29 Nov 1984 Twenty years ago today something happened that changed my life forever. It was on this day twenty years ago that I entered Basic Training for the Air Force. Looking back on it now I would say that basic training wasn't that bad. It only lasted for 6 weeks. However at the time by the 3rd day I was having serious second thoughts about the Air Force. My Training Instructor (or TI) was Tsgt Williams. It was his job to take me and 49 other young men and prepare us for life in the Air Force. Tsgt Williams was a big man. He stood about 6 foot 4 inches tall and looked like he could pick me up and throw me across the room if he wanted to. I remember the first time I saw him. We were standing up outside with our suitcases when he walked up. His uniform was perfect with creases in the pants that I am sure would have cut your finger. He was wearing a "smokey bear" style hat that is still worn by many police departments today. The metal taps on his heels clicked with each step. I just remember thinking he was huge. The first words out of his mouth was to tell us to shut up and get in line. His language was a great deal more colorful than that and his voice boomed out so loud I am sure they heard him a mile away. He lined us up and herded (I say herded because we had no idea how to march) us to our dormitory. As I said Tsgt Williams had a booming voice that we all grew to hate. Sometimes he would have a person standing at attention and would yell at them for something they had done wrong. He would get right in your face, almost nose to nose and yell at you until your ears were ringing. The only thing worse than his loud voice was his soft voice. There was nothing worse than for Tsgt Williams to be marching us somewhere and suddenly he would halt us. He would slowly walk up from the back until he stopped behind whoever had screwed up and whisper so only they could hear. Whenever this happened 49 of us would quietly thank God that we were not the one he was talking to. Once I was the one he spoke to. He quietly asked me if I was going to get in step or was he going to have to jam a pole up my ass. I got in step. He taught us how to clean our dorm, how to set up and maintain our beds and wall lockers and how to salute and wear our uniforms. He inspected and tested us again and again. He praised us when we did well and yelled at us when we didn't. He put as much pressure on us as he possibly could. By the second week I think we all hated him. However much we hated him he did get results. We learned to march and to work as a team. After six weeks 46 of us graduated from basic training and moved on. On our last day Tsgt Williams sat us down and explained to us why he had been such a hard ass with us. He had 6 weeks to try and break us. If we weren't smart enough to do the things he required of us how could we expect to go on to work on million dollar Aircraft or work with missles or nuclear weapons. During basic training I really hated Tsgt Williams. Today I wish I could find him so I could shake his hand and thank him.

The Blue Card I am a few days short of the 20 year anniversary of when I first entered Basic Training and started my Air Force Career. I remember when they took my picture for my very first Identification Card. It was on the second or third day of training, my head had been shaved a day or two before, and I was having serious second thoughts about the Air Force. The card I was issued was green and my bald headed picture was awful. That card has been replaced a number of times over the years. As time passed or as my rank has changed I have been required to get new cards. A few years ago the Air Force got rid of the green ID cards and replaced them with cards that have a computer chip in them. The card stores your personal info including medical records and is your access card through some doors and computers. Today I went out and got my Retired ID card. It looks a lot like that first green card did except it is blue and I have more hair on my head than I did back then.

I Have a Job! I got the call from the Nursing Recruiters office today formally offering me a job. I accepted it of course. Unfortunately I have to wait until the next Hospital Orientation which isn't until 6 December. That means I have three weeks idle time until I go back to work. I will probably drive Thumper crazy in that time!!!

Believe it or not I want to go to Work Thumper and I have been here in California for over 3 weeks now. We have a place to live and most of the unpacking is done. I have not done an anesthetic since the last week of September and I am over due. About 10 days ago I went to the hospital where I had worked part time when we lived here before. I met with my old boss who told me two years ago when we left for Ohio that he would rehire me when we got back. I filled out a lot of paper work. If it were up to my old boss I would already be working. Unfortunately I have to wait for the Hospital's Nursing Recruitment office to go over the paperwork and give their blessing. Nursing Recruitment offices are basically made up of bureaucratic paper pushers. Hopefully I will hear from them this week so I can get started but I am not going to hold my breath.