Dazed and Confused
Everyone has these 100 things about me lists... It's time I started some sort of list. So, here's five things about me:
When I was 17, I knew my family couldn't afford to send me to the college that I wanted to go to (Fordham), so I joined the army. It was a huge scandal in my high school. I went to all male, college preparatory school taught by the Jesuits. Nobody joined the Army--maybe if they went to West Point but that was it. Teachers who never taught me in class stopped me in the hallways and begged me to reconsider. This was a huge indicator that I had made the correct decision.
I went to basic training in Ft. Dix, New Jersey. I was so scared I didn't eat a meal for three whole days. My security clearance paperwork (I went into Military Intelligence) was messed up and I remained in a limbo state for TEN FULL DAYS. Most guys stayed at processing for only two days.
During the third week of Basic Training, we had to march 3 miles across post for some dumb reason. The drill seargants wanted someone to call cadence. Eight guys and ten minutes later we had moved about 200 feet and the drill sergeants were screaming at us. Trying to get 60 men (boys) to march in step as you call out rhymes is more difficult than it looks. I decided to give it a try and succeeded. I marched the entire platoon across post. That was a turning point in my life. I became a leader the rest of my time in Basic Training; someone the guys looked up to. I think at the point I became a leader in life too.
My ranger buddy (bunk mate) in Basic Training was Sean Kellogg from Texas. He was 17, had a baby and a wife. I gave him my first paycheck to send back to his wife.
Everyone in my squad cried at one point or another during Basic, but I didn't. I don't know why. I think it's because I figured out that the entire thing was a sham after about 4 days. I knew the drill sergeants were conducting psychological warfare and that it was all a game--even though they threatened to hold us back and lied to our faces, I knew deep down it couldn't possibly be true.
I haven't talked about this stuff in awhile and memories are flooding back. I'll have to continue this and see where it leads. :-)
When I was 17, I knew my family couldn't afford to send me to the college that I wanted to go to (Fordham), so I joined the army. It was a huge scandal in my high school. I went to all male, college preparatory school taught by the Jesuits. Nobody joined the Army--maybe if they went to West Point but that was it. Teachers who never taught me in class stopped me in the hallways and begged me to reconsider. This was a huge indicator that I had made the correct decision.
I went to basic training in Ft. Dix, New Jersey. I was so scared I didn't eat a meal for three whole days. My security clearance paperwork (I went into Military Intelligence) was messed up and I remained in a limbo state for TEN FULL DAYS. Most guys stayed at processing for only two days.
During the third week of Basic Training, we had to march 3 miles across post for some dumb reason. The drill seargants wanted someone to call cadence. Eight guys and ten minutes later we had moved about 200 feet and the drill sergeants were screaming at us. Trying to get 60 men (boys) to march in step as you call out rhymes is more difficult than it looks. I decided to give it a try and succeeded. I marched the entire platoon across post. That was a turning point in my life. I became a leader the rest of my time in Basic Training; someone the guys looked up to. I think at the point I became a leader in life too.
My ranger buddy (bunk mate) in Basic Training was Sean Kellogg from Texas. He was 17, had a baby and a wife. I gave him my first paycheck to send back to his wife.
Everyone in my squad cried at one point or another during Basic, but I didn't. I don't know why. I think it's because I figured out that the entire thing was a sham after about 4 days. I knew the drill sergeants were conducting psychological warfare and that it was all a game--even though they threatened to hold us back and lied to our faces, I knew deep down it couldn't possibly be true.
I haven't talked about this stuff in awhile and memories are flooding back. I'll have to continue this and see where it leads. :-)
posted by VeryApeAZ at
11:43 PM
6 Comments:
So, did they, erm... "know"?
I'm curious about the whole "cohesion of the unit" thing and if it was eroded by anyone knowing you were in their midst.
Not to go all political or anything, but in the context of Don't Ask Don't Tell this chapter of your life is fascinating to me...
By
PJS, At
Wed Jun 08, 06:48:00 AM MST
I'm so old that I was in BEFORE Don't Ask Don't Tell.... and back then I dated and slept with women.
By
VeryApeAZ, At
Wed Jun 08, 10:16:00 AM MST
You're so old...
I can't believe they even had the Army way back then......
By
potusol, At
Wed Jun 08, 10:24:00 AM MST
Tell us about General Washington, Uncle Ted?
By
PJS, At
Wed Jun 08, 11:22:00 AM MST
Oh, I'll have to blog about that trip we took across the Delaware. The river was fucking frozen. But by God, George just HAD to cross. I suggested we wait until summer, when the temperatures were so hot us soldiers liked to strip down to our skivvies and splash around in the water.
By
VeryApeAZ, At
Wed Jun 08, 11:43:00 AM MST
Hey, wait a pickin-cotton second . . . not everyone at Loyola who didn't want you to go into the Army was a snoot! I just didn't want one of my best friends to get shot up, and as Oscar, it was my duty to be contrary toward my Felix anyway. (plus, I think I had this inkling that you might be gay, and that the military wasn't an optimal placement, but then again I was just a closet case myself in those days, so who's to say?)
Still, I won't ever forget that you made ME, of all people, drive you to the recruiter station after school!
Did I redeem myself in the eyes of the Army by being Wes Clark's #1 volunteer in South Carolina last year? Probably not... given how that all turned out.
By
Anonymous, At
Tue Jun 14, 06:38:00 PM MST
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