I was reminded of today's anniversary by my fellow blogger at Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated with his daily posts on "Today In History." In today's post, we are reminded of the first launch of a crewed space shuttle, Columbia STS-1. This is also an important date in my personal history.
I enlisted in the US Army Reserves on December 3, 1980 in the delayed entry program. I was nearing the end of my first semester at Hartford State Technical College, and wasn't doing so hot. But this type of enlistment was going to let me do both, staying in college and serving in the reserves.
Halfway through my second semester, it was obvious college life was not for me. I contacted my recruiter at the recruiting office in Enfield, CT and told him to cancel the delayed entry and get me in as soon as was possible. I was told it would be mid-April and I immediately dropped out of school. I never regretted doing that, what I did regret was not moving from the reserves into the regular army.
Early on the morning of April 12, 1981 my Dad dropped me and my bag off at the AFEES (Armed Forces Examination and Entry Station) located in the main US Postal Building on Main Street in Springfield, MA. While waiting in the holding area, there was a television on and of course, every network (there were only 3 after all) was broadcasting live from Cape Canaveral. I watched the launch hoping it would go OK. You see, the original launch was supposed to be April 10th but it got scrubbed. It was such an ungainly looking spacecraft I didn't see how it was possibly going to work as expected. There had been a few years of test flights launching from the back of a 747. But then, I'm not a rocket scientist so what do I know?
I spent that morning finalizing paperwork, getting a physical, and reciting my Oath of Enlistment. The next item was getting lunch, which was on Uncle Sam next door at the White Hut burger stand. It would be my last meal as a civilian for the next few months. In mid-afternoon, I boarded a bus bound for Fort Dix, NJ where we arrived in the early evening. Because we were fresh off the bus and going into the "in processing" area, we were given a USGI boxed lunch for supper, which was most likely a bologna and cheese sandwich, a bag of chips, and a can of soda. It was then the usual welcome to the Army we are all familiar with. A half dozen drill sergeants moving around the holding area screaming at everyone, having to dump your bags on the floor looking for contraband, and then packing all your stuff back up for the double time to the barracks. After a restless nights sleep, boot camp started in earnest!
After farting around in junior collage for several years, I tried to join the Army (79), they declined because of my high arches. I went next door and joined the Navy, not to worry they told me, we don't march. All our boot camp stories are similar. I served 8 years both active and reserve. I continued to work for the Navy as a civil servant. Now here I am today with 38 years of service with the USN. I will be retiring soon but joining the Navy was the best thing I ever did.
ReplyDelete“I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the United States Navy.” ― John F. Kennedy