[Trombone-l] Basic and trombone (was New place, old desires)

[Tom Ervin]

You guys who got to do some music in basic....wow.

I got drafted in 1966, and there was this war on.  No openings in any  
of the better bands, no projected vacancies.
I was able to scramble an audition and get a MOS of a trombone  
player, by enlisting for another year, in the Army.

But boot camp was at Fort Ord.  Seems there was a meningitis outbreak  
at Fort Ord, so each training company was quarantined from all  
others, no mixing.
No liberty at all for the 10 weeks I was there. No passes, no leaves,  
none. No band, either.  No male chorus, either. We marched to the PX  
separately, company by company. Haircuts also.

All Boot Camp, All The Time.
No alcohol at all. No bands. No practicing, no instruments. No piano,  
even. No pool halls, no kicking back, like ever. Rugged.

My CO was just back from Viet Nam and was all into us becoming  
soldiers. He was REALLY annoyed that I wasn't headed for Nam like  
most of the lads, and he was FURIOUS that I was going to Norfolk.

We survived it.  Well, I did anyway.

Tom Ervin
ervint at u.arizona.edu
Prof of Trombone, Univ Arizona (Emeritus)
...now a recovering trombone player.... ; >}
(520)241-4411 (cell)
website:     tom-ervin.com