On February 13, 2007 around 5:30 in the morning, I left Houston with 3 other people on a plane bound for Atlanta, Georgia. I was nervous, but not because of the plane trip. When we got to Atlanta, we werent allowed to leave the airport, and had to check in immediately with the USO. We waited for what seemed like all day, and still had a 5 hour bus ride to South Carolina to go. I could tell the bus driver was former military, because he knew what we were about to embark on. He stopped twice on the trip to let us smokers get our final dose of nicotine before we'd be forced to kick the habit. The last time we stopped I remember smoking 3 cigarettes in the 10 minute break and I gave the rest of my almost full pack to a homeless guy I saw sitting by the bathroom. The last leg of the trip was the most nerve-racking hour, I tried getting some sleep since I had heard the rumors of sleep depravation at Reception. I texted my friends and family and said goodbye, as if I was leaving forever or something. I turned my phone off as we pulled onto the base. When we pulled up to the Reception Battallion, to say I was unprepared for what was coming, yeah that'd be an understatement. This scary looking black lady came onto our bus and started yelling. We hurried off and were ordered to stand next to a wall as the bus driver threw our bags out from under the bus. We were ordered to put our hair up if it wasnt already, tuck in our shirts, stand up straight, and get our bags. There was no putting those bags down once we picked them up. We were ushered inside to a room that had long benches, no tables, just a long counter in the front of the room. We were instructed to sit down, and thus begun this process of reception. This night would be a long one. There was a roll call of sorts where they determined all incoming newbs were all accounted for. She talked a lot, that scary black lady, and at the late hour, I definately didnt catch everything she said. Besides, I figured if it was really important, it would be repeated, because in the Army, they say everything or give you 2 of anything you need to know. We eventually left that initial welcome sight and were lead other places where various things happened. Every inch of our person and property were searched for contraband and disposed of if found. We changed out of our civilian clothes and into the PT sweats. We separated important stuff that was deemed okay to bring with us into the new Army duffels they gave us, and our civilian bags were put in a room and locked. Eventually the night ended and we were able to get some sleep. They showed us to the barracks and showed us where to sleep. Then told us they'd be back in about 3 hours to wake us up. I remember thinking as I drifted to sleep, I hate this... and its only the first night.
The next week is a flurry of excitment and hurrying up to wait. There were doctors appointments, dental appointments, vision appointments, shots to be given, trips to the reception troop store, formations in the middle of the night for no reason, getting our uniforms issued, learning the Soldier's Handbook front to back, being tested on Soldier's Handbook, doing push ups if we failed test on Soldier's Handbook. There was paperwork being done, benficiaries being added, paperwork being finalized, dirty looks given by already-proven-themselves Soldiers, horrible sleep-depravated pictures being taken, a lot of walking around or marching I guess. They were teaching us all this so we'd be more "prepared" when we went "down the road" to our Basic training batallions. All the people that were with me, in my company, at Reception, would be in my company in Basic. I met a few women in Reception, that ended up being with me until the end. I say all the time that I wouldnt have made it to graduation without the help and support of these 2 women that I met on the first real day of reception. When I met them, I had no idea what kind of impact they'd have on my experience. Cindy McKeel, soon be dubbed Keelio... and Kira Holloway would become the strongest support system I would have, and best friends I would have for the rest of my life.
The day came we were shipped down the road to our company and split into our platoons. Keelio and I were in 3rd platoon, and Holloway was put in 2nd. Our drill sergeants were DS Nunez, the mean one; DS Jacobs, the mean and funny one; and DS McIntosh, the super mean and female one. I don't know if you are allowed to have a favorite basic training drill sergeant, but mine is DS Mac. She was a spitfire. She was about 5'nothing, maybe a buck-20 and black. She was fierce but she really helped me through the last few weeks of basic... but we'll get back to that. We all went into what would become our home for the next 9 weeks, our barracks. We sat in a circle and were given the most disgusting thing I've ever eaten, and then they yelled at us for a few hours about rules and stuff. Best part of that day (not) was when we did a bathroom break and I didn't have to go at the time. So like 30 minutes later, I made the humungous mistake asking to use the bathroom. DS McIntosh was the one to come down on me. I'm like 5'9 and she was right in my face. I did push ups for a while, well I TRIED doing push ups for a while. She eventually let me go, except it didn't really matter by that point, I didn't have to go anymore. After more yelling, more push ups, chow, and our forced hydration formation, we were allowed to go to sleep. There were 2 platoons in our barracks, ours and the 4th platoon girls. Our guys bunked with the 4th platoon boys across the parking lot...err, I mean company area. Of course we were bunked in alphabetical order, which was bad ass because somehow, even though H and M are a few letters apart, Keelio and I got to have top bunks right next to each other. I think that pissed some of the other ladies off because when we werent dead tired we'd sit and talk our heads off! In fact, I remember one stuffy old maid getting particularly upset one night because she was trying to sleep during personal time, it wasnt even lights out yet, but she bitched and bitched, not like we cared though.
