David goes in the Army

I had signed on the dotted line. I was now the property of the US Army. This was just after my 17th birthday, June of 1984. I left for basic training late June of that year. Looking back on this time period, my memories are fairly spotty really.  I remember certain situations and instances of things happening, but likely due to time, a whole lot of drinking and pot smoking; not having clear memories is to be expected. 

I know when I left I was with Dawn.  While she was rightly angry that I failed to mention, at the time, that I was going in the Army, she still wanted to stay together.  Our plan was for me to go to Germany for my 18 month commitment overseas, and move forward when I returned. After my blog writing yesterday I am not sure if we got engaged after I told her I was going in the military or before.....my memory just isn't clear on the timing. But, I remember we were engaged.

To put in perspective where I was in my head during this time..... one key thing to keep in mind all that had happened from my childhood to this point; and now just turning 17, I was going in the military. 

I was still in contact with Lyn, I don't remember a lot of contact during this time, but there was some.  Oddly enough, when I went to Germany for 18 months, he, the one who scooped me up off the side of the road and started sexually abusing me, he sent me letters and cards while I was in Germany....more than my own family did.  It really threw me for a loop in my head. Later in life, through counseling, I was able to see that he did care about me, but, his way of caring was through abuse, and, showing me care and concern was his way of keeping me from telling the secret.  The secret that he not only sexually abused me, but, as I learned more in later years, many other boys. He was a sick fuck. Plain and simple. At this point in my life no one knew anything about what had, or, for that matter, what was continuing with Lyn Gilmore....not a soul.  I wouldn't dare share this secret.  

I think, and I am assuming most of this, that my friends and family supported my decision to join the Army.  I know my mom did; 100%. I am certain Uncle/Dad Tom did. I am guessing my brother did.  Tom had been in the military as had my brother.  Mom gladly signed for her 17yr old baby boy to go.  She baked that loaf of bread and had it waiting for the recruiter and I when he drove me to her house to get her signature. 

I went to basic at Ft. Benning, GA.  It was late September of 1984 and I remember, on first arrival, the weather was seemed. Yeah, not so much.  It wasn't until the very end of basic that the weather started being tolerable. Yet, I really thrived in basic. It was like nothing I had ever had in my life to that point. Structure, discipline, team work, and, a knowing that I would be taken care of. It was hard, don't get me wrong.  But, I thrived in this new, and very unfamiliar environment. I remember a few of us snuck cigarettes while in basic.  But, outside of that I adapted quickly to my new surroundings and didn't have any issues.  A positive from our childhood has always been out ability to read environments and adapt quickly.  This was a great skill to have going in the military.  I will never forget Drill Sergeant Montana.....he was a good one.  He truly gave a shit about mine and my fellow recruits learning our skills to become soldiers. 

I made it through basic and AIT in the 13 weeks give with no issues. I was pretty scrawny going in, and, to that point in my life aside from a short stint wrestling in 8th grade, exercise was not something I knew. It didn't take long for me to adapt and my body thrived on exercise.  I remember feeling bad for other guys who did not make it through. It was hard.  This was infantry basic training in the Army and I can tell you it is not a cakewalk by any means.  Yet, for a kid from Tacoma with all that was in my head, this was a great environment for me at the right time. 

Now, the Army is not the best place for young man who might already have a drinking problem and a young man who liked to smoke a lot of pot.  The Army is also not a great place for that same young man who had zero skills on how to manage either of these.  I would go to Germany for the next 18 months where, for a 17yr old kid, there were a few things that were especially dangerous. For this kid, really dangerous.  In Germany I was legally able to drink, prositution is legal, and during the mid 80's in the Army, you did two things.....you went to field and when you got back, you partied.  That's what we did.  I did this and much more.  I was nearly medically discharged in Germany for my drinking and behavior that nearly always followed.