Army Sweater

This may be hard to believe, but I do not think there was ever a doubt in my mind as a child that I would one day be a soldier in the army serving in the United States. Some of my earliest memories, with pictures to confirm, are a little of me in uniform, with a toy gun or an American flag in my hands. I vaguely remember, even digging a hole in the yard at my grandmothers house as a defensive measure in case of attack. The only attack that came from my grandmother was when she saw the hole.

Throughout my childhood and preteen, I participated in war games with my classmates and friends. Between the games, movies and television, I learned a lot about small-unit tactics. I learned that well-planned conservative movements are most effective, you can never have too much ammunition to surprise your opponent is a great advantage, the pain is not a good thing (especially if it is yours), all world can not be the leader at the same time, fire and maneuver teams or two individuals is generally very efficient and a direct frontal attack against a shelter in the position is very effective if you outnumber the enemy.

There was, of course, obvious reasons that I and my male friends were so military and Cowboys "and the Indians" and games. We were born in the middle of a war which loves the world 's had never seen before or since. Many of our parents had served overseas and spoke about their experiences. Radio, television, movies and newspapers were full of stories, images, news, videos and even full blown onto the war. While at the same time Westerners were very popular film and television. Even before television took over our minds radio kept us in suspense once a week with the adventures of The Lone Ranger ".

During my adolescence, there were more pressing issues as "soldier" to occupy my mind. It has been my newfound interest in girls, football, homework, girls, driving, tennis, track, girls, finding new ways to drive my parents crazy, books, chess and girls. Only after high school I was really confronted with the notion of being in the army. This issue has been resolved the first year of college. At Jacksonville State College (AL) attendance was mandatory ROTC for two years, after which they can participate for a period of two years and graduated as second lieutenant in the army reserve.

Other than having a military occupation that really need (doctor, lawyer, chaplain, etc.) under which it could obtain a direct commission, I think the College Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC) is in the least traumatic for a commission. Of course I took the hard Infantry Officers Candidate School (OCS).

There is another way to get a commission I would not recommend. When I was in college, I commuted back of the seventeen miles from my hometown of Oxford with friends who were near my own home and after school. At one point an older man joined our pool for some time. He was a colonel retired full return to finish his studies, which was interrupted by the Second World War. On the way to school one morning, I asked him how he got his commission, because of conversations, I knew he did not go through ROTC or OCS. His response was that he was a soldier enlisted in the battle of Guadalcanal. He was the only survivor of his company while they gave him a commission battlefield as a second lieutenant in command of the company when it was reoccupied. Now that the track is really difficult to get a commission.

I did not go beyond the required two years for ROTC because I took a part-time job and dropped a full time student to a part-time. I went to school and spent the four years normally required as a full time student to graduate. After five and a half when it is clear that I had the required degree p.