A Slice of life
Bill Lites
Did I mention it was already winter in the northern U.S. and that it snowed the day I arrived at Great Lakes? Well, it was, and it did. Burrrr! I was greeted at the Great Lakes Naval Recruit Training Center as if I had never 
been in the Navy before. My time and training at reserve meetings and my two cruises didn’t seem to count for anything. I was rushed through the uniform collection, building and bunk assignment, haircut, and medical inspection just like all the other new recruits (known as skinheads). I tried to tell the medical assistants that I had just finished receiving my full course of shots, but they didn’t pay any attention to me, and I got the whole batch of shots all over again.
This boot camp experience was much like the one in San Diego, 
except longer, harder and colder. Here, we were introduced to the wonderful world of KP duty. What a miserable week that was. That was where we discovered that the SPAM, and some of the other canned foods the Navy was feeding us was left over from WWII. I couldn’t believe it! But, the way the cooks disguised it with other things, it tasted pretty good and nobody got sick from it that I know of.
After a couple of weeks, and having had time to read over my service jacket, 
our drill instructor saw that I had some reserve time and previous basic training, and he made me the company platoon leader. That didn’t necessarily make things any easier for me, but at least he wasn’t constantly yelling at me like was he was the rest of the company.
I qualified for the company drill team, which required many hours of special rifle with bayonet maneuvers training. My aunt Jessie came to Great Lakes for my final boot camp graduation, and I was rewarded by being allowed to be a part of the special company drill team parade, during the final graduation ceremony. I have to admit, after that 13 weeks of basic training, I left there feeling a little more like a real sailor than when I got there.
Upon completion of boot camp, I had two weeks leave, which I spent in Albuquerque with DiVoran and my family. This is when I asked DiVoran to marry me, gave her an engagement ring, and announced our engagement. We had a great time as I regaled them with my boot camp adventures. I spent many hours at the local drive-in, with DiVoran, eating hamburgers and drinking sodas, and at the movies, as well as, renewing many high school friendships.
—–To Be Continued—–
Old Things R New 
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