In January 1967, just after high school, I enlisted in the United States Air Force. I was assigned to Amarillo AFB in Texas for basic training. As soon as I got there I knew I was in for it. First came the haircut, second was putting on boxer shorts the wrong way, and third, my DI. My first run-in with him was when I was running out the barracks for assembly; I opened the door and scraped his spitshine boots. Airman Dooley, you report to me this afternoon and we will discuss this matter. As told, I reported, and he gave me both boots and told me the scraped one better look like the other before morning chow. I stayed up most of the night shining his boots with polish and lighter fluid and finally got it to look like the other one. My next run-in with this DI was on the PT field. Being in Texas you know your going to get dusty. As we finished our push-ups I got off and starting dusting off. He got in my face and asked me if I heard the command for dusting off. I told him no, sir, and he told me not to call him sir for he works for a living. My punishment was to run 25 laps around the field. As I was rounding number 24, he stopped me and told me that I hadn't run the freckles off my face yet and to run 15 more. He continued to watch me for the 6 weeks. At graduation he came and talked to me. He said, Do you know why I rode you so hard? I said no, Sgt. He said I think you're going to make a helluva soldier one day but he needed to mold me into one. I thank that DI to this day as he taught me some valuable lessons in life.