My Redhead Story

 On day one of my Air Force period (1977)....I was at the recruitment center in Nashville, and four of us were set to leave in mid-afternoon for the boot-camp experience (San Antonio).  Three guys and a redhead gal.  I was from NW Alabama, the two guys were from Iuka, Mississippi, and the redhead gal was from the Hackleburg area of Alabama.

At the Nashville Airport, we were given the ticket by 'Sarge' and provided just three instructions....stay together, don't drift off, and hand over the 'records' at the boot-camp processing station.

Boarding the plane...we sat together.  The redhead gal got pretty talkative and seemed to be overly religious and very moralistic.  As the plane taxied around....she insisted we pray for a safe flight.  This being my first ever flight....I kinda wondered if this was necessary.

About 12 minutes later....the stewardess came around and offered up drinks.  The two Mississippi guys ordered beer....which got the redhead a bit disturbed and she told the stewardess that she didn't think that was right.  I asked for a Coke, and a small bottle of whiskey....which got the redhead more disturbed, and she said she was going to report the three of us once we got to boot-camp. I sat for the rest of the flight...fairly worried over getting 'reported'.

Getting into trouble on my first day in the Air Force....brought on anxiety.  

Once at boot-camp, the next 'Sarge' got about 8 seconds of the redhead's report, and told the redhead to concentrate on boot-camp.  That ended my anxiety.  

After that.....I didn't see the redhead for six weeks.  Then I ended up in Wichita Falls...at the Tech School....where on day one....they had a in-processing episode, and here was the redhead again.  This was an morning spent on 'I'm-ok-you're-ok' counseling.  

The Air Force for years and years....spent time each year on this 'I'm-ok-you're-ok' gimmick.  It was supposed to stress to you....that you needed to control your talk or commentary to some degree.  

She was attempting to explain some chapter out of the Old Testament (as much I could figure) and within her 'group'....she was acting in some 1977-version of 'woke' (in a extreme conservative way).

I didn't see the redhead again....for about two years.  

Then at Rhein Main Air Base....in the medical clinic....I sat in some hallway awaiting a vaccination.  Next to me was a open-door, and this conversation was underway between two people.   The subject was....the junior person had apparently had some paperwork done on them....to prevent/forbid re-enlistment.  

For about five minutes, I listened to this 'talk'.  The NCO was explaining that the airman was overly argumentative....constantly trying to one-up authority...everything was a battle. This attitude was continually creating tension within the group.  

Then it kinda hit me....this voice of the airman sounded familiar.  I got up and walked by the open-door, barely gazing over, and yes....it was the redhead from Hackleburg.  

Usually with this prevention-paperwork....it's just awful rare.  The few occasions I ever saw it used in the Air Force....usually for nutcases, serious alcoholics, or low-IQ people who never should have come into the military in the first place.

What happened to the redhead after her four years in the Air Force?  Over the years, I wondered about that.  I would imagine she went back to Alabama....maybe attended some university....probably became a teacher in this highly rural area of Alabama.  And yes, she probably continued to create tension out of thin-air.