standing tall and looking good

The other day one of Mr. Hallberg's former students came to visit him. He had joined the Coast Guard and just got back from boot camp, on leave for a few weeks. He was all hoo-rah in dress blues. Mr. Hallberg told him I was in the Army and then he informed me with a huge smile on his face that he heard that everyone in the Army got an 11% on their ASVAB, and that the only difference between Coast Guard and Marine boot camp is that Marine is longer. He heard that Army people at boot camp eat cookies and watch movies at night and sit in air conditioning during the day. I could tell he was fresh in that stage of post-IET social incompetency so he had no idea there was anything wrong with anything he was saying. It was a little sad. They totally brainwash you into this mindset of blind religious patriotism. The Coast Guard, come on, you were only at boot camp for a month. For real, brother, get a grip on yourself. Do not sacrifice yourself for "God and country", that's what the so-called "enemy" does, isn't it? "God" and "country" shouldn't even be associated with each other, because let's be honest, America doesn't have much to do with God. What God are we talking about? Isn't that just a buzzword used to justify violence? It's been done for centuries. How many holy wars are we going to fight before we figure out that GOD DOES NOT LOVE PEOPLE KILLING EACH OTHER?

There's just enough of post-BCT "patriotism" and "sense of duty" left in me to be slightly ashamed to say that I will be glad when this whole Army thing is OVER. The military is EFFED UP.

Sorry, Coast Guard boy, I don't think all this was directed at you. All the best to you and your all-star ASVAB results. And, Coast Guard boy, in case you were wondering, I got a 98.