Chapter 1, Only the Beginning




Arial View of Fort Bragg
Note the Airfield in the Upper Right, Home of the 82nd Airborne.
Also, the famous red dirt of North Carolina 

 
During all this marching around and waiting endlessly for my turn in line, I had plenty of time time to look around at my surroundings and observe the people I found myself currently with. I was always a great one to sit to the side and to inconspicuously as posible,watch people. I realized that none of these guys were my friends, far from it. They were complete strangers, except for the guys I had traveled from home with. 

I've always been antisocial to a degree. And in the process of observing these new people in my life, I decided to myself that I had no one that I could trust here. I kept a close eye on the ones that immediately made me nervous and uncomfortable. Some were loud and pushy, seeking some kind of power over weaker individuals. I guess I fell into that category, so I was constantly on guard, expecting the unexpected. This inner sense of preservation was to save me some personal grief during the next few weeks and months but it also made it difficult to make friends. Looking back at it now I would probably use a different approach, but I was shy, insecure and afraid.

After all the "processing" was complete there was a lull in the action as we waited for the arrival our individual orders. These orders would assign us to our basic training units. I wasn't too anxious to be separated from this group that I was just beginning to get used to, although I hadn't really gotten to know anyone, other than who to stay away from.

Once we got our orders to a basic training unit the real training would begin and I had no idea what to expect. So far, I wasn't impressed with my original decision to put myself in this situation. I felt that I chosen the less of two evils and now I wasn't sure that I had made the right choice.

I longed for friendship and some sort of security. I knew that those things would eventually happen for me, but right now I was pretty miserable. I didn't let on to anyone what I was going through. I just played it cool, waiting for whatever was coming my way.

Eventually, our temporary drill sargeant called us togther and had us form into ranks. He then handed out our orders. He instructed us in the manner we were to be transported to the basic training area of Fort Bragg. He released us to get our stuff ready and told us to be ready at the given time.

As soon as we were released from formation, everyone started looking at their orders and talking excitedly about where they were being sent. I looked at my orders which at first made little sense to me. I looked around cautiously trying to figure out how others were doing in the process of learning where they were going. I found out that everyones orders were basically the same form. I just had to hunt down through the sheets of mimeographed papers until I found my name underlined in a long list of names divided into groups. Above the group of names that mine was included with was the unit's name, 3rd Plat CO D 2nd BN 1st BDE, United States Army Training Center. It was all greek to me but I went and did as I had been told.