So, here I was, four days out of high school, in the United States Army, in a Greyhound Bus, headed for the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, for eight fun-filled weeks of basic training. How did I know that they were fun-filled? Because the recruiter told me they were fun-filled and that I would love it. Although someone had warned me not to believe a word that the recruited told me because he was just out to fill his quota of warm bodies.
One of my friends on the bus had asked the driver where exactly were we going. He laughed and said, "Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri." He then said that most people who had been there for a while called it "Fort Lost-In-The-Woods, Misery." This was my second clue that two and two was not adding up to four. Anyway, most of the day on the bus was taken up by playing Spades. It became night and some of us tried getting some sleep.
Those who did sleep were awaken by the bus stopping at about 0330 hours. We thought we were at a rest stop. The driver opened the door to the bus and a short man with all of his hair shaved off, wearing a Drill Instructors hat and fatigues jumped in. He in a very normal voice said, "I'm your new mommie, daddie, wife, girlfriend, and I want to welcome you to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri." To this he added in a very loud voice, "Now, get of the bus and get into four equal lines." By this time everyone was making a mad dash for the door. We lined up then he told us we took to long to do this so everyone get back to their seats on the bus..After everyone was seated, lets try this again. EVERYBODY, GET OFF THE BUS! After about three time of this we were able to satisfy him. By this time the chow hall was open so we were sent to breakfast. So begins my first week in basic training. (These words of the Drill Sargent was cleaned up a bit because I want to keep this family material.)
To start off week one they gave us twenty dollars for odds and ends that we would need, shaving cream, tooth paste, etc.. We were assured that this 'flying twenty' as they called it, would be deducted from our first pay. This was indoctrination. One of the first places we were marched to was the barber shop. A lot of the guys back then had long hair. Inside the barber shop the barbers were asking the guys how they wanted their hair cut. We had three choices, short, short, or short. Most of us chose short. The barbers were having a good laugh at our expense, as the hair piled up on the floor. I took maybe twenty or thirty seconds for a hair cut.
We were then marched over to the Quartermasters to be measured for and fitted for clothing, headgear and boots and shoes. Drill & Ceremony training begins during week 1. This refers to correct procedures for marching, and body movements such as standing at attention, "facing" (right-face/left-face), "at ease", "to the rear" and others. Classroom instructions are given in each of the seven "Army Core Values," which include loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage (meant to spell out the mnemonic LDRSHIP, or "leadership"). There are also classes held on subjects that involve day-to-day personal life in the Army.
During week 2, I begin unarmed combat training, also known as hand-to-hand combat, Combatives, During this time I was also instructed in map reading, land navigation, and compass use. These skills are put to the test at the Compass Course, where we were divided into groups and had to navigate our way to a series of points throughout a wooded area. First aid training, known as Combat Life Saver (CLS), is also given during this period. We were trained in evaluating and properly treating casualties, ranging from dressing a wound to application of a tourniquet and dehydration treatment.
Week three begin training with pugil sticks, methods for carrying an unconscious or immobile person, and physical problem solving, such as finding a way to carry equipment from point A to point B given specific obstacles and constraints.
We were sent to the "gas chamber" during this week, which is a large, sealed chamber where soldiers are subjected to CS gas while wearing their protective masks. The gas chamber is the culmination of a series of classroom instructions on gas mask use. We were forced to unmask just before exiting the chamber, so that we can briefly experience the effects of the gas. Drill sergeants will usually ask each recruit to recite information while they are unmasked, such as name, social security number, or the Pledge of Allegiance, so that we are forced to open our mouth/eyes and/or take a breath while demonstrating continued focus. Those that answer incorrectly were sent for another trip through the gas chamber.
Week 3 is also when I was introduced to the standard-issue weapon, the M14 Rifle, This does not yet involve the actual firing of the rifle. It does include Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) fundamentals training (instruction in marksmanship techniques without firing the rifle), as well as maintenance tasks, including "field stripping" (quickly disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling) the rifle.
Week four is where we begin actually firing weapons. With the service rifle, the M14, we fired at various targets, which are progressively further downrange, making each successive target more difficult to hit, with additional pop-up targets at long range. Other weapons we became familiar with was the M1911 Colt .45 Caliber Pistol and also hand grenades.There is also an obstacle course which the soldiers are expected to negotiate within a certain time limit, known as the "confidence course", since the main objective is to build self-confidence. Additionally, there is continual, intense physical training, as well as drill and ceremony training.
Weeks 7 and 8 is the culmination and the most challenging of all the training phases. During this phase, there is a PT final. soldiers that fail are not allowed to go into the field with the rest of the platoon and are recycled. The Final PT Test consists of the Standard Army Annual PT Examination. A minimum of 150 points is required to pass US Army Basic Training. Those that pass will move on to "Bivouac" (camping) and FTX (Field Training Exercises), such as nighttime combat operations. There is no access to the dining facility during these exercises, so meals are given in the form C-Rations. Drill sergeants will make much of this an adversarial process, working against the recruits in many of the night operations, trying to foil plans, etc.
By the end of week seven, all of the soldiers who have passed and are going on and do not have to be recycled will know where they will be taking Advanced individual Training. They had told me that my Military Occupation Specialty (MOS) would be 05H, which is Morse Intercept Operator and that my training would be for 12 weeks and it would be at Fort Devens, Mass. My AIT training was scheduled to start in Jan. 1965, so I was given about a week and a half delay in route so I would spend Christmas with the family.
Well, basic training was sure an eye opener. I marked the first time I had been away from home. It's a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life.
God speed my friends, til the next time.
No comments:
Post a Comment