Tuesday 2/20/07

I think I love the Army. God help me, I think I do. Today was all speed; we were issued our ACUs (our battle uniforms) and received the inoculations, plus a number of other processing items. Tomorrow is the last day before we ship downrange to Red Phase.

It’s the Drill Sergeants I love. They are wonderfully honest individuals. A few examples: while we were getting massive injections of penicillin into our backsides, on recruit let out a yelp of pain. The DS immediately screamed at him to shut up and deal with it. Another recruit moved to give blood a little slowly, still rubbing his rear, and the DS yelled, “I don’t care that you’re in pain! Nobody cares! You move fast, or I show you pain!” We’re trapped standing in formation for hours in sub-freezing temperatures, turning blue, and someone finally complained to a DS that it was cold. “A pity, too, but we say out until I say otherwise. And you just earned another half hour!” And at dinner: “Stop looking around. Do not speak. Scoop your food in a shoveling manner and consume! Food isn’t for your enjoyment! Eat it and move on! You!” he screamed to the man opposite me, who was dining on a large sausage link, “don’t waste time cutting that thing! Just pick it up and cram it in!”

Yes, I’m tired and sweaty. Yes, my wakeup was at 0200 and sackout is at 2100, again. Yes, that is interrupted by firewatch. But by God, I think I love it. You are a tool to these people, a living machine, and they tell you as much. “We don’t care about your little issues,” one told us today. “We don’t care if your girlfriend cheated on you or you didn’t like your stepfather. None of that petty crap matters a thing to us. You are a soldier. You perform a function. You are useful to us as long as you maintain functionality. Lose it, and we cut you loose in less than favorable terms. Loose your discipline, and you become expendable. Another number in the casualty list.”

Try saying that to your employees at the office. Honesty this refreshing is worth all the pain. And it looks as if the pain is here to stay; they say we’re staying at Benning. Hooah. I don’t know how long this will last, but tonight I love this place. Bring it on, Drill Sergeant. I will eat this up.

We have another formation coming, so I have to go and get ready. I’m just eager for Red Phase. Let the real pain begin. This may be presumptuous of me, but I think I’m starting to get a handle on this place.

-Jeremy