Basic training at Fort Leonard Wood
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I was trained as a soldier since I was little. My father joined the military around the time I was a toddler. The military afforded him the opportunity to gain his G.E.D., and also gave him opportunities to excel and become a non-commissioned officer. It also gave him the knowledge thru drill sergeant school to become a majorly overt/passive aggressive terror at home. It was this training/upbringing that caused me to decide to join the military. What doesn't kill you WILL make you stronger, and since I survived childhood I figured I should make it in the military.
The first step in the process of joining the military is to talk to a recruiter. The recruiter is a salesman for the branch of the military they work for, Army, Navy, Air force, Marines. They way they talk to you depends on how high you score on the ASVAB, a test that measures your intelligence. The higher you score, the more options you have, the lower the score the less options you have. The military has a quota that has to be met monthly by the recruiters. So when they talk to you they will tell you anything you want to hear in order to get you to make the commitment. I overheard a recruiter telling a kid that it's o.k. that he has diabetes and near blindness in one eye, and that he would help coach the kid to pass the eye test by studying the eye chart used. He also told him not to eat any candy bars before the physical.
After you sign your commitment then you’re sent to the MEPPS station, which is where you get physically violated and checked. All your orifices are poked, prodded and groped. Your genitals are tugged on and you have to pee in front of a guy who stares at you to ensure that the urine is actually leaving your body and into the specimen jar. That was the longest 20 minutes I could remember. If you pass the physicals, then you sign a contract that gives you your date of induction, the day you leave for basic. If you don't pass, your sent back home. If the problems can be rectified, you can try again. If not then you’re a reject.
I passed and was sent to Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri in the fall of 1992. It's in the middle of the woods. We were ushered into the in processing center where we were further checked and issued our clothing and ID cards. There were no drill sergeants here; it was run by cadre, soldiers in charge of keeping an eye on us. They woke you up in the barracks and had you do details like trash pick up. The cadre weren’t a**holes unless you really messed up. The mess hall was like a Luby's cafeteria, they let you eat as much as you wanted. Since the in processing center was so laid back, some of the people began to assume that basic training was going to be easy. Some of the guys started acting like they the military wasn't shit. Then the drill sergeants showed up.
The drill sergeants arrived to talk to us about basic training. They walked in and started talking to us like they were really cool, and that if we worked with them it was going to be easy. They created an environment where they had us thinking that we were going to be buddies. They lined us up in formation and told us to load up into the cattle trucks. These were cattle trailers that were modified to carry passengers. Once the trucks were loaded, all hell broke loose. The drill sergeants told us to lower our f**king eyes; we weren't allowed to look out the f**king windows. If you raised your head, then they would run over and tear it off. I remember some guys started sobbing inside the truck. Once we arrived at our barracks, then the drills started yelling at us to exit the truck and stand in formation. Some guys tripped and fell over each other, others started crying. It was ugly. Once we stood in formation we were ordered to hold our duffle bag up and pull out whatever the drills told you to pull out. A loaded bag weighed around 35 lbs. and was about 4 feet long, so it was heavy. If it touched the ground, then you got swarmed by drill sergeants. They ordered you to pull out your dress socks, and then you had to dig them out of your duffle bag and place them on the pavement. Then they would tell you to find other articles of clothing to dig out. There was a huge black guy who talked a big game at the in processing center. When he was run off the cattle truck and had the drill sergeants in his ass, he had a nervous breakdown right then and there. After we emptied our bag, we had to collect our clothing and marched into the barracks and assigned beds. 15 minutes later we had to learn how to march in formation so that we could go to the chow hall and eat. We were allowed 10 minutes to get our food, eat, and then stand outside in order to march back to the barracks. We didn't go to sleep until midnight because we were assembled into platoons and assigned squad leaders.
In order to survive basic training you must remember one thing. NEVER, and I mean NEVER attract attention to yourself. The guys that got messed with the most stood out for one reason or another. If you had distinguishing physical characteristics, you were f**ked. One guy had a mole in the middle of his forehead, so he was called dot. Another guy was called lollipop because his head was too big for his body. We were all called knobs, head or retards. In order to survive, you had to conform and not be different. Standards were also different between genders. Basic was separate for men and women in 1992. The females had their own barracks and had male drill sergeants. When we ran for pt (physical training) next to the females barracks, they would hang out of their windows and yell at us. After chow one day, dot whistled at one of the girls. The drill sergeant heard him and marched us all to a gravel pit where we got rolled. During the process of getting rolled, you have to run in place, then you have to fall down and roll left or right and then jump back up. Doing that in a gravel pit meant we were going to have rocks embedded in our hands and get our clothes torn. Later on that evening we showed dot our appreciation with a blanket party (we hit him with bars of soap stuffed inside of socks).
