieutenant Pang, and the team sat around, making small talk until the director and lieutenant colonel came into the room. Captain Dickenson stood as they entered the room. The team and Lieutenant Pang also stood. Mike held out his hand, which was ignored.
Colonel Mitchem took in their civilian attire with aplomb, but the civilian was taken aback. Colonel Mitchem was trim in his uniform, graying hair around the temple, average height. Jamison was completely different. The guy was twitchy. Mike was uncomfortable looking at the guy. Jamison definitely had anervous vibe coming from him. He was dressed completely in black; black jacket, black turtle neck, and black slacks. He had a shock of white hair, and stood about five foot five, shorter than everybody in the room except for Lieutenant Pang. The shock of white hair made Mike think of a cotton swab. Jamison was slightly hunched over, making him look smaller. A perpetual sneer seemed etched into his face. The guy didn’t look happy. Mike immediately detested him. “Who the hell wears turtlenecks anymore ?” Mike thought to himself.
“Who are you? We asked for military, not civilians.”
Mike started to reply to Jamison. “Sir, . . . “
Jamison ignored him and turned to the Lieutenant Colonel. “I thought you said they were infantry soldiers.”
LTC Mitchem turned to them, “Are you infantry soldiers?”
Mike nodded, “We are all combat soldiers. We all have infantry experience.”
Jamison still didn’t acknowledge him, “Why are they dressed in civilian clothes? They should be in uniform.” Mike noticed that Jamison didn’t look anybody in the eye as he was talking to them.
Mike started to speak, “Sir, . . . “
Jamison looked towards Mike, but didn’t look directly at him, his eyes not meeting Mike’s. He snarled a reply, “I wasn’t talking to you.”
Mike tried again, “Sir . . .”
Jamison slammed his hand on the wood of the table, then pointed at Mike, his face red with anger. Hissing, he said, “I told you to shut up.”
The entire team grew quiet and still. This was a major breach in decorum. They didn’t like the way Jamison was treating Mike.What made it worse was that Colonel Mitchem didn’t seem like he was going to step in to defuse the situation. Dickenson and Pang looked embarrassed. Mike could feel the blood creeping up his neck and into his face.Mike could see the wariness in Mitchem’s face. He didn’t know if it was because of his team or because of Jamison.
Mitchem spoke, “Why are you in civilian clothes?”
Mike answered, “This is our uniform, unless we’re directed to wear something else.”
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Inside, he had a memorandum indicating that he and his team were allowed relaxed grooming standards, based on the mission. There was no end date on the memorandum. The memorandum included civilian clothes. He pulled out the memorandum and slid it over to the Colonel. The Colonel started to reach for it, but Jamison got to it first. He snatched up the paper, hands jerking slightly as he read it.He passed the paper to Mitchem. Mitchem took a look at the paper and then passed it back to Mike.
Jamison looked over at Captain Dickenson, “Make sure they
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