I didn't want to leave school and get drafted by the Army and go to Viet Nam.  After much thinking in my first year at the university, I thought it would be best for me to enlist in the military...the U.S. Air Force.  I thought is would be better for me to stay out of the Army and Viet Nam, and get educated at the same time, etc. 

Before I entered the military, I thought I was already a disciplined person, because my mother was a disciplarian, and she had a black belt, that she used on us kids, when she had to.  I don't think a child has to be spanked to be disciplined.  I helped to raise two kids for 19 years, and I never spanked them, and they went on to graduate from high school and college and got good paying jobs to support themselves and their families. 

discipline; (definition); a set or system of rules and regulations;

It was within an hour, of the plane touching down in San Antonio, Texas...and I started to get processing into the Air Force...when I was yelled at for doing something stupid!  In my first hour in the Air Force, I was filling out paperwork and getting briefed to my new home, and within all this paperwork, there was a small card I had to fill out to get my badge. 

I filled it out wrong...and boy, was I surprised at what happened next.  The sargent behind the counter peered at my paperwork and looked closly at the little card...and with a sneer...threw my card up against the wall about 15 feet away, and yelled at me, "What's the matter with you, Airman...can't you fill out this card, right?" 

And, then he yelled out to me, "Don't just stand there...go and pick it up?"  I was shocked at his behavior, and ran over to pick up the card...'welcome to the U.S. Air Force!'

"It was character that got us out of bed...comittment that moved us into action...and discipline that enabled us to follow through."  Zig Ziglar

'Is this the way four more years in the Air Force is going to be like,' I thought to myself.  I was hoping it would not be this way, etc.   I would exercise disipline and have to pay attention, if I was going to get through four more years in the Air Force!  It's all about discipline in the military...and later, I would find out...it's all about discipline in civilian life as well. 

No mama's boys; or sissies; or crybabies need apply!  You're not wanted in the Air Force! 

You learned real fast to obey; do it now; and do it the first time...or else!  Yelling and screaming at the troops was the call of the day!  Everybody got yelled at from time to time...especially the slow, who never seemed to get it right and follow instructions, etc.

"He that cannot obey...cannot command."  Benjamin Franklin

An Air Force flight (company) is made up of about 50 individuals.  When I entered boot camp, we had about 60 people in the flight...and I think there was a reason for that.  About 10 mama's boys and crybabies would be weeded out in the first two weeks and would be going home!  The Air Force didn't want these spoiled brats! 

Sure enough, about two weeks into boot camp, the mama's boys were sent home...only to get papers for the transfer to the Army, who would kick their ass into soldiers, since their parents created spoiled brats to begin with.  So, these people who got discharged from the Air Force, had a surprise coming when they got home, etc. If the Army couldn't discipline one of these mama's boys...the spoiled brat would be given a discharge from the military. 

After that initial ass-chewing I received while processing in...I did pretty well staying out of trouble, and doing what I was told, and doing it right the first time.  But, you don't have to get yourself in trouble, to get chewed out by the T.I. (Tech-Sargent)  Everybody got their asses chewed out for some lame reason!  It was the military way of building character and discipline.  Truthfully, I would be afraid to be standing or going into battle with some of these slow people who just couldn't get it...holding a rifle or a grenade?  Another reason why mama's boys were not wanted in the military!  

"Disipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment."  Jim Rohn 

In another incident, where I got my ass chewed royally...and is a little funny in 2010...but not very funny when it happened in boot camp in 1965.  Airman are issued a foot-locker, which they keep at the foot of the bed, and they keep their personal possessions in such as underware; toothpaste; and deoderant, etc.  Everything in the foot-locker has a place...or else! 

One day, we had an inspection by the T.I., and all of us troops were standing at attention next to our foot-lockers.  The T.I. (training instructor) was making his round slowly...and then he stopped at my foot-locker and looked around and a little closer.  He gave me that cold, steely eyed look...and picked up the foot-locker...and carried it to the head of the stairs (we were on the second floor)...and he tossed the entire foot-locker down the stairs!  Everything rolled down the stairs...the toothpaste...my underware was scattered everywhere...and have you ever seen a toothbrush bouncing down a flight of stairs? 

As I stood there at attention...I was stunned beyond belief...that someone would do this!  The T.I. approched me within a few inches of my face and yelled at me, "Well, Airman...don't just stand there...go pick it all up!" 

I ran down the stairs, and picked everything up and put it all into the foot-locker and brought everything back and put it where it was and stood at attention!  The T.I. seemed satisfied that I did the right thing.  He gave me another steely look, and continued his inspection!  (I was mad as hell inside!) 

Weeks went by and seemed like months in boot camp, and finally we were in our last week of boot camp!  Everything that was done by the T.I. was done in the name of obidience and discipline, etc.  It was the longest two months I had ever spent in my life!  But, now it was celebration time. 

In our last week, we prepared for the final parade, only this time, we would be wearing our dress blues of the U.S. Air Force...along with one stripe to show we had gratuated from boot camp!  We did it!  It was a long and tough road...but we all did it! 

Words cannot express the joy we all felt, as we all stood there in our dress blues, and admired each other, and gave each other high-fives!  How proud we all felt as we prepared for our last parade...in our blues!  We may have gotten our butts kicked around...but we made it! 

"For every disciplined action, there is a multiple reward."  David Campbell

At the age of 65 in 2010, there are so many things in my life that I have done, that required discipline, but the list is too long to list here...so I'll just list of few things;

- In 1970 I quit smoking at the age of 24, and over 40 years later I have never touched tobacco products. 

- In 2001, I lost 40 pounds, and I have never gained it back, and still maintain my weight at 170 pounds.

- From 1986 to 2010, I have jogged 15 miles a week, which translates to over 17,000 miles.

- In 2008, I was diagnosed with the deadly diabetes, and with the countless finger-pricking and diet, my A1c was reduced from 6.8 to 5.9 in 2010.  A reason to celebrate! 

And, yes...I remember boot camp like it was yesterday....all the sargents and brass...the sons-a-bitches and bastards...that put us through hell on Earth!  I would like to call them names, but I have disciplined myself over the years...not to swear!

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