Toward the end of basic training at Fort Benning, Ga., a Reserve drill sergeant temporarily filled in for one of our drill sergeants. We weren't allowed to use the phones, except on rare occasions.

This drill sergeant had us all get in formation and asked us if we'd like to call home; we all answered yes. So he told us to face the direction in which home was, while still in formation. This took a little guess work for the U.S. recruits and once we had all faced in various directions, the drill sergeant said, "Now call out, 'Home!'."

Some of us were amused, but we still didn't get to use the phones.