Free Viper Team Seven (The Viper Team Seven Series Book 1) by Rykar Lewis Page B

pair of Marines. Johnson was kind of a role model for Parks,
and it had been that way since the first day Parks had arrived on his second
Anti-Terrorism assignment and took command of Bravo Company.
    “Four days isn’t
too long to get to your new duty station, and you’ve still gotta get packed up,”
the colonel stated.
    “Yes sir I
know.”
    “I guess you’re
gonna have a change of command ceremony tomorrow then?”
    “Yes sir. Will
you be there, sir?”
    “I’d never miss
it.” The colonel stalled before saying. “It’s been a short three years, Keith,
but they’ve been good.”
    Parks wasn’t sure
if Johnson wanted him to agree with that statement or not, but he took a long
breath and spoke his mind anyway. “Yes sir. I wish I didn’t have to leave this
base.”
    “Well,
everything’s got to end sometime. The whole battalion will miss you.”
    Parks squirmed
in his chair. He wasn’t certain what to say or do, so he just said, “They’re
good Marines, sir.”
    Johnson agreed
and then added, “You’ll keep in touch, right? Rebecca and I would love to hear
from you.”
    Parks promised
he would and then the two men stood and shook hands.
    “That’ll be all, Keith,” the colonel stated. “Thanks for stopping by.”
    *          *          *
    “You asked for
me, sir?” First Sergeant John Bingham stood at attention in front of Parks’
office desk. Parks had called for the first sergeant so that they could go over
the details of tomorrow’s change of command ceremony that Bingham would be
conducting.
    “I did,” Parks
said, closing the PCS orders file that he’d been looking over yet again. “I
thought we’d better go over tomorrow’s change of command ceremony.”
    “All right sir.”
    “Have a seat,”
Parks offered.
    “Thank you,
sir.” The first sergeant seated himself and then began. “We’ll kick it off at
1400, and we’ll hold it at the Headquarters parking lot. I’ll form Bravo
Company at attention, and then we’ll hand things over to Colonel Johnson. He’ll
present your going away award and all that good stuff, and then he’ll step
away. Next, you can say your farewells to the company and when you’re done,
Captain Harrison will come and stand next to you while the narrator reads the
change of command orders.”
    Captain Joe
Harrison was the Marine who would be taking command of Bravo Company. He was a
good Marine, and Parks liked him a lot. Harrison had been Parks’ Executive
Officer (XO) for the last year, and even though he was an ordinary Joe –
considering he was rather plain – he was consistent, and that’s what made him a
good Marine, and a great man to be the new commander.
    “When the
captain comes up beside you, sir, I’ll go and get the company’s guidon and give
it to you,” Bingham continued. “Then Captain Harrison and you will both face
inboard and at that time you can pass it over to him. You’ll both face forward
again and I’ll come up and get the flag from the captain and bring it back. The
narrator will then read the ‘Welcome Aboard’ message from the colonel to Captain
Harrison. When he’s done reading that, the captain will do his deal of saying
how he’s looking forward to commanding, and thanks to the colonel for the
opportunity, and whatever else comes to his mind. After that, I’ll take charge
of the company and that’ll be pretty much it. Any questions, comments, or
revisions on anything, sir?”
    “No. That’s good
enough for me,” Parks approved. “Good work.”
    “Thank you, sir.”
    “No, thank you.
Do you have any questions?”
    “Negative sir.
Everything is clear. The change of command ceremony should proceed very
smoothly.”
    Parks was sure
it would. First Sergeant Bingham had been the company’s first sergeant since
the day Parks had arrived, and he would probably stay that way until he retired,
which would be in just a year. Bingham was the best at conducting ceremony
drill and administration