I went running this afternoon. That was a horrible mistake because 1) running sucks and 2) it's almost 100 degrees outside today. And me being me, of course I'm dehydrated. Is there any other way to be? I choose apple juice over water at all meals. I was sucking out there today in the hot, hot sun. I always try to let my mind wander away from the task at hand when it totally sucks (like the before mentioned running in the sun, but it also works for loading connexes in the sun, firing at a range in the sun, and sitting around wearing way too much heavy gear doing absolutely nothing in the sun-- and of course "sun" is interchangeable with rain, snow, wind and any other natural element that generally sucks, but the Army exposes you to all the time). Today my mind wandered to Basic Training...
Once upon a time, long, long ago in 2002 I attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I attended this training from July to October. I guess I wanted to experience the suck in the heat and sun at full capacity first thing in my Army career.
It was unthinkably hot. Words can't even describe how hot and humid my days were. All the running, jumping and climbing trees while wearing camouflage face paint and carrying a weapon. My poor little lazy civilian body didn't know what hit it! But through out all the crap I went through at Basic, one thing stands out beyond the rest. Army training is kind of like girl scout camp and prison mixed together. So there was singing, oh yes, singing to go along with our training to kill. We'd have to recite all these incredibly embarrassing chants before we did almost anything, like doing a right face, or coming to attention. That being said...
When a Drill Sergeant would yell, "DRINK WATER!" or "TAKE A KNEE!" that meant (the obvious) get down on one knee and drink some freaking water because it's hot. Before we could drink the hot water out of our canteens we had to chant the most embarrassing thing ever. In the summer of 2002 Nelly's song, "Hot in Herre" was a hit. Go ahead and recall that gem... now that it's stuck in your head. This is what we had to yell out:
It's getting hot out here,
So take out your canteen,
I am getting so hot,
I want to drink some water!
I was singing that to myself on my run through the seventh circle of Hell this afternoon. I sometimes wonder how our Drill Sergeants could be so cruel to make us do that. They were out there suffering in the heat as well, so I suppose that was just a way to keep themselves entertained.
Me circa 2002: I was just an 18 year old baby!
