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Show ROBERT L. MERRILL March 22, 2004 RLM: That was Fort Jackson, outh Carolina. FHM: Okay. And do you recall your first days in the military? RLM: The first days were hard. It was a little bit- I was used to getting up early in the morning, but not to people having trash can lids and banging them at 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning. But, as time went on, you get used to it. And to this day I still get up at 2:00 or 2:30 in the morning. I just stayed getting up early. FHM: What did you feel like? What did it feel like the first few days you were in? RLM: It was kind of scary because you are in a different environment. You didn't really know anyone, and the drill sergeants they were yelling (at that time they could yell at you), and it was towards the end of an era where they used to be able to take you out behind the barracks, and put you in your place; or else you'd put them in their place. FHM: Okay. And can you tell something about your training in boot camp; what it was like? RLM: I feel the training was essential, especially now that I look back on it. You did weapons training, so you needed to qualify with the M-16 rifle, and that usually was a whole day of process. And then, usually at night, they had also a night fire . And that would take a day, and sometimes every two and three, because there were so many people that couldn't qualify, and they had to get them qualified in order to continue the basic training. We also trained for the NBC, which is Nuclear Biological Chemical warfare. And we would go through what they call a gas chamber. They go in there, and you'd have your mask on. And just to show that your mask worked, you'd take off your mask, and then you'd have tore-put your mask on and seal it. And before you did that you'd have to give them your social security 3 |
