My days in Boot Camp at Naval Station Great Lakes were long and filled with instruction on everything from firefighting to classroom lectures on all things Navy. It was not unusual to see several of my fellow recruits nod off during these classes. Falling asleep got you several dozen push-ups.
Late one afternoon my company was assembled in a classroom for instruction in first aid. After a few minutes, our very salty instructor marched into the room. His insignia told us that he was a Chief Hospital Corpsman. The room fell silent as he took a position in front of the class and announced he was here to instruct us in first aid and did not appreciate any of us dozing off during his class. Upon saying this, he reached under his jacket and produced a very large revolver. He pointed that cannon directly at me and barked, “Suppose you were shot.” My heart skipped several beats, and before you could say “Go Navy,” there was an enormous explosion. The room filled with smoke, and I instinctively grabbed my chest as small bits of paper drifted slowly down. The gun was loaded with blanks. Needless to say, no one was assigned any push-ups during our first aid course.
(Incidentally, early in my first assignment we had the required physical fitness test. I was tied with four other sailors who did the same number of push-ups. There was a contest to determine the push-up champion. I finished second to the ship’s corpsman.)