Did basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood. Although the trees were nice, the heat and humidity were not pleasant.

@NoMagicCookie I did basic there and I ended up getting stationed there as my last duty station. But I’m from Louisiana. So the heat and humidity didn’t bother me at all. Lol. In basic, they were canceling ranges and I was confused as it was like 90 degrees and 40% humidity. That’s a pleasant day where I’m from. ???

@Leo716 I'll never forget our walk back from bivouac. I was warned before Basic Training to fill my canteen and drink as much water as possible every time the water truck stops on the walk back. The truck (water buffalo) ran out of water about half way back so a lot of kids had no water for the last hour or so. If memory serves, the "wet bulb" (cut 4 inches of shoe-lace dip it in water and swing it around your head for two minutes) was 88 degrees. The look of disgust on our seargent's face when he turned around and looked back at us on the last hill before hitting camp was memorable. . . then his "Ok . . . um . . . just . . . go sit in the shade. If you have water share it with people." I, fully hydrated with more then a half full canteen of water was feeling great but when I turned around and looked back - - - there were people passed out on the road. I used a lot of my water dumping it on people that were passed out. . . .

@NoMagicCookie TRADOC got a lot more strict in the last few years. Even back in ‘07. When I was there in 2011, it got crazy because they were field testing all sorts of “New training” aspects. Cadre and Drill’s couldn’t yell at a trainee unless they were threatening safety. And running out of water is like taboo number 1. As a range medic, we were having to test water levels and bacteria levels in the water. You’d be surprised at how nasty some of those buffalos were. But I saw an entire command team either get transferred out of TRADOC or relieved of duty due to “unsafe training conditions”.

At least you did the good thing by helping some of your battle buddies. Heat stroke is no joke. I lucked out and was already acclimatized to the weather there. We started in May and I think we finished mid-July’ish. But some of my battle buddies from the North were having a lot of issues with the weather as well. And I forgot to say, thank you for your service. From one soldier to another.

@Leo716 Thank you as well. I have a great deal of respect for those in the medical core.

The greatest "life lesson" I picked up while in Basic Training was from a Dr. who taught us field first aid. - - He finished his hands-on lesson with a discussion on "I really don't even want to tell you about this because - - - (long list of bad outcome for a tourniquet)" he then asked us what we could use to build a tourniquet. Someone (thankfully, although I thought it, not I) stated "My Belt." "WRONG!" Shouted the Dr. "YOU need your belt. If you give up your belt YOU become a causality and others will have to take care of your "insert polite explative" . Your number one concern in the field is your own safety, then the safety of others. You use his belt. He won't be needing it any more." I have learned his lesson applies to more then just physical safety in the field but all aspects of life. I often share that story (watered down but including the long list of why not to use a tourniquet) with many students.

We only lost one recruit from my group. His name was Homie (from India). I'll never forget the last time I saw him. Training was almost over. It was the night before the "Confidence Course." I went into the open bay bathroom to find Homie distantly staring into the mirror above the sink. He looked extremely worried. . . "Homie, What's the matter man?" "I am verry verry worried that something terrible is going to happen tomorrow." he replied with a thick accent. "Don't worry, we're done. Tomorrow is just a fun day" I happily replies." get some sleep it's over." "Something verry terrible is going to happen to me tomorrow I know it." The next day the first obstacle to enter the "what I would consider entertainment park" was a large trunk suspended by two huge (ship to ship) ropes. The hundreds of pounds of the log was swung back and forth and the recruit was to jump on top and roll over it. . . . Homie jumped on top, froze with his head below the log so as the log swung back, Homie's head was caught between the ground and the log causing his spinal cord to be partially disconnected from his brain. Although he was still alive and they did bring him to a hospital where they drilled holes in his head with bolts attached to a halo to suspended him several inches above a bed but with that outcome, and no positive word about him, rather sure he didn't make it. Although I was not in the medical ranks, I did run across many stories of folk (outside the field of combat) that just didn't make it. Sounds like your time there was very good.

• • • Returning to the North after basic training made winters much less tolerable as I had acclimated to the South.

Portland is also my favourite in the states (I actually lived over in Vancouver). I miss it horribly.

@Ozman Yeah, a couple years ago I got priced out of my Portlan dapartment, and I moved in with my sister in Battle Ground, WA... and I really miss living in Portland.

I lived in Vancouver from 1971 - 1987. I loved it. Housing prices and overcrowding are crazy now, though.

@Stephanie99 I lived there from 1983 to 1997. My parents bought their house for around $200,000 in 1983. Now that same house is worth around 1.25 million. Actually that is just the property value because the house is old and falling apart. If the house is fixed up or in good order it would be worth a lot more.

@graceylou My dad still lives there and I have a lot of friends there. My parents bought a house in 1972 that my dad sold in 1990 with an enormous mark up after my mother died. Then my dad did a lot of buying and selling and can afford a house in the UBC area. Any of my friends with houses are in the outskirts. Except for one whose parents bought her a house back in 1990. I won't be moving back there with those prices.

@Stephanie99 Yup my parents live there. My brothers too. That would be the only reason I go there. Yes, and some of my friends from childhood as well. My parents still live in the same house they bought for the family in 1983. They are in the process of selling it now because they need to move to a care home soon.