The Early Days of Ma Vie Militaire¹

94th Aero Squadron - Flightline at Rembercourt Aerodrome, France, late October 1918.
Air Service, United States Army - Gorrell's History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917-1919,
National Archives, Washington, D.C.

As many of you probably know, I'm a retired Air Force guy. Served twenty-four years (and 18 days, but who's counting) in that organization and for the most part. loved most of it. (Yes, there were times at Offutt AFB, NE where I was not really all that happy. Long story, which I might tell some day. Who knows?)

But did you know this?

August 1, 1907

OFFICE MEMORANDUM NO. 6

An Aeronautical Division of this office is hereby established, to take effect this date.

This division will have charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects. All data on hand will be carefully classified and plans perfected for future tests and experiments. The operations of this division are strictly confidential, and no information will be given out by any party except through the Chief Signal Officer of the Army or his authorized representative.

Captain Charles DeF. Chandler, Signal Corps, is detailed in charge of this division, and Corporal Edward Ward and First-class Private Joseph E. Barrett will report to Captain Chandler for duty in this division under his immediate direction.

— J. Allen, Brigadier General, Chief Signal Officer of the Army (Source)

Yup, ten years before the United States got involved in World War One, the Air Force was created as the Aeronautical Division of the Army Signal Corps. It had a strength of three guys - a captain, a corporal, and a private first class. No sergeants, which is odd because the modern day Air Force seems to have nothing but sergeants of varying flavors, responsibilities, and descriptions. It wasn't until September of 1947 that it became the United States Air Force, but, as you can see, it had already been around for forty years.

When I came onboard in May of 1975, it was a lot bigger. I mean to chat a bit about my time in Basic Training in this post. It was only six weeks long, but I was ready to re-enlist for twenty on the second day². (Not the first, that day was a blur of no sleep, lots of loud voices, and very little discernable pattern to anything.)

Basic Training was easy, very, very easy. As in: not hard, not hard at all.

Did I mention that it was easy?

For in the fall of 1971 I entered college at the nation's oldest private military school - up at the butt crack of dawn for calisthenics, followed by a vigorous mile-plus run. (We would run until our company commander got tired, I swear to God, that sumbitch never got tired.)

After this wonderful activity we would be told to go back to our rooms and dress in such and such a uniform. We would do so, fall back into formation, then get to do it all over again. That would happen two or three times (as I recall) before the cadre were required to march us to breakfast. (I should note that we reported to school before classes began so that we could be yelled at and drilled.)

Great fun, very tiresome in many ways. As I look back on it, it all smacked of a very Red Army sort of experience. You were ranked according to your time in the organization, the Seniors ran everything, the Juniors were wandering pains-in-the-ass, and the Sophomores were the people yelling and spitting on you for most of your time at school. The actual officers were few in number, one per company as I recall. So we weren't really being trained, just indoctrinated.

Which is fine by me. It renders an individual who will follow orders and execute tasks on command. Lots and lots of drill, which some question in these modern times, but I'm here to tell you, it works.

So, even with a three year gap between college and the Air Force, Basic Training down at Lackland was awfully easy compared with what I had experienced in Army ROTC for a year. (Or high school football two-a-days for that matter.) So rather than freaking out over getting yelled at or being tired, or having to run, or march, I could focus on what they really wanted me to do. Learn how to follow instructions and obey orders. Which if you really pay attention only takes a week or two, three to four to do things instinctively, without the need for conscious thought.

Another thing I learned was that following orders is pretty damned easy. No need to think, just do. Someone else was paid to do the thinking. For some people, following orders is so easy that they can detach themselves from what it is they are doing. Problem is, eventually they will find themselves in a position where they are the ones giving orders and they have no rational thought-process to back up what it is they are ordering people to do. That sort of thing can cause problems. Think about it.

Anyhoo, that's enough for today.

For those of you who might worry that I won't complete the tale of the Eminence et al, not to worry, I plan on getting back to that eventually.

(For those of you worrying that I might go back to that tale, sorry ...)

Ciao.

¹ My military Life

² Dinner was steak and lobster tails, yup, USAF chow was the best. Really, I'd re-enlist for the food? Well, duh!