Basic

And this, at the beginning of eight weeks Basic Training. Somewhere in New Jersey.

The three in different hats, front and center, are the Drill Sergeants, Johnson, Johnson and Craft. The ones who taught me that shouting that is controlled is not frightening, just urgent.


Top row, dark glasses. One of the Company's other drills, Burrell, called me "John!" As in John Lennon. Until I got my RPG* glasses, the black frames, but they actually were easier to shoot with, and the hat worked fine keeping the sun out of my eyes.



*Don't ask. The variant was PPGs, Pregnancy Prevention Glasses. Like LPCs, Leather Personel Carriers - boots.