Basic Training, Fort Sill, Okla., September 1977.
"Letter From a Senator"

But before I share my story I need to give a little background history to my basic training incident. Before I joined the Army, I completed a world history project that involved my writing a letter to President Carter referencing the troop withdrawals in Korea in the 70's.
So fast forward to basic training at Fort Sill, Okla., September 1977. Unbeknownst to me I had received a response from President Carter via - at the time - my state senator from Idaho. This letter was forwarded to me from the senator, he had called my parents to ask how I could get my response about my project. So he personally sends it to me in the mail. So the mail clerk sees this and gets the drill sergeants involved.
We were at the rifle range when our platoon drill sergeant called me front and center and advised me that I was being volunteered for a detail and to get my sorry goat-smelling butt in the truck. So as we are heading to our destination the drill sergeant asked if everything was going OK with basic training and that if I had any problems being in the Army? I advised him that everything was great, and I was having a blast, so this conversation went on for several minutes. Then he handed me a letter that had the United States Congress Heading. I'm like, what the heck is this about. He said, I don't know why don't you tell me. I'm like, I have no idea what it's about. So I open the letter, and lo and behold it's a response from President Carter referencing my question from my high school project.
When I went to hand it to the drill sergeant he about had a stroke. Then he read it and laughed his ass off, said the least I wasn't on KP for awhile.
I still have that letter to this day in my scrapbook.