PRESERVING A MILITARY LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
The following Reflection represents SGT Glen Sargent’s legacy of their military service from 1999 to 2012. If you are a Veteran, consider preserving a record of your own military service, including your memories and photographs, on Togetherweserved.com (TWS), the leading archive of living military history. The Service Reflections is an easy-to-complete self-interview, located on your TWS Military Service Page, which enables you to remember key people and events from your military service and the impact they made on your life.
Where did you go to Boot Camp/ Basic Training? What specific memories do you have of instructors, fellow recruits and any rigorous training?:
I joined the Army in 1999 and started my journey in August, heading straight to Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri for boot camp. Arriving there late at night was a jarring experience; the drill sergeant’s yelling as we got off the bus made the reality of my decision immediately clear.
The first night was confusing, to say the least. Sharing a bathroom with 40 strangers was a stark departure from the life I knew. Waking up to unfamiliar faces, I felt like a fish out of water. It was chaotic, overwhelming, and the constant uncertainty made every moment tense.
Of the many drill sergeants there, Sergeant Flum stood out. He was intense, but had a way of interjecting humor into even the most grueling tasks. He took his role seriously, making sure we were disciplined and ready, but he also knew when to lighten the mood. Whether it was demonstrating personal hygiene or making me eat an entire candy bar package my girlfriend sent, his methods, though unorthodox, were unforgettable.
Sheridan, a roommate of mine, became a lifeline during those days. Coming from Minnesota, we connected over music and our mutual approach to handling the pressures of boot camp. But the memory of him suffering an adverse reaction to the Anthrax vaccine still haunts me. I remember his fevered hallucinations and how I felt responsible for his safety.
The physical demands of boot camp were nothing short of brutal. One particular day at the bayonet course was a testament to that. While navigating the rough terrain of Missouri’s rock and dirt, I badly sprained my ankle. Even though I injured it again on my next run and a third time with a ruck on my back, I refused to go to sick call. The thought of being held back was worse than the physical pain. I laced my boot tight and soldiered on, despite suspecting a fracture.
Not all memories from boot camp were of hardship. There was a private from the Northeast whose daily complaints became an amusing routine for us. After enduring weeks of his incessant griping, I found my own way to shut him up – a simple, repeated “shuddup” from across the barracks. Eventually, this led to a face-to-face confrontation, which, to both our surprises, ended in shared laughter.
By the time I finished boot camp, my body had undergone a transformation. The same weight, but leaner and more muscular. But it was the mental shift that was most profound. I emerged tougher, more resilient, and laser-focused.
Looking back, Fort Leonard Wood was where I learned the true extent of human endurance. Beyond the physical pain and the mental stress, it taught me the importance of perseverance. Just when you think you’ve hit your limit, you find you can push a little further. That boot camp experience, those challenges, laid the foundation for the many challenges and experiences that followed in my 24 years since. I came out of it not just a soldier, but a stronger individual, inside and out.
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Something tells me that your Drill Sergeants weren’t overly fond of calling you Private Sargent. Or worse, yelling at you by your last name! Mine yelled at me by my last name all the time. It must have been a relief to others during your career when you finally became Sergeant Sargent.