Sistema1927
US Veteran
I posted here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/140739881-post3.html that I would start this thread this week.
Forty years ago this week, I raised my right hand and enlisted in the US Army. Since I had four years of HS ROTC, and two semesters of college Military Science, I was able to enlist as an E-4. Since I held this exalted rank, I was tasked with making sure that myself and five other recruits made it to Ft. Dix, NJ. The recruiter dropped us off at the El Paso airport, but about an hour later I was calling him. Our flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems, and there were no more flights that day to Philadelphia.
The recruiter came, picked us up, and took us to a hotel in downtown El Paso. I was told, once again, that it was my responsibility that everyone was ready to depart the following morning. Fortunately, I was the only one old enough to drink (I celebrated my 24th birthday later that month), so this proved to be an easy task.
Next morning, off to the airport again, and on the plane. So far, so good.
However, that day was the day that United Airlines decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of female flight attendants (We called them stewardesses in those days), and guess what? Free booze for everyone! And nobody was checking ID's. Of course, my charges took full advantage of this, and all of them ended up pretty well sloshed. I had visions of my military career ending even before it began.
At Philly I poured them out of the airplane, and herded them to the military assistance counter. On the bus, and nobody missing. I was never so relieved as when I handed over the folder with everyone's orders at the reception station at Ft. Dix.
One other interesting story from my Basic Training days. As a Specialist 4 in Basic Training, I was, of course, wearing my rank on my fatigues. I was given an errand one day that took me through another company's area. The First Sgt. of that unit, knowing that I was recruit due to the fact that I was not wearing a left shoulder patch, chewed me out, and told me that he had never heard of an E-4 recruit. He had me remove my rank, which I put in my pocket.
Upon returning to my company area, the first person I ran into was my drill instructor. He chewed me out for being out of uniform sans my rank. I explained what had happened, and he marched me to CO's office. I had no clue what lay in store for me. My drill instructor had me tell my story to the "Old Man", and I was then told to wait in the orderly room. A few minutes later, that other company "First Shirt" came into the office. I was ushered once again into the "Old Man's" office, where our CO, Exec,"First Shirt" and my drill instructor were all present along with the other "First Shirt". My CO gave him a thorough dressing down, and made him apologize to me. I guess that there had been some bad blood between companies, and my command decided to take full advantage of what had happened to me.
Needless to say, I took pains to never go anywhere near the vicinity of that other company during the rest of my stay at Ft. Dix.
Forty years ago this week, I raised my right hand and enlisted in the US Army. Since I had four years of HS ROTC, and two semesters of college Military Science, I was able to enlist as an E-4. Since I held this exalted rank, I was tasked with making sure that myself and five other recruits made it to Ft. Dix, NJ. The recruiter dropped us off at the El Paso airport, but about an hour later I was calling him. Our flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems, and there were no more flights that day to Philadelphia.
The recruiter came, picked us up, and took us to a hotel in downtown El Paso. I was told, once again, that it was my responsibility that everyone was ready to depart the following morning. Fortunately, I was the only one old enough to drink (I celebrated my 24th birthday later that month), so this proved to be an easy task.
Next morning, off to the airport again, and on the plane. So far, so good.
However, that day was the day that United Airlines decided to celebrate the 50th anniversary of female flight attendants (We called them stewardesses in those days), and guess what? Free booze for everyone! And nobody was checking ID's. Of course, my charges took full advantage of this, and all of them ended up pretty well sloshed. I had visions of my military career ending even before it began.
At Philly I poured them out of the airplane, and herded them to the military assistance counter. On the bus, and nobody missing. I was never so relieved as when I handed over the folder with everyone's orders at the reception station at Ft. Dix.
One other interesting story from my Basic Training days. As a Specialist 4 in Basic Training, I was, of course, wearing my rank on my fatigues. I was given an errand one day that took me through another company's area. The First Sgt. of that unit, knowing that I was recruit due to the fact that I was not wearing a left shoulder patch, chewed me out, and told me that he had never heard of an E-4 recruit. He had me remove my rank, which I put in my pocket.
Upon returning to my company area, the first person I ran into was my drill instructor. He chewed me out for being out of uniform sans my rank. I explained what had happened, and he marched me to CO's office. I had no clue what lay in store for me. My drill instructor had me tell my story to the "Old Man", and I was then told to wait in the orderly room. A few minutes later, that other company "First Shirt" came into the office. I was ushered once again into the "Old Man's" office, where our CO, Exec,"First Shirt" and my drill instructor were all present along with the other "First Shirt". My CO gave him a thorough dressing down, and made him apologize to me. I guess that there had been some bad blood between companies, and my command decided to take full advantage of what had happened to me.
Needless to say, I took pains to never go anywhere near the vicinity of that other company during the rest of my stay at Ft. Dix.
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