Sexuality is a taboo subject within the military. As any soldier can attest, people will find times and places to hook up, even in combat. In basic training this was no different. It was more difficult, but after the fifth week, soldiers had a little more time and freedom to find a place to get freaky. Soldiers would hook up behind the Post Exchange, shoppettes, any place where they could hide for 5 or 10 minutes. Another problem encountered in basic was sexual abuse. Female soldiers were susceptible to abuse from their drill sergeants and cadre. Sometimes we witnessed these acts being perpetrated. One day as we waited in formation outside the mess hall, we began to hear wailing. It was coming from the female's barracks laundry room window, which was cracked open. There was a screaming Hispanic female huddled in the corner of the room wearing only her bra and panties. Two drill sergeants, dressed in t-shirts and BDU bottoms, were trying to calm her down. It looked very suspicious. She was screaming and freaking out and swinging a mop handle, keeping the drills at bay. Our drill sergeants came out of the mess hall, looked over and saw the ensuing scandal, promptly marched us out of the area and back to our barracks. The next day we heard that the MPs (military police) were never called, and that the female had gotten out of the military. The chain of command had intervened and got her out of the Army before she could press charges against the drills that terrorized her. Sexual misconduct wasn't limited to females. One soldier had claimed that he was raped by other soldiers, and when he was taken to the TMC (troop medical clinic), his rectum was torn up. Another soldier claimed that he was forced to perform a sex act on a pair of reserve drill sergeants. Nobody believed him, until they found a video tape made by the two drills of the act. Some of these incidents may come as a shock to the general public, but not to soldiers. Allot more happens that doesn't make it out into the news or newspapers.
The U.S. weapons phase of basic is the time when we fired heavy machine guns, grenades, rocket launchers and claymores. The machine gun range was run by a crazy Puerto Rican SSG. We were being trained on how to fire M-60 machine guns. Most people got excited when they fired the M-60, blowing their load all over the range and not hitting any targets. When it came to my turn, I fixated on one target, a tank, found the range to target and shredded the hell out of it. The drills were so impressed they took ammunition belts from other soldiers and gave them to me. When I began to fire, the range sergeant got excited and ran out from the tower screaming and firing his .45 pistol at the same tank that I was firing at. The only reason I knew his was firing his pistol was because one of his shell casings fell into my shirt, burning my neck. During the rocket launcher phase, we fired a dummy AT-4. We didn't launch a rocket, but the launcher fired a 9mm tracer bullet that followed the same trajectory as the rocket. The worse phase was the grenade phase. For some reason all the individuals who had suicidal tendencies always chose this phase to let everyone know how f**ked up they are. At the grenade range we would wait in a blast shelter as soldiers took their turn throwing grenades. The people who palmed the grenade prematurely released the safety spoon, thereby ensuring a cook off (premature blast). So when they palmed the grenade and threw it, they created an airburst, peppering the building and pissing off the range personnel.
The funniest training phase was the NBC phase. In a nuclear, biological or chemical war scenario we would have to know how to wear NBC suits that would protect us. It was a heavy padded overall lined with charcoal. The mask had a hood that was hot as hell. In order to demonstrate that we learned to wear the mask and suit we had to go into the NBC chamber. It was a concrete bunker where the NBC trainers had a huge can of CS (tear gas) gas cooking in the center of the sealed bunker. We had to march in with our gear and mask on. With the room filled with tear gas, we had to remove our mask, then put it back on then clear it. Before we were allowed out, we were forced to take our mask off and yell our name and service number. Once we breathed the gas in, we all started choking and tearing up. It also burned your eyes so you couldn't see. Some guys panicked and began to run into the walls. Others ran into each other, trying to find the exit. We were forced to remain inside dying until we were able to get into a straight line. Once we got in a straight line, they allowed us out into the open air. Our noses were running, eyes swollen shut and choking and we were all throwing up. It was f**king awesome!
After 8 weeks of being treated like shit, surviving the rifle and grenade range we finally made it to graduation. The final march to the graduation area was extremely exhilarating. Our drill sergeant had an awesome voice, so when we marched to the reception area, we sang in cadence the song from Steam "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Them Goodbye". Everyone on base could hear us sing because we really meant what we were singing. We were saying Good bye to Ft. Leonard wood as a stroke, and hello to the Army as a soldier.
©2010 Augustine A. Zavala
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I have many more experiences that I haven't shared, and the statute of limitations haven't expired on a couple of them. Thank you for the comment!
my husband was a marine and I ca ntell from your stories and his that I would have not survived. I think he has as many good as he does bad stories of boot camp. Great hub!
