TampaSsgt

I did my basic training at Fort Jackson with B-5-1 on Tank Hill in September, October, and November of 1971.

I spent many days going up and down both "Drag Ass" and "Misery" hills. I did so much KP I thought I would have 'crossed knife and forks' instead of rifles. After I completed basic I had just a short trip across post for my AIT at E-11-3.

For those of you who did their basic on Tank Hill, this ought to bring back some memories ....

magfed308

I was there summer of 89'. Hot, humid, miserable but loved ever damn minute of it. I know, I'm sick.

82nd ABN

From that picture I can see my barracks. It is just a couple up on the right. I have to dig out some pics and post them. This is too cool. Thanks Tampa!!!

uncle popo

Wow. The area looks like a hillside we used to march past when I went through in 2004 LOL. There were two buildings at the top of the hill that were "Golf Company". that was the rejects that were being chaptered out, but had pissed off Uncle Sam so bad he was dragging his feet on the paperwork. I went in June-Aug of 2004 and had Drill Sgt. Leatherman.

rayd8

Summer of 88'. I remember the heat, humidity, ants, and poison ivy.....

PDUBYA

C-1-1 Mar.-May 1983. Our Drill Sergeant was SSG Rios. About 3 weeks into training he formed us up one evening then without saying a word other than commands marched us into the woods to a open sand pit. He commenced to smoking our butts and kept it up for about an hour and a half. Then marched us back, the only thing he said then was "go to bed." None of us ever knew the cause of that smoking. Soon after that SSG Rios left and we never saw him again. We had a different DS about every other day and sometimes they would split us up and integrate with other platoons for the days training. We literally felt like the platoon from Stripes.

About 2 hours after graduation a handful of us got on a bus for Ft. Benning to start Zero Week at jump school. Good times.

Vietvet1

I hit Tank Hill in July 1968... " B-1-1 ..Determined to serve Sir!!!!. I was an overweight draftee and Jenny Craig had NOTHING over 8 weeks in the summer heat and exercise of SC. Add to that, GrandDaddy Dragass, and the Fat Platoon... 55 pounds lost in that sand and crap. When I was drafted, we had to learn a new Serial Number. We were denied full meals until we knew it off by heart. As I learned it and was almost able to sit and eat, a new rule came down. No more Service Numbers..now they used Social Security Numbers. So.... until I could recite that number before each meal... well 55 pounds...gone. Now I have BOTH numbers carved into my brain.

We were the blood supply replenishment for the followup of Tet earlier that year. My arms were bruised black.

Mind you, I had NO family members or friends who could or would tell me what to expect there. I actually thought I was going to be doing this type of stuff for ... 2 years. All of our cadre had one or more tours in Nam and some were going back as soon as the cycle was over. We even had some senior cadre that were Korean War NCOs. In Vietnam I even had a CSM who was WWII Korea and on his last overseas tour in Vietnam. His next duty station was his retirement destination... Killeen TX. I hope he made it...Last I heard he was sent to the Americal.

We did billet in WWII barracks and kept them as spotless as we could. The sand and pine needles bedamned. The smallest guy sat on the buffer as we spread Johnston Wax and melted black shoe polish together to make "No Man's Land" a Shiney Ebony Black. I learned to smoke Camel non-filters during the few smoke breaks we got. And do remember the KP and DRO...LOL

It was there that the word "Vietnam" was pounded into my head and the smurky offer of "take and extra year and lighten your load". LOL never get anything unless it is on paper. I went from US to RA and then spent 2 1/2 consecutive years in III Corp with IIFFV. Once I got there...too many guys were transfering from Germany and I knew I did NOT want to go to a place where people were leaving to go to Vietnam.

Well to make this short... Ft. Jackson left a lot of memories...of many kinds on me and I do thank them for the preparations. I am still alive and my time in the military helped me know that there is nothing that can keep me down.

I honestly feel we still need a Draft with NO Defirments ( other than obvious) and BOTH sexes. Graduate HS and you have 2 months to get stuff in order... 2 years, then college/Tech after with GI bill. I see too many 26-30 YOs still living with parents, no job and stuck on a joystick in front of a TV. IMHO

sablelieger

Aug. Oct. 1992 - E co. 3/61st Inf. (4th Plt). Last row of Barracks near Garrison HQ. Our barracks were across from "Dreamland" (AIT barracks). Hot as balls. Hated it.

82nd ABN

Tha is for posting gents. Those four months at Jackson are forever ingrained into my memory. Had to do ait there as well.