I remember getting on the bus heading to boot camp. The last ride before the Drill Sargent shouting started. Walking down the aisle there were lots of faces that didn’t look like mine. Lots of different colors and accents, none of which were familiar to this young scared farm boy. A bus full of long hair hippie types, gung-ho copycats following in their Dad’s footsteps and tough city kids – more than a few one police stop away from jail. Viet Nam as winding down but body bags were still being filled. A bus full of individuals by chance heading in the same direction.
A few short weeks later, we were marching down the parade field. We marched as a team, a proud cohesive unit of One. Same uniform, same hair cut and we were all the same color – Army Green. We started Boot as individuals, boys mostly. We graduated that day as soldiers. In the following years of service to our country, most of us survived. Some didn’t.
To all the other Vets out there
Thank you for your service. May God Bless you.
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