Izettl, thank you for the comment. I'm sure as a psychology major you could intrepret the stories from myself and your husband as survivor Tales! Although the experience was difficult and trying, it does prepare soldiers for the trials and tribulations they may face in combat. They also serve the skew the sense of humor of individuals like myself. Thanks again!
Kepp writing these tales. Your honesty and humor make them great.
your tale of basic brings back a lot of memories from my time in basic back in 1966.
Good reading
God Bless
Vietnam vet, thank you for the comment. Our basic was much more civil than the basic you attended. You dealt with more bull sh**t than we did. You definitely made it through the school of hard knocks. Thanks again for visiting.
Yep! Parris Island was a bunch of fun. The drill instructors said that we had 3 seconds to get off the bus and 2 were already gone! And the fun began. Great post AA!
Mickey, thank you for the comment. My dad was a drill seargeant, so I had already been indoctrinated. Basic training was like living at home. I made it through with flying colors. Thanks again for visiting.
Great informative hub,..I honestly don't know how anyone survives basic training..sounds brutal. Must be youth,
MM
Maggie-may, thank you for the comment. I was rasied bya drill seargeant, so basic training was like living at home. I made it through ok. Thanks again for the visit.
A.A. Zavala,
This was very good hub..as an Air Force Brat and former Army enlisted person you captured it perfectly..my daughter is going through basic training as I write this..I kind of got chills thinking of what she is going through at this moment...my dad also was the "mother" of all drill Sgt's..but guess it made me who I am today..whatever that maybe..hahaha
Thanks again,
Sunnie
Sunnie day, thank you for the comment. Being from a military family prepared your the life of a soldier. As for your daughter, I'm completely certain that the issues raised in hub won't happen to her. Integrated basic training occured in the mid 1990's. Safeguards are in place to protect women in basic. HAving a drill for dad has made your impervious to BS. Glad to meet a kindred spirit.
Well, Augustine, now I have a much better understanding of what life is like in Basic Training...and you shared this with an incredible bit of humor! From the very beginning, when you describe why you choose to do this; your father had "become a majorly overt/passive aggressive terror at home." I knew, right then and there, that I was going to like this hub. Your sense of humor in this situation and your other writing is somewhat sarcastic, cynical with a little tinge of a cutting edge! Ironic! Which adds so much to the telling of your tales. A situation which is grueling and grinding has become easier to read by the humorous retelling of what, otherwise, could have been related as horrible; but you are sharing this with us in such a way as to make this hub amusing! And palatable! Very impressed at shooting the heck out of the tank and impressing your "superior." It's a shame about the treatment of some women in the military as well as the (perceived) weaker males among the recruits. Human nature; what can one do? AA...really and truly enjoyed this one (is that bad, being a potentially negative experience...and IS for some; didn't seem like it as much for you); and your writing style is to my liking! Yes! UP and AWESOME and FUNNY!!
Kathy, I survived basic because I was immersed in military training from birth. My brother and I were raised like Spartans, and just like the Spartans, my father had no need for art, music, or love. I have to say if I had a choice between war and basic, I would rather go to war. That's how much I hated basic.
Things have or improved or gone to hell depending who you ask regarding basic training. I can't say since I've removed from the scene, but I will say that the camaradrie is still the same. People in the military can tell who else has been. Here, where I work, people thought I was in law enforcement. Not because of anything other than the way I carried myself; I walk with a purpose, I have an intense look, and have witty sense of humor. Once I've unleashed a tirade, people can do nothing but laugh and agree with me. The military can have that effect. I must have humor in my life, because I've already experienced enough heartache for 10 lifetimes. Kathy, thank you so much for the visit.
First off, thank you for your service to our country. Secondly, thanks for this "insider's" view of what boot camp was like back in 1992. Yes, some of the things you wrote here were shocking to read, and I'm glad that in your comment to Sunnie Day you said that there are now safeguards in place to protect the female soldiers. My husband's a Vietnam Vet who did 2 tours and even though basic training was hard, he always says that it needs to be that way in order to save lives when soldiers find themselves in battle.
Thanks so much for sharing your experiences.
Am rating this hub up and useful and awesome!
Happyboomernurse, thank you for the comment. Basic training and the hardships experienced are important. I'm glad I went, but much more happier than it's over. Thank you again for the visit.
Hey, A.A, I was in basic. Maybe you remember me, I wore green everyday. For some reason I thought we were near the same age. But if you were in basic in '92, then I am considerably older.
The satute of limitations is up on all my stories.
Mckbirdbks, I'm 41 going on 61. Your green was olive drab? I wore camouflage green. Unless you went to basic during the revolutionary war, your stories should still be good. Please share! Also, us smart asses need to stick togethor. I should learn a martial art with all the shit I talk. Until then, I may need you to cover my back.
