Wrong class

When I in-processed to Fort Hood, the Education Center made me choose between two week-long classes -- the company commander's class and the XO/S-3 class.

At the time, I didn't know which one would be better. It would be three years before I'd be a company commander, so I chose the XO (executive officer) class, and chose the August 10 to 14 timeframe.

Big mistake.

I found out after I showed up yesterday that it wasn't a company XO class. The room was full of majors. It was a battalion/brigade XO class -- three or four pay grades above me.

In the afternoon the commanding general paid us a visit. He went around the room asking people what jobs they did; one after another, people introduced themselves and said they were from such-and-such brigade or so-and-so battalion. A few worked at the Corps level.

When my turn came, he just laughed and asked, "Wh- What are you doing in here?" The only thing I could do is say I signed up for the wrong class.

Pretty embarrassing, but I guess I'll just have to stick it out. And besides, there's still a chance I might learn something applicable.