well I
joined up when I was 18 for two reasons. 1. as a feminist, equal
rights meaning equal responsibility. In this country historically
all equality in civil rights has been preceded by service in the
military. So I wanted to do my part, when taking a stand for civil
rights and equality, service counts. The second reason, because I
was a dedicated hippy dippy lefty liberal. I suppose that may seem
odd. You may suppose a person of my natural inclination would go
peace corps not hard core.
One, for
the philosophic reason, what ever you oppose you need to understand.
For me the whole military mind set was such a foreign country I just
had to try the venture. And thinking ahead to future arguments,
knowing I was a hippy dippy liby lefty, I wanted to have the trump
card to "If you don't love you country leave it." 'Been
there done that, wore the combat boots, so shut the bleep up.'
Joining
the Army so I could win an argument I might have some day, may seem a
bit odd. All I can say is, I really hate to lose an argument.
I started
out to be an interrogator. It sounded like a pretty cool job. Very
James Bond ohh and a top secret security clearance, your 18 that's
just tit's cool. So I went to fort Huachuahua in Arizona for the
interrogation school. I quickly discovered that I had absolutely no
interest in how many 9mm makaraof pistols Interrogation subject X
may have in the 2nd motorized rifle platoon of the third motorized
rifle company.
'hold on
a minute here, James Bond never had to take inventory.'
Yeh I
flunked out. Well what would expect with a gal who starts an
interrogation with
'ok you
know what? Don't talk to me, I don't want to hear it, I brought a
book,' They kept me on longer then they would have another marginal
solider because for awhile there they thought I was being very
cleaver, getting people to talk with reverse psychology.
So anyway
with this that and the other I ended up in water purification, and
learning to run the water purification equipment was cool. I was the
first female they had ever trained in the field. And no sooner then
I had gotten all through training and my first posting in Germany, it
was decided that water purification was too close to 'the battle
field' for a female. So anyway between this and that I ended up
answering phones and taking inventory.