Ok so I'm trying to not write this as day-to-day, but as a whole experience, so I might jump around a lot.
Nine weeks is not a very long time really, when you think about it, it's only 9 weeks, 2 months and a week, its only like 270 days, 6500 hours.... this was the longest 9 weeks of my life. After the initial shock of what was going on, I actually started to have fun. The first 3 weeks, Red phase, was the hardest. Just getting into the routine of waking up at 4am or earlier was a feat for someone who was used to sleeping until 4pm. PT was hard and the runs were way harder, but even though I was always the one to fall out, I really think it helped more. If you fell out of running formation, DS Nunez would take us, the weak ones, and he'd make us work harder. We'd sprint back and forth our company area until everyone else got back. I cant tell you how many times I had to do this, but I think I benefitted more from that than I did distance running, I'm not a runner. I am, however, a GREAT shot! When we started qualifying with our M16A2 rifles, I proved that shooting wasnt just for men. I was the only female in my company, Foxtrot 1/34, to qualify as Expert on qualifying day. There were 3 males that shot better than me, but for someone who had hardly shot a gun before, I think I did damn good! The obstacle courses were a challenge for me. I used to be scared of heights, well not heights, thats ridiculous, but the fear of falling from height, not so ridiculous. There was one obstacle that I had the hardest time with. Jacob's ladder. I'm sure you know what Jacob's ladder is, but I will enlighten those who dont. It's a ladder, a really tall ladder, the rungs are evenly spaced at the bottom but once you get about half way up, the rungs get farther and farther apart so that you really have to reach and work to get up them. I got to about the 4th rung from the top when DS Nunez started shaking the ladder. Dudebag. This scared the living shit out of me and I froze. After being taunted and nearly wetting myself, I made my way up and over the top and back down the other side. It was huge accomlishment for me, but by far not the biggest one of the story.
The next 3 weeks, White phase, was more fun. Except that is wasnt. Our platoon didnt get 'smoked' very often during red phase, so I guess DS Nunez decided that wasnt ok. I dont even remember what we did to deserve it, if anything, but we got to go to the Beach. Haha, no not a fun-in-the-sun bathing suit sunscreen beach. The beach was a volleyball court, all sand, about 50 yards long. We were fully suited up, I think just getting back from a road march, when DS Nunez took us to the Beach. We low-crawled all the way across that thing, then high-crawled all the way back. The first trip across was much easier than the way back. This was the first time I cried in front of everyone in the platoon. I tried not to, but I couldnt help it. And I got yelled at more for it. After that though, I refused to let another drill sergeant get the best of me. I acted better, I paid more attention to detail and what I was doing. And another drill sergeant did not get the best of me. My peers however, that was a different story.
Blue phase is the final 2 weeks of Basic followed by Victory week, which is the week of family day and graduation and getting processed to move on to your next hell. We did all of our 'exit exams' during this time. We had a final field operation where we went on a 8 or 9 mile road march, followed by a few days of camping, more marching, participating in mock battles and gun fights, we guarded our FOB or field operating base, and I thought that it was really fun lol. This chick in my company, she was a restart, meaning she got sent to our company from another company because she couldnt graduate with them. My battle buddy was always Keelio, it didnt matter what we were doing, she was battle. I went and did everything with her. There was this guy named Horton, and he was awesome! I had no crush on him or anything, he ws just a super awesome friend. Our platoon was guarding the gates to our FOB and me, Keelio, Horton, and I think Coker, but I dont remember were up front having an awesome time. It was freezing but we were making the best of it. All of a sudden, DS Mac comes up and says me and Keelio have to go to the back, the restart chick had told her we were all 'bow chicka bow wow' in the middle of the night where every single person within a 10 mile radius could hear us, it was the middle of the damn night. So we had to go to a spot in the back and leave Horton there because of fraternization rules. I mention this part because it ties into the next part...
My PT test was the absolute hardest part of my whole Army experience. It was the sit ups and push ups, I had that part. What got me was the 2 mile run in less that 17 minutes. As I've said, I'm not a runner. Well, Horton, my very good buddy, totally saved my life on this one. I always credit Keelio and Holloway for getting me through those 9 weeks, and they did and totally deserve the cred... but Horton is the reason I graduated with them. If it wasnt for him, I could've very well been restarted and would've had to endure that mess alll over again without my Keelio, Holloway, and Horton.
