3rd Platoon E Co 1/50th Sand Hill Ft Benning, Ga 1997 It was a week before graduation, we had just finished FTX, had our Warrior breakfast, and our Senior DS, DS J, had released us to return to our barracks and clean up. DS J was the biggest and meanest son of a... gun that I had ever met. He loved to smoke us in the beginning and tear us apart if we screwed up, but now he had lightened up a bit and would talk to us about what we were about to walk into when we finally left this place. Anyway, we got our bay cleaned up but while sweeping I found a dust bunny, an honest to God two ears, black eyes and nose, fluffy tailed dust bunny. This thing looked just like a little rabbit, so I kept it and put it away for some laughs later in an old soap dish I had. An hour later DS J came in, inspected the bay, and for the first time declared it good then went into his office. Well, Pvt W (our AWOL who came back), Pvt L, and myself were all sitting around my bunk area talking and laughing about the dust bunny that I had found when DS J walks up. Of course we jump up and get to Parade Rest, and I am holding the stupid soap dish behind my back. DS J asked me what I had in my hands. Well, figuring I was going to die, I bit the bullet and showed him. I said that it was a dust bunny Drill Sgt. He said that he could see that. At that point I lost my mind and told him No, really DS J, its a dust bunny. Look, it has ears, eyes, and a fluffy little tail. As I stood there, DS J staring at me like I had lost my mind, I figured that the smoking that was coming would be the worst of my life (Ft Benning was 3 lower when I left than when I got there). DS J just looked at the three of us for about another minute, then said You three have been here way to long then turned and went back to his office. We stood there, in shock for a few seconds, then sat back down and continued talking. I then put that soap dish in my personal drawer with bunny inside of it. I saw DS J again about 6 years later in Ft Polk, he recognized me and we talked for about an hour about things. Right before he left, he looked at me and told me that he never forgot the dust bunny and the only reason he didnt smoke us was because he was about to bust out laughing. I just smiled and pulled that soap dish out of my ruck. I carried that thing with me for my 13 year military career and through a few tours overseas. I figure it saved my life that day and was my good luck charm, anytime I got down and needed a laugh I would pull it out and look at it. The guys in my squad would always have me tell that story to the new Pvt we would get. It kept me sane through some really bad times that I had after my tours. I was in a bad place in my head for a while after my last tour, I lost a friend. My 1st Sgt (a former DS himself) could see that I was in a bad place and asked to see this bunny that my guys talk about. Top got me talking and pulled me back up with the help of that stupid dust bunny. The soap dish and its contents are now safely packed away, in an old silk map, in the bottom of a footlocker that I keep my memories in. I will never forget DS J or DS R (our Jr DS). Those two men taught me more about being a soldier than anyone else in my military career. All you Drill Sgts out there have my respect and admiration for the crap you put up with. Youre given 55 idiots to start with and end up with soldiers that you give back to other units only to have it start all over again. Ft Benning, Ga
Posted on: Sun, 13 Jul 2014 18:00:02 +0000
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