Remembering my 20th birthday...Do you remember your 20th?
Turned 20 years old at the United States Army Reception Station (USARECSTA) Fort Lewis, Washington while attending Basic Combat Training.
In May 1970 my draft board in Waco, Texas informed me my draft number was going to be called up in the next month and if the Marines were not my choice of service it would be to my benefit to sign up as a U.S. two year draftee with choice of service. Discussed this information with several of the Waco Police officers who worked with me in the communications room at the Waco Police department.
At the time I was taking criminology at McLennan Community College while working as a police cadet. The consensus was go for the U.S. draftee status to get choice of service and a limited amount of time with the military. http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm
Went to Dallas on 16 June 1970 to the military USARECSTA to take the test to see if they really wanted me,they did, no idea I would be leaving for the military right away, was gone the next day in route to Ft Lewis, WA.
Arrived at Ft Lewis,WA in the dark of night and more testing right away, did not get to bed until around 3AM and was up at 7AM for more testing with news that two year draftee status would get me a slot in the Infantry at Ft Lewis, WA after my basic combat training was over, if I wanted to pick a different field would have to add a year to my status making me a Regular Army and not a draftee. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_United_States
Thought long and hard about the extra year, but also knew the Infantry might be my last job ever, so picked Military Police (MP) and added the extra year to my status with my advanced individual training (AIT) being moved from Ft Lewis to Ft Gordon, GA where MP AIT was located...did I mention I hated Ft Lewis.
On my birthday (June 22, 1970) I was a Platoon (PLT) Sergeant (SGT) in the 3rd PLT, D Co, 4th BN, 2nd BDE leading a platoon of 30+ soldiers on a ten mile run in full combat gear over hill and dale at Ft Lewis, WA. Got to sleep in my own room and not in the bay area, wore a black arm band with three gold stripes on it, and was blamed for any and all problems with the PLT by the PLT Drill SGT.
On June 22, 1970 woke at 4AM got ready for the day, ate breakfast at the mess hall at 4:30AM and was at physical training at 5AM while it was still so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face. In those days we warmed up with push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, side straddles, and leg lifts till we were exhausted, then we formed up as a unit and would run in full gear with weapons for five miles to the water at Puget sound, take a ten minute break, then run back to the unit where we would get ready for training of all sorts, bayonet practice, grenade practice, rifle practice, obstacle course fun, then at 11AM we would eat lunch.
After lunch at 11:20 AM we would go to training classes on map reading, compass use, compass course, and we ran every where we trained. Around 4PM the Drill SGT ran us to the small store in honor of my birthday, he found out somehow. We were told we could go in and buy anything we wanted but we only had 10 minutes to do that and be back in formation. Once released it was a wild flurry of folks to get in, eat, drink, buy and get out. Once back in the formation the Drill Sgt had two other Drill SGTs go around the formation and retrieve all the stuff we purchased, Drill SGT went through each and ever bag and commented on each bag as he tossed all the bags in a pile at his feet.
Once the review of what was purchased was completed we were all told none of what we bought was good for us and was confiscated. Needless to say we were not happy, then we were taken on a ten mile all out run to make those of us who had eaten and drank anything feel just a little worse...frowns. When the run was over we retuned to the barracks to eat, we had to eat three meals aday, the Army paid for them so we had to eat them, but only eat what you could eat and run with! As my special day ended all of us were cleaning uniforms, gear, and bunks, so we would all be ready to do all this over again.
Lights were out at 10PM since we were going to be up at 4:30 AM, did I mention we had to have two soldiers up in full gear as security of the barracks on what was called fire guard all nigh and morning, they did not get much sleep, we had two hour shifts.
My 20th birthday was different...do you remember your 20th?
Turned 20 years old at the United States Army Reception Station (USARECSTA) Fort Lewis, Washington while attending Basic Combat Training.
In May 1970 my draft board in Waco, Texas informed me my draft number was going to be called up in the next month and if the Marines were not my choice of service it would be to my benefit to sign up as a U.S. two year draftee with choice of service. Discussed this information with several of the Waco Police officers who worked with me in the communications room at the Waco Police department.
At the time I was taking criminology at McLennan Community College while working as a police cadet. The consensus was go for the U.S. draftee status to get choice of service and a limited amount of time with the military. http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm
Went to Dallas on 16 June 1970 to the military USARECSTA to take the test to see if they really wanted me,they did, no idea I would be leaving for the military right away, was gone the next day in route to Ft Lewis, WA.
Arrived at Ft Lewis,WA in the dark of night and more testing right away, did not get to bed until around 3AM and was up at 7AM for more testing with news that two year draftee status would get me a slot in the Infantry at Ft Lewis, WA after my basic combat training was over, if I wanted to pick a different field would have to add a year to my status making me a Regular Army and not a draftee. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_the_United_States
Thought long and hard about the extra year, but also knew the Infantry might be my last job ever, so picked Military Police (MP) and added the extra year to my status with my advanced individual training (AIT) being moved from Ft Lewis to Ft Gordon, GA where MP AIT was located...did I mention I hated Ft Lewis.
On my birthday (June 22, 1970) I was a Platoon (PLT) Sergeant (SGT) in the 3rd PLT, D Co, 4th BN, 2nd BDE leading a platoon of 30+ soldiers on a ten mile run in full combat gear over hill and dale at Ft Lewis, WA. Got to sleep in my own room and not in the bay area, wore a black arm band with three gold stripes on it, and was blamed for any and all problems with the PLT by the PLT Drill SGT.
On June 22, 1970 woke at 4AM got ready for the day, ate breakfast at the mess hall at 4:30AM and was at physical training at 5AM while it was still so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face. In those days we warmed up with push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, side straddles, and leg lifts till we were exhausted, then we formed up as a unit and would run in full gear with weapons for five miles to the water at Puget sound, take a ten minute break, then run back to the unit where we would get ready for training of all sorts, bayonet practice, grenade practice, rifle practice, obstacle course fun, then at 11AM we would eat lunch.
After lunch at 11:20 AM we would go to training classes on map reading, compass use, compass course, and we ran every where we trained. Around 4PM the Drill SGT ran us to the small store in honor of my birthday, he found out somehow. We were told we could go in and buy anything we wanted but we only had 10 minutes to do that and be back in formation. Once released it was a wild flurry of folks to get in, eat, drink, buy and get out. Once back in the formation the Drill Sgt had two other Drill SGTs go around the formation and retrieve all the stuff we purchased, Drill SGT went through each and ever bag and commented on each bag as he tossed all the bags in a pile at his feet.
Once the review of what was purchased was completed we were all told none of what we bought was good for us and was confiscated. Needless to say we were not happy, then we were taken on a ten mile all out run to make those of us who had eaten and drank anything feel just a little worse...frowns. When the run was over we retuned to the barracks to eat, we had to eat three meals aday, the Army paid for them so we had to eat them, but only eat what you could eat and run with! As my special day ended all of us were cleaning uniforms, gear, and bunks, so we would all be ready to do all this over again.
Lights were out at 10PM since we were going to be up at 4:30 AM, did I mention we had to have two soldiers up in full gear as security of the barracks on what was called fire guard all nigh and morning, they did not get much sleep, we had two hour shifts.
My 20th birthday was different...do you remember your 20th?
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