[April 9, 2025] There is a common belief that the most intelligent among us are also those who will make the best moral decisions. It should come as no real surprise that this is not always the case. Many decades ago, I had an encounter with a man who desperately wanted to be a Machinegunner in the U.S. Army. He was intellectually impaired and an alcoholic.
Sitting with an Army Recruiter when I was a Sergeant in the late 1970s, I got to witness something that I’ll never forget. This man, Billy McCallahan, had grown up in the Deep South, in a small home in the woods and he was also one of eleven children. He’d been in trouble with the law for selling moonshine and other minor offenses. Basically, Billy had nothing going for him.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Billy had a desire to be an Army Machinegunner and that’s how I met him. The recruiter Billy was assigned to did all the standard testing but Billy failed the military ASVAB exam. This was the first time I saw a recruiter coach a person on how to pass the test. And he told Billy not to tell anyone about his alcohol problem.
Billy wasn’t intellectually competent but now that he had “passed,” he would be sworn in to the U.S. Army and, with some luck, he would be a Machinegunner in the Infantry.
One day I saw Billy helping an old man navigating downtown with a walker. I asked Billy to introduce me to this gentleman and about how he’d come to know this older man. Billy told me that he had been walking residents from an “old folks home” for about three years.
Now that is a person who is moral. Dumb as a rock. Messed up in life. Nothing going for him. And yet he had the moral capacity to decide that there was someone worse off than him. He told me that he thought by going on these walks, he could do them some good.
That is a story of a good soul, not the intellect.
Eventually, Billy was inducted into the Army. After a few months he was discharged due to alcoholism. Briefly, very briefly, Billy was the alcoholic Machinegunner.
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At least Billy had a plan. It didn’t work out but he had a plan to better himself. Too bad his alcoholism got the best of him.
Sir, so many “war stories” to tell. The telling of great stories about what is good and proper is what we all need. As you wrote once in an article, Leaders Tell Stories. Learn how to tell these tales and be sure they are the absolute truth. That is what we’re talking about. In this case, a good soul is highlighted for us all to see.
“The Alcoholic Machinegunner” a story that will make Leftist radicals explode. Makes me SMILE.
Eh, crazy Machinegunner.
Wild. I had no idea the Army would allow an alcoholic into the service. Looks like Billy did get his wish, if only briefly. 🇺🇸
“One day I saw Billy helping an old man navigating downtown with a walker. I asked Billy to introduce me to this gentleman and about how he’d come to know this older man. Billy told me that he had been walking residents from an “old folks home” for about three years.
Now that is a person who is moral. Dumb as a rock. Messed up in life. Nothing going for him. And yet he had the moral capacity to decide that there was someone worse off than him. He told me that he thought by going on these walks, he could do them some good.
That is a story of a good soul, not the intellect.”
— Gen. Doug Satterfield.
Spot on sir, Thank you!!!!!
Best and most interesting. I like these stories told here.
Great to hear from you again, Abu’l. Been a long time.
If you found this not funny, then you are a compassionate Leftist. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Ha Ha Ha ,,, love this story. But what eventually happened to Billy? Did you lose track of him? Did he continue to do good in his community? Did he remain a “good” man? Inquiring minds would like to know. However, I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
The Army “Alcoholic” Machinegunner. What a wonderful story about a “good soul.”
This is the story of a seriously flawed man who was, nevertheless a good man. We actually see these men more often than we might realize but we just don’t notice them because they are not braggarts nor the narcissists our society is producing in greater quantities. Today’s youth are encouraged more today to be selfish and self-centered. There is a societal cost to that strategy and the cost is more than we will be able to bear. Thanks, Gen. Satterfield for sharing your story of the alcoholic machinegunner.
Exactly! 👍 🕷️🕷️🕷️🕷️
“That is a story of a good soul, not the intellect.” — Gen. Doug Satterfield
Great story. Gen. S., thanks for sharing. We all have good people in our lives but mostly overlook them. This is a wake-up call ….. don’t pass by those who do good because good souls are there for us if we ever need them. And, be a good soul. And you can read alot about how to do that in “55 Rules for a Good Life” which is Gen. S’s book. Get your copy. I bought a dozen and gave them away.
WAS HE CRAZY?
I think that Gen. Satterfield’s point was that despite this man’s obvious mental impairment (“messed up”), he was a good person because he was willing to help others less fortunate than him. This is what separates those who talk a good game about being “compassionate” – Liberals and Leftists – and those who actually do something to help.
I agree. I’d also like to see Gen. Satterfield take this story further and let us know what happened to Billy.