Upon entering basic training in January 1961, I had no idea what was in store for me at Fort Jackson, SC. I quickly learned what the military was all about in eight short weeks of basic training.
I will never forget the man who trained me, my Drill Instructor, a Sergeant Juania (phonetically pronounced - not certain of spelling). I thought he was the meanest man I ever met. After my eight weeks of training with this sergeant, I am so grateful for what he taught me because he turned me from a boy into a man. An interesting fact I learned about Sgt. Juania, was that he was the pushup champion of all of Fort Jackson. He was an incredible man who I never will forget.