August 1977

 I would be wrapping up the 3rd day of boot-camp today (1977)....46 years ago.  

I'd come to ten observations by the close of today:

1.  The Air Force chow hall had the best grilled-ham-and-cheese sandwiches in the world.

2.  It was an incredibly stupid decision on my part to go off to basic training in early August, for San Antonio.  The heat was miserable.

3.  I had an incredible amount of trust when told to just bring $50 with me when leaving for basic training in 1977.

4.  The Air Force would issue to me tomorrow my ill-fitting cheap underwear.  I would immediately trash all of this crap the week after I wrapped up boot-camp.

5.  The recruiter said I just needed two changes of clothing in my bag.....he was wrong, I should have brought 5 days worth.

6.  There was one guy by the end of this day in my group, who was showing 'need-to-leave' issues.  He made it the 10th day before admitting it was too-much.  Some kind of GF issue.

7.  Some kid in the group was sipping through 6 glasses of Coke each evening for dinner....hyped-up to the max on the stuff.

8.  Quietly, I had a 42 day-calendar in the bottom of my locker....x-ing off each day.

9.  Haircuts were tomorrow, and it was an adventure to sit there and observe 40 guys getting a 90-second haircut.

10.  Around the barracks building....there were some of the biggest cockroaches I'd ever seen in my life.