Something About the Basics

November is rapidly approaching and each

year I am reminded of two anniversaries I

celebrate at this time of year.

In 1964, at seventeen, I went into the U.S.

Army as a volunteer; and in 1967 I was

honorably discharged after 3-years of service.

Fortunately for me, after my Basic and

Advanced Training, I was sent overseas

and stationed in Germany for the remainder

of my enlistment.

The unlucky GIs of the time were assigned

to Hawaii. And unbeknownst to them, that

was but a staging for the soon to be escala-

tion of hostilities in Vietnam.

Beer and fraulines, rather than bullets,

snipers and claymore mines was a far

better engagement, surely those with the

hindsight of history would agree.

One aspect of the military my contemporaries

and I did share, however, was Basic Training.

I took mine at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Others braved their initial eight weeks at Ft.

Hood, Texas, FT. Knox, Kentucky, Ft. Polk,

Louisiana, Ft. Sill, Oklahoma or elsewhere at

camps and bases across this great land.

Bitterly cold or beastly heat, rock-hard or mud

wallowing misery, to a man, seems that every-

one had a their own particular hellhole story

of Basic Training to tell.

And for me, that conjures up several key words

and phases with which every recruit can readily

relate. So profound an impact did those battle

hardened drill sergeants have on us, that to this

day their commands remain indelibly engraved

into the cerebral cortex of our brains. They are

empowered with the title of Drill Sergeant for

a reason, you know.

Here are but a few which I shall pass along

to you for review...

Beware of these:

Fall in!

Ten hut! (Attention!)

Double-time march!

I need a couple of volunteers.

Private (Your name here)!!!

Inspection arms!

Drop and give me twenty!

Private, report to the Orderly Room!

(You knew you were in deep kimchi

when the drill sergeant referred

to you as “Numb Nuts” or

“Buzzard F**k.”)

Be appreciative for these:

At ease!

Fall out!

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!

Should some of these not make sense

to you, be grateful for those alive and

fallen who have served. For those of

you still around and kicking who can

relate, my best wishes on Veteran’s Day.

I am witting this in mid-October instead

of November because in life as with the

military, one just never knows what to

expect next.

Chris Hanch 10-16-18