I enlisted in April of 1969 in Des Moines, Iowa. I was sent to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for basic training. The neatest thing was meeting guys my age from all over the United States. I thought I came from a big city, but no one had heard of Waterloo, Iowa. I liked exercising and marching (in cadence) to the chow hall. I loved the watered-down maple syrup on pancakes or french toast.

The worst part of basic was my (there was a good drill instructor and a hardass drill instructor) time when the so-called bad drill instructor would get on my case. Now that I'm older, I know he was just doing his job, so if you, Sgt. Pope, are still alive and reading this, then thank you for the hard time you gave me.

I was sent for advance training to Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, and when I left to be stationed in Italy, I was so sick of Texas I swore I would not be back. I am now 65 and still haven't, nor will I, be back in Texas.