Sunday, November 26, 2006

U. S. Armed Forces Code, in Verse: Chapters 22, 23, 31

Chapter 22

441

The Director of NIMA must
Feel insignificant
Half this section
Reassures he's important

442

NIMA makes every kind
Of map and pic
This section says these
Should be accurate

443

Its Director spends money
To sell its info -
To sell? Isn't that the
Reverse of how cash flows?

444

The CIA sometimes
Gives NIMA support
Service and personnel
And things of that sort

451

The Defense Secretary
Asks NIMA for charts
And maps, or buys them
If sold with pink hearts

452

Pilot charts state
By whom they were made;
Accept responsibility,
Don't be afraid

453

These maps can be sold
As a matter of course
And profits used to pay an
International source

454

They trade these maps
With some other nation
A mutual exchange of
Geo information

455

They sell maps at ratios
One to five hundred K
But no finer, and only if
The Sec says OK

456

Map information is
Presented face value
You can't sue for errors
This section won't allow you

457

Any information that
NPIC collected
From the sixties or earlier
May not be inspected

461

Another strange section
About unions or something
And whether to consult them
Before they start hiring

462

They manage schools
To train new recruits
And help them to learn how
To button up suits

467

Definitions are given
For your conveniency
NIMA stands for National Imagery
And Mapping Agency

Chapter 23

480

Whenever reports are
Submitted to Congress
A copy is also sent
By email; that's progress

481

Surveys are conducted
Using methods not hard
To ensure no discrimination -
Except the Coast Guard

482

Every quarter year
Readiness is reported
On training, morale,
And other things assorted

483

Another report is
For funds that got transferred
All details of from where
And to where are answered

484

Each year the cadet who
Most often complains
Must go 'round the country
And count the airplanes

485

Joint war games played
With another armed force
Are reported so lessons
Can be reinforced

486

Each four years strategies
Are sent for review
And new ones are planned for
A decade or two

487

How time was spent
Is carefully checked
That length of each mission
And service was correct

488

On even years, they check
The magnetic spectrum -
It might vanish, and they're ready
For whatever may come

489

Money is budgeted for
Each military museum
They already spent it
You may as well see 'um

Chapter 31

501

This chapter talks about
Enlistment, and re-,
And goes on for too long
As you will soon see

502

Before any officer, an
Enlistee can swear,
And I don't mean they curse -
They do that anywhere

503

Recruiters may show up
At a high school or two
Or you may see a poster
"Uncle Sam needs you"

504

The insane and the drunk,
Felons, and deserters
Are usually not welcomed
To join by recruiters

505

Seventeen to thirty-five
(Seventeen, with consent)
Up to six years for minors
Or for re-enlistment

506

A term of service may
Come to be extended
To six months after
Any warfare is ended

507

You continue your service
While injured or sick
If not from misconduct
Or some sort of trick

508

To re-enlist you must be
Honest and faithful
The opposite is usually
Considered disgraceful

509

Voluntary extension
Is up to four years
All benefits will wait
So please have no fears

510

For a limited time,
So you better act now,
There's a bonus for signing
This section tells how

511

You can also sign up
And first finish college
They'll even give stipends
To help you gain knowledge

513

To find length of service
This isn't the one,
It's more clearly written
In 651

514

You can't be offered money
Beyond what your pay is,
You can't say you're coming
And send one of your nieces

515

When trying to re-enlist
An officer, warrant,
Retains rank, unless dismissed
For actions abhorrent

516

If starting as one thing,
And midshipman later,
You continue as you started
Less time on the freighter

517

A small fraction of soldiers
Can make the big bucks
The other 96 percent
Are plain out of luck

518

Temporary enlistment
(We're told what that's soon)
Can be made only during
A month with a moon

519

Temporary is explained
To be usually limited
To adults during wartime
Plus a six month period

520

During recruitment
You're given a test
They only want average
People, more or less

520b

In general, funds may be
Used to enlist
You can give me the money
And I wouldn't resist

520c

If I don't get the money,
Which would be a big shame,
They'll use it for goodies
And to play party games

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