GOOD SHOOTING SOLDIER, NOW HIT ONE OF OURS!

Basic Training holds many memories for me. Some good, some bad, and some a little bit of both. Like the time, I goT fired up and punched a tree, and my hand hurt for a week. One of the turning points for my platoon, where we finally became a team, actually involved yours truly, and became one of my best memories of Basic Training.

It happened on the weapons range. We were conducting what is called "zeroing", where you have to fire at a 25m target, the size representing an actual target at 300m. Confusing? Well, it was for me at the time too.
Basically we had to fire 3 rounds at a time, with our eyes on the target, and have them group within the size of a silver dollar. If we could do that and also hit the black center, then we could go shoot with the big boys and girls, on the pop-up range, and do some serious damage.

Frankly, my shooting sucked. I was able to get 2 together, but the third round was lucky to be on the paper. After 2 hours and 30 rounds later, I was asked to shoot a new target. One of the Drill Sargents passed me a paper target, he had drawn a kangaroo in the middle with a nice bright, orange sticker in the middle of that.

"What do I get if I hit it?" I asked the Drill Sarge. "If you hit it. He said "Then I won't smoke the rest of your platoon". After the other firers had stopped, I stepped up to the foxhole and climbed right up in there. Looking around I could see all my fellow soldiers, and all the other DS's lined up behind me. "Prepare to fire" came the command. I focused on that dot, held my breath and fired, letting the slight recoil rock me back as I did it a second time, and then a third.

Putting my weapon down, I watched the whole group, 30 or so, including my commander walk up to the target. I could hear my Senior Drill cussing and obviously angry. The commander walked right up to me, returned my salute then shook my hand.
"Nice Shooting Soldier, But you'll have to learn how to hit one of ours!" Then walked away. I let out a loud yell which was returned by my buddies.

I had hit that roo with 3 shots dead center, my Drill Sargent didn't smoke us, the other drill I think may have lost his bet, I will never know, and my platoon plus me, had the first time to cheer anything since the start of our training. From that day on, we became the "Outlaws", and though it was still tough, we had become battle buddies and friends.

I went back later to the ammo shed and found my target ripped in two. I took the pieces and now it is proudly displayed in my office at home.