The point of PM."FOR WANT OF A NAIL
For Want of a Nail: If Burgoyne Had Won at Saratoga, is an alternate history novel published in 1973 by the American business historian Robert Sobel. THE SHOE WAS LOST. FOR WANT OF A SHOE THE HORSE WAS LOST. FOR WANT OF A HORSE THE RIDER WAS LOST. FOR WANT OF A RIDER THE BATTLE WAS LOST. FOR WANT OF A BATTLE THE KINGDOM WAS LOST. AND ALL FOR THE WANT OF A HORESESHOE NAIL." JOHN GOWER John Gower (c. 1330 – October 1408) was an English poet, a contemporary of William Langland and a personal friend of Geoffrey Chaucer. He is remembered primarily for three major works, the Mirroir de l'Omme, Vox Clamantis, and Confessio Amantis , 1390 FOR 55 YEARS, PS MAGAZINE HAS PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE The routine checking of hardware that is performed by a field engineer on a regularly scheduled basis. See remedial maintenance. preventive maintenance - (PM) To bring down a machine for inspection or test purposes. See provocative maintenance, scratch monkey. . IN THAT TIME, CONNIE, BONNIE bon·ny also bon·nie adj. bon·ni·er, bon·ni·est Scots 1. Physically attractive or appealing; pretty. 2. Excellent. AND I HAVE TOLD THE PM STORY IN ALMOST EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE i·mag·i·na·ble adj. Conceivable in the imagination: imaginable exploits. i·mag . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WE HAVE SHOUTED IT FROM THE MOUNTAIN-TOPS ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ... AND WHISPERED IT FROM THE VALLEYS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BUT A POEM WRITTEN MORE THAN 600 YEARS AGO STILL SAYS IT BEST. PM IS THE NAIL THAT HOLDS THE SHOE. AND YOU, THE SOLDIER WHO MAINTAINS THE EQUIPMENT, ARE THE HOLDER OF THAT NAIL. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOU CAN DRIVE IT HOME STURDY AND STRONG OR YOU CAN GIVE A HALF-HEARTED EFFORT. OR WORSE NO EFFORT AT ALL. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WE KNOW YOU ARE JUST ONE SOLDIER WHO OFTEN FEELS UNAPPRECIATED ... ... AND WONDERS IF THE JOB YOU DO REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT DOES! TELL THEM ABOUT COLONEL JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (September 8, 1828 – February 24, 1914) was a college professor from Maine who volunteered to join the Union Army without the benefit of any formal military education, and became a highly respected and decorated Union officer during the American AT THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG Noun 1. Battle of Gettysburg - a battle of the American Civil War (1863); the defeat of Robert E. Lee's invading Confederate Army was a major victory for the Union Gettysburg , DURING THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR American Civil War or Civil War or War Between the States (1861–65) Conflict between the U.S. federal government and 11 Southern states that fought to secede from the Union. . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT WAS JULY 2, 1863, THE SECOND DAY OF THE GREATEST BATTLE OF THE CIVIL WAR. GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE AND HIS 75,000 CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS FORMED A LINE FROM THE WESTERN EDGE OF GETTYSBURG RUNNING SOUTH ALONG SEMINARY RIDGE Seminary Ridge is a geographic feature immediately to the west of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Its name derives from the Lutheran Theological Seminary on its crest. . [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE AND HIS 100,000 UNION SOLDIERS FORMED A LINE FROM THE EASTERN EDGE OF GETTYSBURG RUNNING SOUTH ALONG CEMETERY RIDGE Cemetery Ridge is a geographic feature in Gettysburg National Military Park south of the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that figured prominently in the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1 to July 3, 1863. , [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AT THE SOUTHERN-MOST EDGE OF THAT LINE WAS A SMALL KNOB OF LAND CALLED LITTLE ROUND TOP. