August 3, 1964 was my enlistment day. I had put up hay in rural Iowa for 2-weeks before my enlistment and didn't think it could get any hotter. Boy, was I wrong.

My basic training was at Lackland AFB, TX and lasted for 8-weeks. Hotter than you know what. Of course they run up the "red flag" and we got to stay indoors, but trained anyway. I was in the 3902 BMTS and we were housed in the old I-type barracks.

y best memory was graduating on time; however, a bunch of us were sent to casual barracks awaiting orders to Tech School. I spent 5-weeks there. I became a typist in the Flight NCO office and later the casual barracks chief. That was a bummer, because you had to handle the guys who liked to get in trouble and you had to handle the a** kissers who wanted to be on your good side.

I was very mistaken to think I could make everyone happy. Thank God, I finally got my orders and got the heck out of there. I can truthfully say that I was in the best shape, physically, in my life when I left basic. The TI's were mostly decent NCO's and taught us as best they could and at times, showed real leadership.

3902 BMTS, Flt's 873/874 signing off.