I joined the Navy Reserves when I was 16 and still in high school. Drilled on the weekends. Then right after graduation went to boot camp. Like most booty's its your first time away from home and you have no idea of what you are getting into. We had about 40 guys from our unit in Cleveland leaving Cleveland terminal to take a train to great lakes. I was so nervous I couldn't eat breakfast. Well the train stopped at every whistle stop on the way. It took 13 hours to Great Lakes. Every so often at different stops some guy would come on with sandwiches. Well me sitting in the back end of train they would run out before they got to me. Arriving in great lakes in the summer it was about 80 degrees when we got off the train. Starving Sweating some fist class says go that way. We walked with our duffle bags what seemed to be a mile The next petty officer says "You dumb recruits didn't you read the sign? It's the other way.' A week into training several guys are crying or complaining how tough it is. I said to them you must have not gone to Catholic school with the good sisters. They first go to parris island and then they get real serious and go to Nun's school.

Tim Baur, Richmond Heights, ohio