Basic

Basic training is the beginning of proving you have what it takes to be a soldier.  The first few weeks are the most 'fun'.  Everyday is an endless cycle of 'death by powerpoint' combined with constant smoke sessions.  During this time you get the chance to learn about all the regulations and manuals that would will spend the rest of your time in the Army living by.  I was slightly amused during one of these 'powerpoint' sessions when our company commander stood up and proudly stated that Fort Jackson (where I was in Basic) was where Jessica Lynch had gone through her training.  I had to wonder what part of her situation made him proud to say that - whether it was the fact that she was a famous female soldier or if it was the fact that she failed to perform basic soldier tasks such as keeping her weapon clean. 

The smoke sessions varied in length depending on what we had done to deserve them.  Sometimes it was not standing properly in line at the chow hall or being caught up after lights out.  The worst smoke session we had was the last night before we all went home for Christmas Exodus (which although I enjoyed being able to be home with my family - exodus is one of the things that made no sense to me).  We had been learning land navigation earlier that week and that night was our official test to determine that we could successfully navigate in both day and night.  The day time went relatively smoothly, the night land nav did not.  Everyone was excited to be heading home in less than 12 hours combine that with chem lights and not being able to see the drill sergeants walking through the woods, people lost their heads and started acting up. 

Before we knew it we were all in formation. After about 30 minutes of standing at attention getting screamed at by the drill sergeants over our lack of discipline, the smoking began.  I don't remember all the exercises we did at that point, but I do remember doing 'little man in the woods'.  Imagine bending your knees at a 90 degree angle straight in front of you (like you are sitting down) and your arms bent at a 90 degree angle, hands up, straight in front of you - then jumping and opening both your legs and arms, keeping them at a 90 degree angle.  After being smoked for about an hour at the land nav site we headed back to the company area.

We were hoping that was it, but it wasn't.  We spent another three hours on the yard in front of the company doing front-back-go's, little man in the woods, pushups, flutter kicks, rolling left and right to the point where a good number of people had thrown up.  In the midst of all the smoking - to ensure no one fell out - was mandatory hydration, which consisted of drinking 1-2 quarts of water within 30-45 seconds.  By the time we were done, we were covered in sweat and who knows what else.  None of that seemed to matter the next morning as we were all dressed in our class A's ready to get on the planes to head home. 

Wearing class A's after that kind of 'workout' does not make for a comfortable bus or plane ride.