Done. Olive drab indeed. Beautiful Ft. Ord near S.F. bay, bone chilling cold. 48 days of basic training, and I pulled KP twelve times. Live is grand. I'm 61 going the distance.
Yes, basci during that time was truly hardcore. When my dad went thru basic, he got kicked in the head because he had raised it when he wasn't supposed to. He has a scar on his eyebrow because of it.
The lifer Marine Corp Sargeant, that was the father figure, was pretty tough. At sixty he got in a fight in a parking lot and won.
To me basic was just another eight weeks. When I got out ('73), mostly for spite I grew my hair long. haha Drove him nuts.
I was indoctrinated from birth to be a soldier. The funny thing is, I fought as long as I could to stay out, but then joined. I did four years and got out, but I had actually had 24 years in if you count the time since birth.
Haha, I always say I deserve a military pension. I spit shined shoes and made beds with hospital corners for many a year.
Very near the end of basic I was in a 'platoon leaders' room when a Drill Sargeant came in and said to him "Who's Friedman?", I announce that I was. "HOW COME I DON'T KNOW YOU?" - "That's the way I wanted it." Man was he mad. Nothing he could do at that point.
Exactly. In basic, you want to be the most generic person in the unit. Anyone who was different, or had distinguishing characteristics was screwed. We had one guy who had a mole in the middle of his forehead. He was known as dot during basic. We had a really white guy in our platoon, and he was called Casper.
Being singled out had to make the experience even worse. The staff used you as an example and that made you a leper with the rest. Doubly whammy. That had to make the time spent in the service look pretty bleak. I have always liked the 'Not on my watch line', but we got our butts kicked in Vietnam.
I'm nominating you for "Best HubPages Avatar" in the Hubbie Awards because that little boy with the helmet isn't just cute, he was born into a military family and molded to be a soldier so the Avatar is a perfect match! Oh yeah, and you're a great writer too!
Gail, that's it. Your officially awesome. If I win, at the awards dinner I will thank Jesus, you, and my babies momma. Just kidding, I don't have any kids (I'm fairly certain).
I've only followed you recently. However you've become one of the most positive and engaging hubbers I have met. In my mind you and Sunnie Day are like sisters. I am fortunate to follow you and read your hubs, and I like your style of writing. Engaging and positive. Thank you again for being your awesome self.
Oh my goodness, thank YOU. I love Sunnie's personality and hubs so I'm flattered you think we're like sisters.
Your comments all over Hub Pages are so funny that I'm going to nominate you for "Funniest Hubber," too! No thanks necessary now, but if you win you'll have to do double thanks to Jesus, me and your imaginary babies momma!
Deal. I will give you and Jesus mad props should the moment come. I got to figure out a way to show my gratitude. Don't worry, it will be legal and guilt free.
Bro, I was at Ft. Leonard Wood for basic Novemeber 1992, C-4-10
Galloway, I was in C-2-10TH INFANTRY, 3D BRIGADE CLASS 1-93. Small world insin't it? Thank you for visiting.
Augustine, I only read a couple of comments
starting with
"Wonderful story!"
It's horrible. You wrote it well, structured a bit too formally for my taste (but you know me, I am insane), but it is HORRIBLE.
I know armies are not spas, but when I have to read it, I feel awful. There so many young lads drafted in the Russian Armies who don't make it home because they cannot withstand the abuse. There are a lot of suicides, maybe homicides, too - it the the same thing - it is not the topic to be brought to light.
I think it should be. Raping - it is like prisons - if soldiers/men/women are starved for sex - no, I am not suggesting any solutions, but if you know that the problem exists, then ignoring it is not a solution.
Remember, when I asked the question about men's position on a. sex? Men are fine as long as they are behind (let me put it this way). I figured out how to freak out those in favour of sexual experimentation - let's discuss "a tit for tat thing" - and they are just HORRIFIED.
I am quoting "I don't want this thing even near me!" This "thing" is so near you, you can't imagine! So near, that you have to live with it... The irony.
Horrible. We consider soldiers & low rank military brainless. The word is "Boots".
The guys (men only, even though our degrees are the same) became officers at the graduation from the University - Lieutenants (something, I don't remember the exact rank - probably the lowest rank of the Lieutenant range). That was the major attraction of universities like mine - no military draft, meaning they did not have to spend two/three (for the Navy) years as soldiers in the Army. Our Army is to feared as a prison, not as an effective Army to protect the state.
My parents graduated as Lieutenants, too. All doctors would be drafted, if...
The first author who wrote about the war as it was (not everything I am sure) was Erich Maria Remarque. His book made such an impression on me, that I could never forget...
Horrible...
