They definitely use the J model in desert conditions. The J model is more capable than every other slick. FL420 in a 4-Fan-Trash-Can is impressive in my book.

KC-10 FE out...

 

Basic for me was all psychological. I knew they'd break me down and build me up physically how they wanted... so dealing with the in-your-face attitude was all I had to "worry" about. And I had dealt with that all my life, so it wasn't bad.

Had really good DI's though. They really helped coach us and give us the drive necessary. I never envied their MOS.

 

Everything in basic was easy except for FIREGUARD. Somehow I always drew the 1am-2am shift

Sunday morning GI party was the best. Pogy bait and walkmans.

Pork patty MRE, the weaver, and MOPP gear PT really put your commitment to the test.

Even today whenever I smell the canvas of a military tent it snaps me back to those days in basic.

 

Fireguard was easy for me, I made the fireguard list.

Anyone do basic at Ft.Knox. Agony, Misery and Heartbreak were killa hills to run or march.

 

I'll have to take a look at that.

 

1974 Echo 16-4

Probably before your time so you can thank me for wearing down Agony, Misery and Heartbreak. They were taller when I hit them.

 

I think everybody in the Army has heard of those three hills... I never set foot on Fort Knox... I forgot where it is, but some guys told me about a hill Called Mount Mother*******er.

they said the reason it got that name, is because when you're jogging and at the base, when you look up the words that come to your mouth are, "Mother-*******er..."

That story and the existance of that hill was funny as Hell. I just don't know how true it is... You'd think Mount Mother*******er coudl be just as well known as Misery, Agony, and Heartbreak.

There were three guys in my platoon that NEVER did KP, because our names was right in the middle of the roster. One Drill made the KP list from bottom up, the other went top down.

The one day I got called for KP, and showed up. Was the day I actually wanted to do KP, so to avoid Victory Tower. I showed up, and the Mess-Sergeant sent me back, saying he had enough for that day... damn.

So, I went back to the unit. Marched over to Victory Tower, and they split us in halves. Half learned to talk on the radio, and use the TA-312 phone. The rest did the tower. I was in the radio half that morning.

It rained like hell at luch time, and they shut the tower down.

So, I never had to do Victory Tower.

I did have to do Slide-for-Life though. A 30 foot high hill descending to a 10 foot high hill, on a cable with a pulley, 300 feet long. (At least, that's what they told us the specs were... Might've been higher, could've been lower.

But, for the two things I missed that just about everyone else had to do: Victory Tower & Kitchen Police. I made up for on Fireguard & CQ.

I must've had Fireguard twice a freaking week, and always in the prime sleeping hours. 1 AM - 3AM, 3AM - 5AM. Never anything cool, like 9 PM - 11PM, or 11PM - 1 AM, it was always 1 - 3, or 3 - 5.

I had Fireguard the night we left basic, heading for Fort Gordon.

I was a squad leader at Gordon, and the only one who didn't get fired- so I was on easy street at Fort Gordon- the first time anyway... Had my own two-man room, with no roomate. No fireguard, no CQ...

I was a squad leader in Basic too, for about 4 days. Three out of four of us got fired not saying "Stand Fast" when the drill Sergeant said, "File from the left, column left." Since we weren't the closest to the left, we were supposed to say "Stand Fast" We did't... Drill came up, and ripped all our arm bands off... LOL, except the 1st squad leader, who remembered to say, "Column Left!"

 

Camp Pendleton, and it is just that ... a Mother "Father".

It is good for your mind, body and soul though. After you complete that *****, you feel like you've accomplished something....FOR REAL

 

There's a Mount Mother*******er out @ MCRD San Diego. Supposedly able to walk up it , extend your arm str8 out at 90* and touch the side. Dunno, never saw it... was too busy humping through the swamp in PI worrying about rattlers, gators, and sand fleas.

 

We had a hill like that (Well hell, all of Korea was a hill) on Camp Red Cloud.

Most people would never see it, but it was right behind the NCO club, paved, shrouded by a thick blanket of trees, and damn-near vertical.

I was in the 2nd best shape of my life that year I spent in Korea, and at my peak in physical strength. Nevertheless, I never made it to the top of that SOB, without walking. It was definitely steeper than a 45 degree angle. I went up it in a Hummer, and it was so steep, you could not see the road- just the hood, trees and sky, until you reached the top.

 

At Bragg they were called Pro-Life towers. I thought they were funny until they built one in the COSCOM area for us and we were permanent party.
I never knew I was afraid of heights until I was straddling a log 60 feet in the air.

And they never closed them for weather either.
The only time they got shut down for a couple of weeks is when someone would fall and get really messed up, then they would figure out where to move the netting around to plug some holes.

Looking down from the top there was 'holes' all over the place.
Hell, it was a 30 foot drop just to hit some cargo netting.

 

Man, Victory Tower was one of the most fun days at basic. I had a blast, and was pissed off that I could only go down twice.

I did, however, get KP on US Weapons day (M-60, AT-4, M-203, etc.)-that also pissed me off. I was lucky in that I got to shoot all of them, and a lot more later in my career.

 

Did 18 weeks in Benning for 11B, 13 months in country. after 6 years in they tried to offer $15k tax free resign bonus. told them they can kiss my ***.

Sgt Droddy

 

I don't want to leave the impression that I was scared.

It just that it was pretty well known in the platoon not to follow me up the tower
because I had a tendency to pee my pants.

 

19 Years Army