An Early Christmas Present  − 15 November, 1993

It was around this day that an old "friend" joined my platoon at K Troop 3/3 ACR. Drill Sergeant Saunders who was actually Sergeant First Class Saunders joined us in formation. He replaced SFC Perez.

Sergeant Saunders had actually been a Drill Sergeant with Bravo 5/15 Training Brigade at Ft. Knox. More specifally, he was the ranking Drill Sergeant of my Basic Training Troop.

As Drill Sergeant Saunders, he was a bad-ass and really mean. As Sergeant First Class Saunders, he was a quiet yet funny leader. I was really worried because K Troop and my platoon specifically bended the Army regs a little because we usually did so well it was sort of a reward.

After 3 weeks, I realized that he was just like us and continued the bending of the rules as long as we produced during gunneries and looked sharp for inspections.

He tried to get me to reenlist at the end of my enlistment, and I loved training and field work, but I just couldn't commit to 6 years of the military bullshit that occurs while not in the field. He told me I'd make a good NCO and promised the Beginning NCO Course if I reenlisted, but I was young and girls back home awaited for the boy in uniform.