Svetlana, this is difficult, and in some instances bad. But in the Russian military it is more horrible. I remember watching a clip of soldiers in Spetnaz training. I'm not sure if your aware, but the Spetnaz were special opeations soldiers, like Navy Seals. Anyway, the footage showed a non commissioned officer kicking recruits in the gut. One young man was beaten so severly, he had to get castrated because he was kicked in the genitals so hard they ruptured. It was truly brutal.
As difficult as basic sounded for me, it was much more difficult for my father. He was kicked in the head, and had a scar over his brow as a reminder. Remember, I was raised in a Spartan fashion, so by the time I actually joined the Army, I was already a veteran.
Augustine, I said the same, Russian everything is terrible. Much worse than terrible. It is not in the highlight, never was.
Do you think I did not have enough reasons to leave?
I always had thought that if I had a son, I would not want him to be sent to some bloody Afghanistan or Chechnya or wherever the country (fatherland, motherland) decides. Just surviving the Russian Army is a heroic enterprise on its own.
And guess what? You know that I have only one child and it is a boy. I don't want him to be in the Army. In any Army. I don't want him to be raped or abused or made an animal.
Things happen and nobody is doing anything? Just because it happened to somebody else?
I don't understand Russians who come to Canada and enlist. In Russia, everyone who can, tries to escape, to find a way not to be drafted. To come here and join? And go to the same place - Afghanistan? To be killed? Mutilated?
When I read "Archipelago Gulag" - Solzhenitsyn goes on and on about tortures.
I just cannot take it, I cannot see movies about bloodshed. I read a book about Russian history - another perspective - "Brutality/Terror without limits" - I needed rehabilitation afterward.
I know what Spetnaz is - I don't know how they are trained, but I believe every word about brutality. They probably did not show the worst.
I don't know if that thought occurred to you - this training dehumanizes people. That is probably the whole point. Once subjected to humiliation - people become the ones to humiliate others.
The layer of civilization is so thin.
I don't see anything "wonderful". You tell me what is so wonderful when a reader reads about raping? Or maybe she/he just browsed, but not read? Or thought? It is easier to be an animal. And we all are - we can be ruthless, we can be killers, we can torture others.
Most of the readers (OK, people) don't realize that their "nature" (current state) is not something permanent. Given different circumstances they will all become "war criminals".
There were sociologists (I am sure you are aware) who studied people's behaviour - some "Prison" experiment that proved just that - the nicest of people turn into monsters.
We are not who we are. We are who we are only given certain decorations. We play nice people living in a nice country. Take your fellow American and place them in a Russian prison.
I am sorry, I am the only one looking from this perspective. I think sociology must be studied by everyone - we live in a society. Psychology and sociology should be a must.
That is why I realized that Germans became fascists, but any country could have done that. Any.
I think the wonderful part for me was that I made it relatively unscathed emotionally and physically, in basic. True, the purpose of basic training is to break an individual down and train them to conform to "standards" set in order to perform in combat. There is no mincing words, we are trained to be parts of a machine. To act without question, and to be able to respond under duress to take the battle to the enemy and win. I'm not going to study the morality of it, because others have. All I know is that it was significant part of my life.
Philip Zimbardo was the individual who ran the Stanford Prison study and recorded the events as they unfolded. He also wrote the book "The Lucifer Effect," which sites examples of individuals or groups comitting atrocities. The case studies and examples are graphic, but the cause and effect analysis is fascinating. I recommend it for reading.
Daniel should not be a soldier. He needs to go to college, lives his life, and develop a career in which he should be successful. The military life is a difficult and harsh life. In my opinion, serving in the American military is a noble profession. In spite of some of the instances I cited, which isn't the norm, it can help those who need additional direction, discipline, and opportunities they may not have elsewhere. I recommend any individual who is considering military service to seriously understand the ramifications of signing on the dotted line, because your accepting the fact that you may/will be sent into harms way. It's not a decision to take lightly, and you will not come back as the same person should you go to war. Again, I'm not attempting to romanticize the military, it's just my personal opinion.
I was raised from birth to be a soldier. Yes, I was indoctrinated, emotionally abused, and was exposed to instances in which I got my ass kicked to toughen me up. I was a quiet, chubby, inquisitive boy who loved to draw, and more importantly, loved his mother dearly. I was the epitome of weakness in my fathers eyes, so he decided that he would man me up. My point? Even after the exposure to this abuse, I didn't become a monster. I harbored anger and resentment, but never raised my hand to abuse others. After basic training, the anger within didn't become unleashed onto the public. I feel that some individuals may be more succeptable to "breaking" and conforming than others. I know all the experiments, and I'm a student of history also. There are other factors involved in causing people to committ acts or atrocities upon others.
