Black Belt

I found out today that my black belt is now unauthorized.

This may not be a big deal to most people—it is just a belt right?

This belt was received in the first issue of the ACU uniform, during my first unit, before my first deployment. It has been worn everyday during both deployments and everyday that I wore the uniform. My first Sergeant Major told me to cut it because it was too long—the first time I wore it.

The buckle is all scraped and silvered from constant use. It probably needs to be retired for that fact alone. It fits perfectly and has been properly broken in.

I guess I could replace it, but I think I’ll just wait.

I’m old school like that—why change what is working?

Soon, there will come a time—at a new duty station where I will have to update everything—it will probably be then that I say good bye to the old black belt.