A Gentler Way

At the morning roll call at Fort Dix, the sergeant called out:

- Platoon, atten-HUT! Private Martinez, report to the office. Your brother died last night.

The Chaplain, Rabbi Horowitz, looked on in horror.

- Sergeant, that's a rather cruel and unfeeling way to break tragic news. We must be more gentle and less abrupt in the future - he said afterwards.

The sergeant shrugged:

- Yes sir. I'll try to remember that.

He didn't look very convinced.

Several days later, a call came in about another family death. As the troops were assembling for roll call, the Chaplain stepped forward.

- Let me take this one, sergeant - he said.

He turned toward the sleepy-looking soldiers and said:

- Platoon, atten-HUT !

They came to attention.

- Good morning, men! - he said.

- Good morning, sir - they replied.

- Men, today is Mother's Day, and I hope all of you will be calling home to send your moms a loving thought. In fact, all of you who are fortunate enough to still have a mother who's alive and well, take two steps forward. Private Jones; not so fast!