February 1978, The saga continues...

The War in Vietnam (Conflict as they called it every night on the news. Sure looked like we were fighting a war to me.) As a child, every nightly news show was filled with stories and video from Vietnam. I can remember that several of my own cousins were serving their time in Vietnam. After watching the horrors of war every night on TV for all of those years, the last place I ever want to be was in the military. I was scared to death of war, as I grew up.

But there I was standing outside the door of the recruiting station in Western Hills. I seem to recall being very nervous about pulling on that door. As I finally stepped in, I remember seeing that all  of the recruiters had signs outside their doors. I saw the Marines, The Navy, The Air Force and there at the end of the hall was the Army recruiter office. I had already spoken to several of the recruiters on the phone over the last few months and I knew what each had to offer.

The Army recruiter was who I was there to see. I knew that I could take a test and then they would send me to a school I qualified for. They would even guarantee my first duty station. A little stability in the chaos that I was looking at.

I took the ASVAB test as it was called and the list was a good one. Down the list a bit was the job called "Military Police". My thoughts immediately turned to Officer Sweeney, who I mention a few posts ago. I recall laughing and telling the recruiter that there was an error on the results and he told me that I was qualified and that it was not an error.

I drove away a few minutes later, still chuckling to myself about the thought of being a police officer. A career I had never even considered.

February 1978, continued

In February 1978, the economy in good old Cincy was as bad as it could be. I had graduated  from Oak Hills High School on Ebenezer Rd in Bridgetown in 1977 and times were tough. Gas prices were through the roof at about $1.10, up from $.62 a gallon just a year before. (imagine only paying $1.10, as the prices here climb beyond $3.70 a gallon as I write this)

Oh, and I had just quit my job. I worked in an auto parts warehouse in the Over-The-Rhine section of Cincinnati, right around the corner from an old Cincinnati brewery. I worked for Ray, the manager and Joanne the book-keeper. I liked working there, but anyone who has worked in the auto parts business knows that advancement is very difficult.

February 1978 was a tough time for me. I was 18 years old, no job, a very unsure future and very real understanding of who I was. I was also broke. Not just a little broke, a lot broke. Actually completely broke.

Also, due to some youthful exuberance, I was also somewhat well know to the local Green Township Police, especially Officer Sweeney, who patrolled the area of the township I grew up in. I wasn't a criminal by any stretch, but I seemed to always draw the attention of Officer Sweeney. Maybe he recognized the potential I had... whatever that means.

After trying to figure out where I was headed in this life, I got a phone call one evening from the US Army recruiter. Talk about timing. I had received twenty or so calls since graduating high school. My Dad had been in the Marines, so this was such a long shot and I had been thinking about the military for quite sometime.

So what's a boy to do?

Check back next week for more on February 1978!

How My Life Changed in February 1978

There were two blizzards in 1978. One in the North East of the US and another centered on the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. I lived West of Cincinnati in Green Township, Hamilton County, Ohio and saw weather I had never seen before.

On the 23rd of February 1978, I raised my right hand and pledged to defend my country against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. I joined the US Army and headed off to Military Police School at Fort McClellan, Alabama. Ft. McClellan is located in Anniston, Alabama.

The story behind the story. This will be a weekly blog talking about the events of 1978.