I talked with the major and learned that when it should start and our cars should be loaded we would drive them back along the screened road and up to the main road along the ridge where there would be a post and other cars to clear them. What effect does the style of this long sentence achieve?
The long-winded rant paints an image of a narrator who is less than stable.
The style reflects the mundane actions and events of daily life in a war zone.
The choice of simple words adds realism by mimicking the way people speak in real life.
The uninterrupted action mirrors how the orders will be carried out when the time comes.