First few days SFTG

[Q]

Reading the comments about basic...I started to remember what my first few days of training was like at SFTG....back in the olden days. I thought it might be informative if we could pass along some tidbits of history to our youngsters. So anyone that wants to jump in please do.

First thing I remember is the bus pulling up to this nondiscript building on smoke bomb hill. There was I believe about 110 of us. Guys that volunteered, guys that got on the wrong bus, those that had no idea where the heck they were. And they were about to be introduced to SFTG....whether they liked it or not. No sooner had the bus stopped this big stocky SFC no neck guy came running through the bus screaming his head off about us being on the wrong bus the 82d was down the street.......his name was SFC Rocky Lane. I initially thought.. what the heck are we back at Benning??? Well fast forward through a few hours or it could have been days. We were sitting in the dayroom, a few had managed to explain to SFC Lane that they REALLY were supposed to be going to the 82d. Appearantly they decided that the class was a bit too big so they began weeding out the guys that really didn't want to be there. I was 19 fresh out of Jump School and my buddy sitting next to me asks....What are we going to do? I told him I'm sittin' on my hands, 'cause I ain't leavin'. First question.....How many of you can't swim? (This is the swim test...I think). I can't swim a lick and I'm still sittin' on my hands. About a third get up and reboard the bus for the deuce. Next question....How many here don't eat pu**y? Me being fresh and stupid and don't even know what the heck he's talkin' about....still sittin' on my hands. This Time Rocky is makin' the rounds and has tossed out anyone he feels is wasting his time. So we are down to about 50 guys. The rest are on they're way to the 82d. Rocky was right they were on the wrong bus. SFC Rocky Lane was my first intro to SF and he impressed the hell out of me and still does to this day. They ran SFTG alittle different in those days...had alittle more input as to who stayed and left. Oh yeah, I learned to swim...the hard way. "Q".