TEXAS AND NAM

Summer of 1970
Basic training testing your will.
Some of its effects are with me still.
TSGT Hendricks and me could never get along.
It seemed everything I did was wrong.

SSGT Phillips was about the same.
Whatever went wrong I got the blame.
For 9 weeks (or more) they drilled us
day after day.
Did we learn to enjoy it? No way.

Many a time I was sure I made a mistake.
For enlisting and having to get up
before daybreak.
I never thought I'd finish, the time went slow.
But the day did come and I'd have to go.

Tech school was next.. computers right?
No.. Security Police and learning to fight.
More months of learning of cops and of guns.
More months of staying in Texas till done.

Volunteer for Dog School and stay here some more. We're still in the States and not the War.
Dog School is over.. Combat Training is next still.
We're sticking together.. my friends and Bill.

England, Germany, Thailand or the War.
We all stick together and enter Nam's door.
Cam Ranh Bay was our selection, our life's destination.

Only a year but life changing? You bet.
Both good and bad happenings.. but being there...NO REGRETS.

My instructors at basic training and advanced training did an excellent job for which I thank them.