Augustine, it is hard for me to express what I think on the subject, a book would not be enough. Thank you for mentioning the book "The Lucifer Effect" - I read an article on it, but I forgot to keep the name and I never returned to it.
Sometimes, a film would be centered on only one story and it would be so horrific that you just cannot forget it. There was a film "Go and watch/see" and it was about Germans invading a Russian village (nothing special) and it ended up with taking all the villagers in the barn and burning them alive. I was about 14/15?
I would never "go and see it" again. There was one instance here in Toronto - there is Russian channel on TV, one hour per week. In our early years of immigration we used to watch it. In those day the word "pornography" we used as ubiquitously as the word "sh-t". It meant nothing, just bad quality, a book, a show, anything. So this "channel and its programs" were just that. Crap. But it gave us some connection.
So, one Sunday, there was a reportage about Chechens and all of a sudden, without any warning, they show an execution - a prisoner and his head is cut off. I nearly vomited.
What if children were in front of TV?
The time was 10 a.m.
That is the problem with me being so visual. I cannot forget. This image is still with me. Yes, I can rationalize - I am an expert in rationalization - but emotions? and images?
In 2011, September, we went to the Toronto Film Festival and for the first time in our saga of TIFF, Nikolai convinced me to watch a documentary, "Japanese Devils". About the war between Japan and China - it was a part of the Second World War.
There was no war footage, only five Japanese veterans telling stories for three hours. I was sick. I will never forget. Then a few days later, there was September 11, 2011. The strangest part was that the film is banned in Japan. Japanese public does not know what Japanese Devils (soldiers) did. And those veterans who were telling stories were crying themselves and their families knew nothing about their deeds. They showed a wife and the look on her face when she learned... she lived her whole life with a monster...
A monster? A man, a human being.
Exposure to this information has not desensitized me. As a Russian, I never forget about brutality. It is way too close not to be aware. Living in Moscow, not the worst of the cities, I had it always in the back of my mind that something can happen (rape would not be the worst of it), that I have to consider my safety. I remember when I was taking English courses I had to come home at 11 pm. It was only ten minutes walk from the subway station - every time I was terrified - I was "praying" that nothing would happen. Here in Toronto, I can be outside at night at any hour. My friend told me that now in Moscow, she does not let her almost grown-up children to go unaccompanied. What a life.
I think (correct me if I am wrong) that Americans are not that well informed. They live in a bubble. A different bubble. Romanticized, yes. Simplified. Idealized. Coming face to face with human nature can be gruesome.
And that is the reason for the word "wonderful". What frightens me is that if I was a German scientist I may very well be the one studying those prisoners in labour/concentration camps. I realized the power of the drive to know... On the other hand, I don't want to live in the world of illusions. It seems to be too primitive.
I probably failed to make my point. I was not trying to undermine your experiences or feelings about being in the Army, I have some military inclinations myself, but for my son, every time there is a talk about soldiers, wars and violence, I am brainwashing him - that it is the last thing he should consider.
Just like my mother. I was probably fourteen, when she told me that I should never marry an officer. Their lives are miserable. Most of them become alcoholics. I never questioned it. I just accepted. I doubt I could have been attracted to them anyways - soldaphons - that is the word - not intellectuals.
Just like your childhood made a huge impact on you, the fact that I was growing among doctors and medicine, made in impact on me, as well. It's a different crowd. They tend to be thinkers/scientists. A lot of writers come from the medical field as well.
So, now I will try to write something lighter... I don't know if you like it, but the idea is to make others like it.
As Americans, we tend towards an ethnocentric mind set. Even though our nation is is only a couple hundred years old, we feel that it's the best and only acceptable form of goverment/culture. Some of us are blinded by tenets of our faith, cherry picking verses in scriptures from the bible that suit our needs/position. We have an arrogant swagger, because we've built our nation from successful battles over peoples and cultures that stood in our way. We're blinded to the world because of our need to be dominate in everything we do. We can't accept that anyone country or culture can be better than ours. It's our cross to bear.
We are products of our enviroment. I fought the inclination to join the military, because I didn't want to be like my father. However, there is a streak within me that feels at peace within a martial enviroment. I hate it. I wish that I wasn't so comfortable with it, because I wasn't born that way. I was made that way. I never had my fathers tendencies, and I believe he was disappointed with that. He grew up rough and tough, and I think he wanted me to be the same way. I was too sweet as a child, and he was not going to have any of that. SO, as an adult in the appropriate setting I can be aggressive, yet quiet and introspective. I can immerse myself in poetry, yet my tongue can possess poison. I can be playful and humourous, yet at times I'm morose. I am a complete and utter mess.
I hope to release the next Narcissus hub, and I think it will be funny and humorous. Yes, a funny/light hub from Kallini. I welcome it.
