Integrated Basic Training

The Colony, TX

I went to Basic Training at Ft. Dix, NJ from the end of May through Mid July, 1981. I was in one of the last groups of trainees where the males and females did Basic Training together. I was with B-3-5, the first 3 platoons were male, 4th platoon was female. It was quite the experience. The males were not very keen on having us around, when we had our first road march, all of us gals made it... there was not one female on the straggler truck...
I remember the 1LT, he addressed the company and told us up front: "Ladies, I will admit I expected to see you on the straggler truck, instead you all were still in formation calling cadence. You will be allowed into the mess hall first tonight, and you will be given 2 hours personal time afterwards."

Of course this did nothing but strengthen our group... the males glared at us with daggers in their eyes...
While we were sitting outside the barrack, shining boots, writing home even allowed to "smoke'em if you got'em..."
I remember the DI's for the male platoons ran those males out of the barracks and they did about an hour's worth of PT in the PT field.

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