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HOLDING THAT KNOB AND ANCHORING THE EXTREME DEFT OF THE UNION ARMY WAS COLONEL JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN AND THE 20TH MAINE INFANTRY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ON THAT SECOND DAY OF BATTLE, GENERAL LEE DECIDED TO ATTACK BOTH ENDS OF THE UNION LINE HOPING TO ROLL UP THE FLANKS OF HIS ENEMY AND DESTROY THE UNION ARMY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BUT COLONEL CHAMBERLAIN HAD ANOTHER IDEA, HE WOULD HOLD THE UNION EXTREME LEFT AGAINST ALL ATTACKS OR DIE TRYING. ANYTHING LESS WOULD SPELL DISASTER FOR THE UNION ARMY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WAVE AFTER WAVE OF CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS OF THE 15TH ALABAMA INFANTRY BATTERED bat·ter 1 v. bat·tered, bat·ter·ing, bat·ters v.tr. 1. To hit heavily and repeatedly with violent blows. 2. To subject to repeated beatings or physical abuse. 3. CHAMBERLAIN, THE 20TH MAINE AND LITTLE ROUND TOP. FINALLY, WITH BOTH THEIR BODIES AND AMMUNITION EXHAUSTED AND WITH THE HIGH HONOR OF HAVING ACQUITTED THEMSELVES WELL, MOST OF THE SURVIVING DEFENDERS OF THAT LITTLE KNOB PREPARED TO SURRENDER OR RETREAT. BUT NOT CHAMBERLAIN. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HE ORDERED HIS SOLDIERS TO "FIX BAYONETS" AND THEN ORDERED THEM TO ... CHARGE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IT WAS THAT CHARGE THAT SAVED THE DAY, AND PERHAPS THE ENTIRE WAR, FOR THE UNION ARMY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BECAUSE ONE MAW REFUSED TO DO LESS THAN HIS VERY BEST, THIS COUNTRY STAYED UNITED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AND, IT WAS THIS UNITED COUNTRY THAT TWICE SAVED EUROPE FROM DESPOTISM despotism, government by an absolute ruler unchecked by effective constitutional limits to his power. In Greek usage, a despot was ruler of a household and master of its slaves. IN THE 20TH CENTURY. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COLONEL JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN MADE HIS STAND-HELD THE NAIL--AT LITTLE ROUND TOP. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHAMBERLAIN'S STAND TOOK GREAT COURAGE. YOU MIGHT MAKE YOUR STAND-HOLD THE NAIL--IN YOUR MOTOR POOL OR COMMO COMMO Communication(s) COMMO Commodore COMMO Communications Officer SHOP WHEN YOU DO PERFECT PM. IT MAY NOT TAKE GREAT COURAGE OR BE AN HISTORIC STAND ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ... BUT YOUR STAND MAY MEAN LIFE OR DEATH TO A SOLDIER WHOSE MIG MUST BE READY FOR FIRING ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ... WHOSE VEHICLE MUST TRAVEL EVERY DAY DOWN AN IRAQI ROAD ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ... OR WHO DEPENDS ON HIS NIGHT VISION DEVICE TO GET HIM SAFELY HOME. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SIX-HUNDRED YEARS AGO A POET WROTE, "FOR WANT OF A NAIL ... THE KINGDOM WAS LOST." [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOMEONE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED THE PM JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT NAIL WAS IN THAT SHOE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOMEONE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED THE PM JOB TO MAKE SURE THE RIGHT NAIL WAS USED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SOMEONE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED THE PM JOB TO MAKE SURE THE NAIL WAS TIGHT AND THE SHOE SECURED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BUT SOMEONE FAILED AND THE COUNTRY HE LOVED WAS CONQUERED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TODAY, YOU HAVE A CHOICE! YOU CAN BE LIKE THAT "SOMEONE" OR YOU CAN I BE A JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN. YOU CAN BLOW OFF PM OR DO IT HALFWAY ... OR YOU CAN CHARGE AND SAVE THE DAY! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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