Started sobbing inside the truck. Man, thats when it really hits one they're not in the cradle of love & kindness anymore. Oh, always better to score as high as you possibly can on the tests...just some advice for any potential volunteers reading this. Ah, a recruits worse nightmare- wash-out and the shame of going home. You are a wonder Augustine if you liked the gassing results..lol(not really!) Truly the best read I've had on this part of the military experience.
Strange, Augustine, I had no notification, you left a comment after mine.
All nations are ethnocentric.
The second paragraph - you can say the same about me. The description fits. Maybe we are twins?
There is such a thing as "irony of repetition" - we repeat the mold we were growing in. There are about twelve (?) life - traps - one of them is Entitlement (narcissism is part of that).
Mine is dependency. I long for acceptance and mistake apathy for rejection.
Well. As far as Narcissus - my "stand alone" version may be too weird. Maybe it is a good thing, Carlos. Sorry, makes me laugh.
Alaster, it was ridiculous. The military uses research to determine how to develop the best recruit cheaply and efficiently. When the drills picked us up, they set us up by stating at reception that basic isn't difficult. We are all friends wearing the same uniform. I remember some of the guys who were pain in the asses at reception high fiving and talking shit all the way to the cattle truck. They had a different outlook once the cattle truck stopped.
NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) soldiers were a different breed. In training they had to wear their mopp suits (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) all the time. They even had to conduct physical training, play football, run with the mask on. It's almost impossible, because your trying to draw breath through filters, and the mask would contract and expand. These people were crazy.
Our senior drill was a NBC NCO, and he was immune to CS gas. during our trip to the gas chamber, he was smoking a cigarrette and lit the CS canister with it. He was just standing there, watching us choke and suffer. He was a bastard.
Kallini, longing for acceptance is a universal need, even by animals. Harry Harlow discovered that when baby rhesus monkeys were deprived of attention from their mothers, they died. Two fake monkey dummies were set up, one furry, the other just a wire replica with bottles full of milk for breast. The baby monkeys would feed from the "wire" mothers, then rush over to the furry "mothers." They would cling, and attempt to garner attention from these substitutes. When attention wasn't forthcoming, they simply died.
I formally accept you as an friend and author. Your are cordially invited to share your wit, wisdom, primal screams, and your 42 reasons for looking for love in all the wrong places. Maybe number 43 is the one; or si it number 84?
Yes, I know this experiment, I love the book I have read recently "Loneliness" - research ... I will spare you the details. It was really eye-opening.
But a lot of people are driven by achievement and I am not.
Do you think the place where there is love can be wrong?
I only care about 42 because it makes me laugh - it is "my bus" or "my something..." It really does not matter.
I don't even remember whether I "picked my number" before or after ... Probably after I read Pelevin's "Numbers" - it is a hilarious novel about a guy who had his number 34 (the lucky) and the antipodal was 43 (unlucky).
Thank you for accepting and inviting... And some screaming is coming from the realm of fiction.
Numbers are numbers, but I guess, now is your month.
If it's my month, then I surely need to be productive. We'll see what I get for my awesomeness.
You will get something from me. Of course, knowing me, it may come as soon as your birthday, but it is not the time, it is the effort that counts.
It is so strange that I came to love your name. Who would have thought?
Not I. I'm glad you like it. I like Svetlana also. Although it's common to you, in our neck of the woods it's exotic enough.
I think it's time for another Danielism hub. I enjoyed the wish list chart he made in your last hub. I enjoy the way he thinks, but I do hope he can find his own work instead of aspiring to be a house boyfriend or husband. HAving a sugar momma can have it's caveats.
Augustine, I am sure, he moved on. The only thing that I observed and I did not like it -
he seems to have a controlling girlfriend (I am joking about girlfriend) and he submits.
That it my pattern - ... but that was just before he left for the ocean...
He left for the ocean? He's a marine now?
No, my ex and his family went to the Atlantic - Daniel seems to enjoy cold water. I don't.
I am very happy for him - he was there once - three years ago. When my X told me "I am taking Daniel and I am not telling you where". He told me eventually, they went for a week or so. It was around Daniel's birthday - Aug. 21.
Year 2008 - the nightmare. But he brought Daniel back on Aug. 21 against our agreement - I was not ready at all to give him any celebration - I had other plans.
But the pictures are priceless - Daniel is running along the shore without his -- well without everything - au naturelle...
You can see what happiness is.
Now - he criticizes every picture - why am I in the creek? I am not supposed to be there. Why am I naked? Why do I have this expression on my face? This is stupid.
Maybe he is a Marine. He loves water, I love it, too, but he is just cannot get out of it.
