Colonel Brittany McDenver, being the highest ranked in the entire training complex, was a no-nonsense and sometimes stubborn supervisor. Yet she was surprisingly pragmatic, sometimes deciding to skip procedure steps or change them entirely. This led to the people that worked under her realizing that they couldn't just go by with simply memorizing or winging it, as she could easily pick apart any idea that didn't have any sort of factual grounding.
Imagine my surprise when I found her alone in the gym at two in the morning, already halfway in her workout, dressed in only a black bikini, panting heavily as she continued to do her deadlifts. Her phone suddenly beeped and she stopped, lowering it, and standing back up to wipe her forehead of sweat. With that, she took off her gloves, tossing them to the floor as she cracked her knuckles.
"Morning Private. I presume you finished your shift for desk duty?"
"Yes Ma'am, Private Thomas has relieved me of my duties for today, Ma'am."
No one would be wrong for presuming that she was still in her early thirties or heck, extreme late twenties. Already at 55, and a mother of three, she still managed to match up to the best of the athletes amongst us. Even then, she never backed down from fitness challenges, and she had even promised two days of no duty to the one who could outdo her in a full exercise gauntlet.
No one had won that yet, although the sergeants and lieutenants were always eager to try.
"Well, try not go to sleep just yet, Private."
"Uhh...if I may ask, why so, Ma'am?"
"Because I'm gonna activate the alarm and wake the entire camp up for some surprise water drills and aqua PT. It's why you're thinking in your head why I might be in only my swimsuit in the gym."
I had did my best to avoid staring at her chiseled body, but I might as well come clean.
"...Yes Ma'am."
"I like your honesty, Private. Now, before you get your sleep, go drop the quartermaster and the medics the message so they can prepare."
Her voice was usually a lot sharper, and much much louder, and for her to talk at such a casual volume was definitely in no way indicating a better mood. In fact, like this, she was twice as intimidating.
"Of course, Ma'am."
"Fantastic," she said as she gave a thumbs up. "Have a good night, Private, it's a bit colder than usual this night, I don't want you catching a cold."
"Yes Ma'am", I replied, and gave a salute, to which she nodded.
She then turned to tidy up the gymnasium, returning the weights to their place. I hurried off to carry out her instructions, and then prepare myself for the imminent siren that would surely shock every sleeping soldier.
Part of me thanked my lucky stars that I was excused from physical activity, confined to just administrative and desk duties.
