My memory of Basic Training started when I left the Armed Forces building in Los Angeles on a Greyhound Bus for San Diego Navy Boot Camp with other recruits including the Marine Corps recruits in the summer of 1971.

Now remember, I was 18 years old, never been away from home and naive as ever. We were all talking and the Marine recruits were calling us names and we Navy recruits were calling back at them.

The bus pulled into MCRD San Diego first, before going to the bus station. The bus door opened and this tall Marine D.I. stepped up in the bus. That is when my military experienced started! This D.I. was yelling words I've never heard and wanted to forget. These Marine recruits were flying off the bus and if they fell or even touch the the D.I. they'd be pushed down the stairs where another D.I. was yelling stuff I've never heard.

Finally, all the Marine recruits were off the bus. I sat in my seat numb, stunned and unable to talk. To this day, I Thank God I enlisted in the Navy.

When we eventually got to Navy Boot camp around 2200 hrs, and was treated really good, until the next day. 46 years later, I still remember that day at MCRD San Diego.

I did eventually served with the Marines as a Navy Corpsman.