The day before our final PT test, we were able to call home for a few minutes. I called my Dad because she-who-shall-be-called-Skanky had just given birth to Cheyenne a few days earlier. He told me that my best childhood friend Meagan had been involved in a car accident, and she didn't make it. I broke apart completely. Here it was a month after it had already happened, and I was finding out about it right before one of the most important tests I'd take that year. As much as I didnt want to, I had to push Meagan's death out of my mind. I would have to mourn her later so I cried on Keelio's shoulder and failed my PT test the next day by 45 seconds. Luckily, they gave us another chance to pass. The following day, I went out with the will to pass!!! I had to, there was no way I was getting stuck behind as my friends moved on. I was running my second or third lap when I heard Horton behind me. He told me "you're doing great just keep that pace don't let up". He stayed by me the whole time, all excruciating 8 laps. He continued to push me and tell me to keep going. I passed DS Jacobs on the last lap, Horton was just a few steps ahead of me, I immediately stopped to hear my time. He looked at me, I stared him down. It was the most horrible 10 seconds of my life, that seemed 10 minutes long. "16.63" was all he said. I beamed! I jumped for joy! I ran into Horton's arms and gave him the biggest hug I could muster! We fell. We immediately got up and walked away from each other like dudes that just hugged for too long. Every DS around us kinda looked at us with skeptical glances, but we were already separated and walking away that they didn't say anything. The next day, I was so proud of myself. In the chow line for breakfast, DS Williams from 4th platoon came up to me. This was our conversation...
DS: Who the hell are you?
Me: Private Hensley Drill Sergeant.
DS: What?? Nah, nah... Hensley is way bigger than you! You ain't Hensley!
Me:(trying not to smile) Ummm... yes it's me Drill Sergeant...
I wasn't sure whether to take it as a compliment at the time, but my Mom answered my doubts on Family Day. The day before family day, DS Nunez had told us not to bring our parents to meet him, he didn't want to pose for pictures, he didn't want to talk to any of them, he just wasn't interested. Of course, my Mom had to find him to ask where I was. I was standing right behind her about 10 feet. She had walked right by me, twice. The fact that she couldn't recognize me told me that DS Williams was serious when he told me I looked like a different person. I had lost a total of 70lbs during that 9 week period. I hadn't stepped on a scale or had the time to really look in the mirror so I hadn't even noticed my transformation. I felt great. We had to stay in post for family day but they had a dinner for us and I was with my Momma so I was having a blast. We hung out with Keelio and her mom and sister all day. It was a lot of fun.
Mom and Me during Family Day
DS Jacobs and I on Family Day
Keelio and I on Family Day. If you look closely you can see our awesome 'hand tans'.
The following day, April 24, 2007, we graduated from basic training. My Aunt Marie and cousin Michael came in and surprised. I was very happy to see her, my Aunt Marie became a huge inspiration to me during my time in the Army, I just wish I could've stuck with it and made her proud. Anyways, they thought it was going to rain, even thought it didn't, so we didn't get to graduate outside. Instead we had to cram into even tighter quarters and graduate inside. We were standing about 2 inches from everyone on every side... and it. was. HOT! We were all sweating profusely and I'll tell you what, all them boys so close and so sweaty and all their fumes mixing... vomit inducing. It made it better once we were done and we got outside. That day we were allowed to leave the base and explore the city around it, Columbia SC. My group went to the mall, where I bought the smallest pair of jeans I had purchased in years. And even thought we weren't technically allowed to change out of our uniforms, I did for a few hours because I had to wear those jeans! After a day of shopping and swimming at the hotel, we met up with Keelio and her family for dinner. We went to a restaurant and met up with these 2 guys we graduated with, H and A from 4th platoon and 2nd platoon. We all had a really good time and took pictures before we headed back to base for formation.
We graduated with 2 other companies, mine is one pictured that you can actually see
Aunt Marie, my cousin Mikey, and me on Graduation Day
H, A, Keelio, and I after dinner on Graduation Day
Top: Me holding Hernandez from 4th platoon
Bottom: Holloway and Gowen hanging out on our last night at Foxtrot 1/34
Keelio, me, and Lovan making crazy faces on our last night in BCT
So I know this was a long story and I'm glad you stuck around to read it all. I hope you enjoy the pictures I've posted.
Side note: I see it as kinda fitting that I finally finished and published this on Memorial day, a day when we need to take time to remember those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we have. Freedom is not free, and every day our Soldiers pay the price for us to stay free. It's not only about thanking those who came back, but remembering those who didn't. Happy Memorial Day folks, be thankful a soldier has died for you.
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