A Nightmare Evolved Into a Dream

Daisha Magruder
Zach Litton
ENG 1001-13
22 February 2010
` Being all you can be doesn’t sound hard to do, but it is one ofmany of the Army’s mottoes;if you think you are up to the challengetry takingthe test. It is nothing like what you see in movieslike Forest Gump or Major Payne; it is something more. You have to dig deep within yourself to overcome a lot of obstacles and duties to become a great soldier and join a wonderful team. Trust me I know, I took the test and succeeded to become a member of the Ohio Army National Guard.`
` In the process of becoming a soldier, you have many phases to go through; theonethat is most recognized is the infamousRed Phase. It is your first three weeks in basic training. In other words it is pure hell! Adjusting to a military schedule takes hard work especially if you don’t have a regularroutine schedule. I had come from a Universitywhere I stayed on campus so I had no routine schedule and the Army broke me in good. Sleep by 9p.m and up by 5a.m. You have to be in bed at 9.pm and up at 5a.m. becauseDrill Sergeants come through and checkthe bay (sleeping dormitory). There were times I remember being awakened by Drill Sergeants yelling for us to get up and be dressed in five minutes. Some annoyingDrill Sergeants would get on the intercom and yell and scream until they knew everyone was awake. It was very nerve wrecking at first, but then itbecamea second nature to be awaken like that.`
` During Red Phase you get smoked almostevery ten minutes it can get really crazy. I remember on my first day, my Drill Sergeant was showing my platoon how to make up beds. My Drill Sergeant asked me a rhetorical question. I looked at him an then answered. I purposely didn’t give him the answer he was looking for, which I shouldn’t of done because he smoked me for twohours. He then left and came back and told me I still wasn’t done. My arms never hurt that much in my life!`
`A lot ofpeople in life are scared to face their fears,...