12:30 hours

Do I remember basic training? Boy, do I! I went through Boise at Lackland AFB, Texas, in September/November 1957. One night I had guard duty at the concession area (soda, candy, smokes area). It was “cold” in Texas. Well, I got up at 1 am for my duty which was from 2am to 6am. I got dressed, made my bed, but kept a blanket to wrap myself in while on guard duty in the cold Texas morning. Come time for relief and was allowed to go back to the barracks and repair for the day. Unfortunately, that day was dust cover day, and with me using my blanket to keep warm under my raincoat (we had not been issued our heavy long coats yet), my bed area stood out as the only bed with a white-collar-mode bed.
As soon as I hit the barracks, I was told to report to 1st Sgt., where he chewed me out on one side and down the other side and finished up in the middle. WOW! And I thought I could get away with it. WRONG!

« Previous story
Next story »