Leaving for Benning 1/2/2018 [View all]

A 18 year old kid he lives up the road from me. He leaves Tuesday and he is worried, I took him in yesterday to get a replacement driver license and we stopped to have lunch. And the questions started he is scared of the unknown. And I get it I was in the same bag on a crowded bus from Atlanta on a hot and humid night June 1984. Heading into a big uncertainty thinking why did I volunteer for this will I be able to make it. So I told the future trooper no horror stories some guys get into scaring new dudes. I told him we got to reception and these reception DRILL SGTS. Took over and they kind of got us into a formation. And we marched to this mess hall and they fed us two cheeseburgers and fries.

And then they put us into the bunks around 0200 and I laid thinking well this is it. And at 0330 they were waking us up now I’m thinking what 90 minutes of sleep if that. Then they marched us to breakfast so I’m thinking ok at least they feed us I only been in the army less than six hours and I’m getting meal number two. So his one concern was brutality from the Drills. I said nope doesn’t happen only hands ever laid on me was maybe to get your rifle straight in close order drill when your learning. I said you will be with the finest NCO the army has infantry Drills. And yes you will fuck up but you will find you will not be the only one. And usually punishment is to the whole training platoon not the individual.

That gets you to learn as a group son shine. I then told him a story first aid training and we were practicing and I tied this pressure bandage around this dude and I stood up. The Drill comes storming over now I’m thinking he is going to be checking out my fine work of battle dressing a simulated sucking chest wound. I told young mister that I soon found out I was wrong and that I was just shot by a simulated sniper. And the whole platoon was in front leaning rest with me. I tried to get him to relax just by humor. I said you will be fine in one door as a dirty nasty civillian 16 weeks later out the exit door as a soldier.