My basic training was in Fort Lewis, Wash. I'll start with the bad part. I remember early one morning, sound asleep, when the drill sergeant turned on the lights and started hollering to get outside in formation now. It was a cold, rainy morning, and someone had done something wrong and we were all going to pay for it. Seems like the calisthenics went on forever.
One more time, the drill sergeant made some of us crawl under the barracks and stack rocks. Gee, that was fun. Did not like my drill sergeant.
Now the good part. The day of graduating out of boot camp I was in the best condition I had ever been in my life, and my confidence level was at an all-time high. I felt I could accomplish anything. I have to say, at that moment in time I realized why my drill instructors were so tough on us; it was to hopefully save our lives. We knew we were going to 'Nam, so my appreciation for them was obvious. I shook their hands and thanked them for the experience I'll never forget.
Thanks again to all the drill instructors.

Sincerely,
Gary A. Koegler, Sgt.
6/84th Artillery 155 Strike Artillery Unit, C Battery
7/13th Artillery 105 Unit, B Battery
Vietnam 1968-1969