The Captain called the Sergeant in.
"Sarge, I just got a telegram that Private Jones' mother died yesterday.
Better go tell him and send him in to see me."
So the
Sergeant calls for his morning formation and lines up all the
troops.
"Listen up, men," says the Sergeant. "Johnson, report to the
mess hall
for KP. Smith, report to Personnel to sign some papers. The
rest of
you men report to the Motor Pool for maintenance. Oh by the way,
Jones, your mother died, report to the commander."
Later that day
the Captain called the Sergeant into his office. "Hey,
Sarge, that
was a pretty cold way to inform Jones his mother died.
Couldn't
you be a bit more tactful, next time?"
"Yes, sir," answered the
Sarge.
A few months later, the Captain called the Sergeant in
again with,
"Sarge, I just got a telegram that Private McGrath's
mother died. You'd
better go tell him and send him in to see me
. This time be more
tactful."
So the Sergeant calls for
his morning formation. "Ok, men, fall in and
listen up." "Everybody
with a mother, take two steps forward." "Not
so fast, McGrath!"
