I was drafted in August of 1967 and sent to Fort Benning, Ga., for basic training.

My fondest memory:
Before going out to the rifle range to qualify, our company commander said anyone qualifying expert would get a three-day pass. This was unheard of in basic. We had to hit 60 targets to qualify as an expert. After I hit 62 and was sure I qualified, I had a few rounds left, so I shot at targets in the lanes aside of mine to help those guys out. I got my three-day pass.

I have three bad memories:
1) Because I qualified expert, they made me a scorekeeper on the rifle range. They told us to give the guys a target every now and then if they weren't doing well, so I did. One guy needed one more hit to qualify for sharpshooter, but he didn't get it. He told me I was to go to the range officer and tell him I had made a mistake in his score. He said he would beat me up if I didn't. I did not do this and told him what company and platoon I was in if he wanted to follow up on his threat. I never saw him again.

2) One man could not handle the pressure of basic and he finally cracked on about the seventh week. He locked and loaded on a drill sergeant, so he was taken down and sent to the stockade.

3) One man brought a live round back from the rifle range, locked and loaded; he handed his rifle to another man, and said "pull the trigger." The man did. Luckily, the rifle was aimed in the air and no one was hurt. They both got Article 15s.