October 11th 1969

US army base Jefferson

south Carolina

"ALL RIGHT MAGGOTS! LINE UP AND BE PREPARED TO GIVE ME YOUR NAME AND WHERE YOUR FROM! I WANT IT TO BE LOUD AND PROUD!" the drill sergeant screamed, causing James to flinch

The sergeant began to move down the line.

"Private Gordon Stevens, Atlanta Florida Sir!"

"Private Richard Connors, Richmond Virginia Sir!"

"P-Private MaxWEll smITH, S-sir!" The skinny, clearly terrified recruits voice cracked as he spoke. causing the sergeant to suddenly stop in his tracks, and snap his head in his direction. Almost like a wolf staring down its prey

"What was that private!?" he yelled

"P-Priva-"

"Louder i cant hear you!"

"Private M-Max-"

"What are you a little girl!? Speak the FUCK up!"

"PRIVATE MAXWELL SMITH, COLOMBUS OHIO SIR!"

"very good private Maxwell! you've learned how to fucking speak. lets everyone give him a round of applause!" the Sargent spoke in a condescending manor, before moving down the line. 

As James watched the Sargent get closer and closer, his mind repeated the words "don't fuck this up. don't fuck this up. don't fuck this up." Over and over until the Sargent stopped in front of him and looked at him expectantly.

"JAMES REARDON. ANDERSON MISSOURI SIR!!" James screamed as loud as he could.

"Jesus christ private! What are you trying to do?! Make us all deaf?! I said loud but not THAT loud"

"Sorry drill Sargent Sir!"

Without another word, the Sargent continued down the line. Despite being yelled at, James couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Once finished, the sargent turned towards the soldiers, and pointed to where the barracks was.

"Alright, now that I know your worthless names, get your asses to the barracks!"

he barked. "You have 10 minutes to unpack and get changed into your PT gear! Move it maggots!"

James quickly followed the other recruits towards the barracks, unsure of what to expect next.

As soon as he entered the barracks, the smell hit him like a ton of bricks. It was a mixture of sweat, dirty laundry, and God knows what else. He looked around, seeing rows of bunk beds neatly lined up

The sarget's bellowed voice could be heard outside, reminding James and the other recruits that they needed to move quickly.

James rushed to find an empty bunk, tossing his bag onto the bottom bed. He quickly began to unpack, throwing his clothes into a small locker. He changed into his PT gear, which consisted of a grey t-shirt and shorts.

Once dressed, he stood at attention near his bunk, waiting for whatever came next. He wasn't sure if he was ready for what lay ahead, but he knew he had to give it his all

As the other recruits finished changing and lined up beside him, James got an odd feeling. James began to feel...confident. Confident that he was going to make the most of his time in the army. Confident that he would serve his country with honor. Hit with a wave of optimism, James started to think that maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

October 18th 1969

It was, in fact, that bad

The past week had been one of the most grueling experiences of James' life. He had barely slept, waking up before dawn each morning to begin intense physical training. The drill sergeant was relentless, pushing them to their limits and beyond.

James couldn't remember the last time he had felt so exhausted and sore. Every muscle in his body ached, and his feet were blistered from the endless running, marching drills, and obstacle courses. Dear God the obstacles courses.

As the days went on, the drill sergeant's harshness was a constant. but James found himself able to adjust to his strict expectations. He learned to move with precision, take orders without question, and work seamlessly with his squad.

James and the other recruits formed a tight-knit group through their rigorous training; they pushed each other to reach new physical heights, cheered each other on during difficult obstacles, and celebrated with a joke or shared story when things went well. Despite the challenges, he found himself growing closer with his fellow service members.

It was during one of these moments of respite that James found himself talking to one of his new friends, a tall pale recruit with glasses named Tom.

"So, James, what made you want to join the army?" Tom asked, as they sat on their bunks, eating their meals.

"Drafted. My dad served, so did his dad, and his dad, and so on. So it was kinda just understood that I would serve too. But honestly? I didn't want too. The millitary just wasn't for me yknow?...But then I got drafted so I guess I didn't really have as much of a choice as I thought. What about you?" James replied, taking a bite of his mashed potatoes.

Tom nodded thoughtfully. "I get that. I joined by choice but I'd be lying if I said the millitary was my first choice. My older brother served in Vietnam and I always looked up to him. I wanted to follow in his footsteps, I guess."

James looked at Tom with respect. "That's pretty admirable man. I wish I had a story or something like that."

Tom chuckled. "Hey, we all have our reasons for joining. What matters is that we're all here now, and we're making the most of it."

James grinned. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Tom nodded, before glancing around the barracks. "I just hope we can survive another week of this. I didn't think it would be this intense."

James gave a sympathetic chuckle. "Yeah, same here. But we've made it this far, right? We can make it through another week. And then another. And then however many more we need to."

Tom smiled, before taking another bite of his meal. James couldn't help but feel grateful for the camaraderie he had found in his fellow recruits. Even in the midst of the grueling training and harsh conditions, they were able to find moments of solidarity and support.

As the remaining days of training passed, James found himself growing stronger, both mentally and physically. Though he still felt the ache of exhaustion, he also felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in his abilities.

And when their training finally ended, they were assigned to their official posts. As tom and James looked at their orders, a wave of shock washed over James. 

"Holy fuck! Anderson, that's my hometown! I got assigned to my hometown!" Said James 

"Hey, I got assigned to Anderson too! Guess we will be fighting together huh?" Exclaimed Tom 

James chuckled. "Guess so" 

Tom playfully hit his friends shoulder before walking away. "See you there soldier." 

James looked at his friend before turning back to the paper on the wall and sighing. 

"....yeah...see you there"