Your Ex seems to steam roll or attempt to steam roll all your plans and wishes. How is Daniel when he comes back from visiting your ex? It is a private question for another time perhaps. Your son is a Leo? Sounds like it from the toy stories you've told.
My husband Just left on Monday for BCT at Fort Leonard Wood. He called me when he got off the plane in St Loius and said the drill sargeants were swarming like bees right off the plane. Then they mustve taken their celphones because he called and said he'd arrived safely at Fort Leonard Wood and he loved me then hung up in my ear. It sounded like they told him what to say. This is pretty tough and I know he's going to be one of those that sticks out tat youre talking about because he's 33 yrs old. I hope like hell he makes it through. Thanks for the info about bootcamp there. I know it's not going to be easy but I am praying to God that somehow, he gets through it. He's not a smart ass, he's super duper smart and scored very igh on the ASVAB and he's not the type to do anything other than what he is told. I know he will try his very best too. However, again, he's 33. I hope they see that he is disciplined and good soldier material. He has a little bit of a rough time running but he is able to do more sit ups and push up than they require so maybe they will overlook the running part so long as he tried his best. I hope he doesnt have to give anyone a blowjob though. That's pretty unsettling.
LOL! I'm certain that he will not be giving blow jobs. Instances of sexaul abuse are rare, but happen. Your husbands age will not be a factor in singling him out unless he's unable to keep up. Sounds like he has the intelligence and stamina to do well in basic. Those two traits are important.
Yes, the last phone call you received was the standard 2 minute call that all recruits must make after they've been taken to basic. They're not allowed to conversate, just let you know he's alive and ok. In about 4 weeks, he'll be allowed to call and talk to you longer from the pay phone. Just know that the lines are long. He may end us using a prepaid cell phone and plan for the convenience. Not sure though. Your husband will be fine, and he will contact you soon. Thank you again for the visit.
Thanks so much for the reassurance. :)It's a relief to know his age won't be a factor on him getting called out more than he already will be. If anything, Im more concerned about him being punished for the stupidity and immaturity of the college aged kids there that are training alongside of him. I hear the new recruits can be pretty dumb and will test the DS's even though it's a losing battle. So, I guess I'll wait for a phonecall in about a month. I've already written to him but I dont know what unit he's training in so I don't have an address yet. The phone call I got wasn't two minutes, it was more like 20 seconds. lol Anywho, I'm obviously very new to this so I don't know much yet but would loveto be able to follow his training on facebook or somewhere else. Do they have a site that roughly runs over the trainees daily activities hroughout the phases?
Basic training has changed significantly since I was in, but your husband will send you an address once he has the chance. I would recommend emailing him, because he may have the chance to write you faster that way. When he gets some casual time, he may go to an on base library and answer. So, email him now. Every piece of mail I got was so cherished. Absence does make the hear fonder, and he will be energized by your thoughts. That how I made it through. If an address is supplied, send a letter scented with you cologne. Other soldiers may want a whiff, but that little gesture can work miracles!
Well, I saw that if you put cologne on the letters, they make smoke them for causing a disturbance or being to provacative. I have no idea. But Im not doing anything except the absolute standard. I had some other Army Girlfriend tell me to send color coded envelopes when I wrote him and that she was doing the same. I said "No thanks...I'll go with the plain white." Why not send him a teddy bear sucking it's thumb and a big heart pillow thats says "Get Well Soon." I meanplease...I've been around the block a time or two. I know better than to be anything but protocol or otherwise it's noticed. And noticed is bad in the military unless it's the commendable sort. :)
Understood. Your husbband will cherish anything you send I'm sure. Hope everything turns out well, and that he finds success in basic and AIT.
AA Zavala, Wow! The things that are told and the things that are left unspoken regarding life in the military! You never lose your gently ironic humor, particularly in the opening lines when you have us all with your description of your father as a domestic terror.
Thank you for sharing, and congratulations for surviving childhood and boot camp!
Voted up + all,
Derdriu
Really enjoyed reading your memoirs. My brother is in the Army, and actually did his basic at Leonard Wood as well. I'm always looking to read accounts of military experience, just so I can understand a little more about his life which is so vastly different from mine. Thanks for sharing your story! As tough as the experience sounded, it was actually a bit funny to read. My brother also likes to tell us about the CS chamber, he claims it doesn't wash out of your skin for days and so you stink pretty bad afterwards!
Derdriu, what doesn't kill makes you stronger. Really! I'm fine though. AS always, thank you for the visit.
Anaya, the CS chamber will clean your pores and all your orifices out. A common moment of suffering for all soldiers. Thank you so much for the visit!
lalesu Level 1 Commenter 23 months ago
Wonderful story! My husband and son were both Marines and I've heard many, many boot camp stories, but I never tire of them.