Do you remember what it was like your first day?

[wrwindsor]

I don't remember much from my first day with the brown rounds. I had already expected lots of yelling, my friends had well-advised me on what to expect, as well as "be in the middle, never in front, never last."

One detail I remember was our duffelbags in the cattle car. They had us raise them up, slam them down, repeat for the entire drive. After we un-assed the vehicles next to our barracks they had us dump the contents on the ground for contraband inspection. Several guys had powder laundry detergent packed and it ruptured during the cattle car exercise, blowing out over everything, making a huge mess. Fortunately I was not next to one of these and downwind.

I didn't pack that, the bulk:cost ratio was too high. Turned out that most of us had our laundry shipped off to a laundry service, so it wasn't needed.

[Mud Pie]

I don't remember much from my first day with the brown rounds. I had already expected lots of yelling, my friends had well-advised me on what to expect, as well as "be in the middle, never in front, never last."

That wouldn't fly in our platoon. We were always sized tallest to smallest. I was a member of what the DI's called their Marching Midgets. I'm only 5'6", I wasn't the shortest but I still made the squad. I was always near the end.

[wrwindsor]

That "be in the middle" advice was for more than just height, fwiw.

I'm 6' and there were guys taller than me, so it happened to work in terms of height, too.

[Tarheel Trooper]

Yes, sure do

[fjruple]

I happened to live local to Ft. Dix, NJ. My father was retired US Army so I had a pretty good idea of what I was in for. I took a small overnight bag and the clothes on my back. I was dropped off at the Reception a bit early in the morning none of the buses had arrived with the other recruits. The folks at the reception center put me to work moving stuff around until the first bus arrived. I did "meet" all of the drill sgts while I was working at the reception center. So they knew I was an Army brat. I did as I was told and followed their orders. The first day was very busy, with paperwork, medical, shots if you needed them. At the end of the day, it was lights out. I could here several guys crying in their bunks. Some folks had never been away from home in their lives. I started basic in the Fall and it got cold quickly. My "battle buddy" was a black kid from Los Angeles who had never seen snow before. I always wonder what happened to him. The US Army Reception Center at Ft. Dix was later closed as Basic Training was moved out of Ft. Dix, NJ. The Reception Center was later taken over by the US Air Force Air Mobility Command and used as a Headquarters.

[wrwindsor]

My "battle buddy" was a black kid from Los Angeles who had never seen snow before.

Back in Basic/AIT, 1st and 4th squad of each platoon had a "crossing guard" that would run up and "block" traffic while the company marched through the intersection. The way we'd march to the chow hall in AIT, 4th squad was the first to peel off and enter. I volunteered to be "crossing guard" for 4th squad specifically so that I'd be first in the chow hall (squad leaders went in after their squad, platoon leaders went in after their platoon).

That decision wasn't for purposes of "getting to the food first" but to cut down on the "wait in line" BS. First in, snarf the food, GTFO and get other crap done while everyone was eating or waiting in line.

Anyway, being the crossing guard, #2 position, I was next to the squad leader. This gave me the chance to butter him up with conversations when we were mustering for formation. The goal there was to buddy up with him so that he'd avoid sending me to sh.t details when those came up.

He was a black kid from south Mississippi and he had also never seen snow before. He wasn't a fan. heh.

FWIW, the "butter him up" plan backfired. He wasn't that bright so when a sh.t detail was presented to him, my name was one of the first that popped into his head. If he needed to send one person, I got sent and he had satisfied the task presented to him (with ease). ah well, live and learn.

[Mud Pie]

We had road guards, but it wasn't a permanent assigned duty, it was randomly chosen by the DI. Before we fell out, he'd hand someone an orange safety vest and a flashlight and say, "Congratulations, you're road guard.". You prayed he walked past you. While marching, he'd sound off, "Road guards in and road guards out !!" and you BETTER haul butt to block that intersection and fall into parade rest. Oh, don't break rank to get there. Run out the back, then U turn and haul butt to the intersection. You stood there waiting to hear, "Road guards.....IN" then haul butt back into formation, waiting for the next intersection. Nothing like starting your day soaked in sweat before morning chow. I was road guard only one time. Sucky detail.

And he'd test you. You had to stand tall, looking down an empty street, the platoon behind you. If you so much as glanced over your shoulder thinking he forgot to call you in, you did push ups right there in the street. One time we were halfway down the next block, he never called in the road guards. He halted us, cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Road guards IN". They ran in. In a normal tone of voice, he said, "Outstanding, maggots." Wait, the DI complimented someone ?? Why, that's...that's a human action !!

[wrwindsor]

I should clarify, I volunteered to be the crossing guard in AIT, which was much more relaxed environment.

Basic wasn't all that different from what you talk about.

[Sustinemus]

My fuzzy BCT memory at FLW was that they called us "Road Dogs". But maybe I just had sweaty, salty wax buildup in my ears.

[Hawk]

I tried it this morning. I didn't have regular white sugar as I use Sugar in the Raw with my morning coffee, so I put slightly less in the eggs.

Yep, I'm a convert !! I'll have to make them for my wife and not tell her the secret ingredient. Maybe get regular white sugar as well.

I warned ya.....LOL