My basic training started in March of 1968 at Ft. Jackson, SC. We all remember marching here and there, and one of the guys carrying that Company Flag that told what unit we were.

Our unit, B-2-1, had one thing a little different than most. Besides the Company "guide-on flag", which was carried by the best Platoon of the week, we also had a worst-Platoon of the week symbol. It was a regular, black bowling ball with two white "8"s painted on it, on opposite sides.

This was mounted on a broom handle, making it a very clumsy thing to hold up. The rule for the carrier of this award, was that it at all times had to be higher that the tallest person's head in that Platoon. That Platoon had to take it to the Mess Hall, and to bed with them at night.

My third Platoon was very fortunate to have had the best Platoon Flag six out of the eight weeks of basic, and never had that "eight-ball". I remember that the fourth Platoon had it, at least six of those eight weeks.

One day, their Drill Instructor was so upset at his platoon for having that eight-ball for so many weeks, that he came over to it and threw it in the ditch. Naturally, all of the fourth Platoon had to jump into the ditch and slowly lift it out before they could all stand up once again.

It was funny, but I felt bad those guys, and knew that no one better crack a smile. I always wondered how many training cycles went through there with that eight-ball in use.