The middle bear cub has completed Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC. Basic Training is one of those things that it is you are glad that your did it, but you never want to do it again. I did basic at Ft. Dix, NJ, and that post is nothing but sand. We marched everywhere and it felt you were taking 2 steps forword with 1 step back. Before we graduated, the last thing we had to do was a 12 mile road march with full ruckstack (about 40 to 50 pounds), and we had time limit of 4 hours. By the time we made it back to the barracks, I was dead tired, but there was a Eskimo in our platoon and he was tough. At the end of the roadmarch, as we were recovering( in our beds) the Eskimo(I do not remember his name) was walking around wondering what to do. I think he was the toughest person I ever met.

To me the toughest part of Basic Training was staying awake, and finding time to rest in the restroom. If we were in class and were falling asleep we were to stand up and move to the wall, or stand up and say" ZZZZZ monster get off by back" which we did alot. Since we were always marching, or sleeping or in class (believe me your 24 hours are filled up) it was hard sometimes to find time to go to the bathroom.

I had never fired a gun or in the Army a "weapon" until I join the Army. I am glad I never had to fire on somebody in my 12 years in the military, but I loved going to the firing range. It was fun shooting different types of weapons, and I like shooting the pop up targets with a M16A2, the best I ever did was 37/40, I missed 2, 300 meter targets.

I just wish that the little bear cub would have went in as an Officer, life is easier as an Officer in the Army.