In 1985 I was about to graduate high school in the thick of the Reagan era. I had no idea about larger geo-political issues, indeed my world view was not much larger than the local mall, the latest Iron Maiden album, and stealing weed from my dads' closet. I was a C student, a latch key kid, really into my BBgun, nunchaku and 30 pound video camera. I had tasted the lips of a couple of the senior girls, even managed to have "sex" once or twice. With graduation looming, I was confident I could still live the easy life with my dad for a couple years and figure my shit out.
I wanted to be a cartoonist, like Spain Rodriguez and R.Crumb, I thought adulthood was some magical period where you could smoke pot and draw all day, somehow you would get a house and a girlfriend, and money to pay for it all.
But NOOO. The oldman in no uncertain terms made it clear I was to get a job by my 18th birthday and start paying rent for a room I had been previously living in for "free", or it was "Hit the road, buddy". There was no way I was going to live with my treasonous mother and her asshole boyfriend, and I was starting to sweat it the closer graduation approached. Then the WAY OUT materialized, in the form of a silver Camaro and an Army uniform.
The recruiter in the parking lot. Hanging out with the girls and the 12 pack. I drifted over there, looking to mooch a beer from Stacy Gretchen, and ended up bumming a smoke from the recruiter dude.
(lighting the cigarette for me)
"S'What's up kid? Where ya going to work this summer?"
(me) I dunno, not the mall that's for sure
R: I know,thats' bunk for sure, you'll be stuck in this town forever
Me: Whats the Army like these days? Ain't no wars and stuff
Him: It's awesome dude,look at me...
And thus began the exchange that would lead me to talking mom and dad into letting me join the Delayed Entry Program.
I enjoyed my basic training and AIT. In BT I learned what I was capable of, and in AIT I learned how to get drunk. When I was assigned my first posting, I was excited to be a part of a crack signal unit, charged with facilitating orders to kick ass on our opponents. The job was to run across open fields spooling out cable without getting killed, and I wasn't killed.
We would often tangle ass with other units, so I got in fights at bars and on liberty. I learned how to exploit women, how to get in their pants, and smoked weed and hash at every opportunity. It was sometime in 1986 when I got my first strange duty assignment..
I ended up having to go to Stuttgart, and there I met Sgt. Richie, a pudgy pasty creep who picked me up in his civvies and personal car. He said the day was all ours, we had nothing to do but cruise around all day and get wasted. He took me to porno shops and bars, and indeed, I became VERY wasted.
I remember asking him a couple times what I was there for, why had I been sent to Robinson that day, what was the job, and he just kept telling me to relax, everything was "taken care of"...
When evening came, I was expecting to be taken back to base to catch a ride back to Bismarck Kaserne( where I was stationed) but instead we ende going back to Sgt. Richies' pad, where he got me drunker, and started to strip in front of me. He then informed me that we would be going to bed soon, and ordered me to remove my clothes.
I really wanted my Spec.4 insignia, and I remember telling him I wasn't a fag, but...
TO BE CONTINUED