Fort Bragg, a month later
They were all sat in the mess, tasting their roasted rats, when Jorgenson came in triumphantly, immediately followed by Trautman.
“What's up big animal? - Danforth asked – Why are you late?”
“I have to make a special announcement”
The colonel smiled behind him.
They were becoming his boys, by then.
As a matter of fact, Trautman never really liked the idea – because it just made his work even more difficult – but in the end, it was an unavoidable process.
Trautman cared about his guys, and in some ways loved every single one of them.
And when the time would come to send them to their deaths, he would love them even more, because that day they were all going to become heroes.
That's the way it worked for him.
It's a mystery, but any soldier knows it: when you send some of your men to their deaths, you suddenly love them even more.
And if they survive too, the pain they spared you makes you truly love them.
At this point he becomes a brother.
Or a son, if he is very young.
Which was actually exactly what was happening between him and Johnny.
Rambo used to ask Trautman many questions, mostly about the things they were learning during the course.
And then, when they were face to face, he always questioned him about many other things.
Had the guy asked him about women, he would have started feeling like a father with his son for real.
A son whom – one day – he could order to die for him
Trautman was lost in his own reflections, when Jorgenson made his announcement in front of every one.
“Some days from now, my daughter will be born. Trautman has just given me a week’s leave”
The chorus coming out after those last words sounded like a stadium, and pieces of roasted rat started flying at Jorgenson.
Barry stood up at the long table, and yelled at the top of his voice:
“Cool Grizzly! Very cool! Ultra cool!”
Trautman looked on smiling at them.
Those were the moments that made him bond with his men even more.
The two Baker teams were his pride.
No one had ever responded so well to his teaching before.
Team B was very special in particular..
They behaved as if they had everything inside themselves already, and they just needed his help to bring it to the surface. It was as if he hadn't selected them, but found them.
He was well aware that his ideas sounded too pessimistic and cerebral to many.
It was as if after years spent studying how to train 'adult' soldiers, he had suddenly found eight of them that were just looking for an 'alibi' to become so.
They were probably going to become some real special forces champions.
Anyway, both of the teams were gaining a deep understanding of what Trautman was teaching them, and that his teaching was the fruit of years of experience in the field.
And because of that, they respected him even more.
Trautman was right about the Vietnam War, and he knew he was.
And soon, the two Baker teams were going to become the living demonstration of it.