Blowing Up The Berlin Wall

Blowing up the Berlin Wall

I do not want this to be misunderstood. It is important to understand that we are a great nation and have stood up to and fought against some very bad enemies. Many great Americans have perished defending our country from real evil -  crazy people.  This is no joke so don't view it the wrong way. When you're in the army, you're in the army. You do what you're told - what's expected of you - and everybody else in the army is your brother in arms (sisters in arms as well.)

Sure, you have to think for yourself. Of course you do. We are a free country, still, and aim toward freedom for the individual and self-determinism. I kid you not - the guys in the service in this country are self-determined to as large a degree as possible if you're actually on active duty. That's the way we are - simple as that.

We learn that growing up - "He'll kill you if you say that", and he will, and he does!

Dodge city all over the place. You get used to it.

We don't even need wars - we kill each other every day! We're Americans. I love this country of course and I am very patriotic! I make no secret of that.

I had spent about six years abroad and I had forgotten how great it was here. After I got back, I spent about ten hours a day eating ice cream and drinking coffee, chewing gum and smiling. I had been in Israel four years and then in England and Scotland for two years. It was great to be back home, but I was disappointed to find out how badly we were doing in Vietnam. I decided that Vietnam was a no-win situation. No way to win there at all. I wanted us to have a win out there, so I decided to enlist in the army, get a couple of the guys together, go over to Germany and blow up the Berlin Wall. I'm not kidding. I was gung ho! You have to be there.

Well, the army likes that kind of stuff you know. Don't get me wrong and I asked you not to get me wrong - the army is all about winning wars and battles and going through it - you know - rite of passage - beat the heck out of the enemy and have a beer and tell stories to your grandchildren. That's what it is guys - it's simple. Today, they lock you up for thinking bad thoughts about others. The real problem here is that it's wrong to beat the heck out of good people - very wrong in fact - and that's what just about tore our country apart over Vietnam. You have to understand that what you're trying to do is give the young people a chance to prove their loyalty to our country despite real risks by defending our values, and includes helping others in trouble. We seem to be losing at that today. You have to be able to take sides, resolve any doubts about who your friends are. Yet young people are punished today for asserting most forms of patriotism. Older people are punished for displaying their patriotism as well. See - we are failing here at exactly what we were all trying to succeed at - join the ranks of American Heroes. That's not easy my friends, but I had a plan.

Here I was on my way to the field artillery, young, inspired - a fire in my eyes and my sights on Berlin and its infamous wall. This is true. You laugh, but you would have come along - I'm sure. Certainly, it you've read this far down!

I would get a chance to preview this situation at company headquarters in Basic Training. There were a few desks in the office and, of course, "Top" himself. "Top" is what the top sergeant is called in the army. He's a well known character - burly, knuckles dragging on the floor, all arms and chest. Top is in charge. He's in charge of the army. He does everything. He's been in the service forever. Everywhere. His bed is a foxhole. He survives on C - rations. He likes C -  rations. Don't make any mistakes - Top would give his life for you or any other soldier if needed - he would not hesitate either. He knew that, you knew that - and so you followed his orders.

On the inside of a door hung a poster that read: "This Is Your Enemy". Underneath was a picture of a Russian soldier with an AK - 47 automatic rifle. I looked at this picture and I saw this Russian farmer that was probably drafted into the army. This was my enemy waiting for me in Berlin. I looked at Top and I looked back at the poster. Now who was really my friend. Top looked at me. I'm sure he would have charged right into hell, right along side of me if it came to that. "You get to know things about people as you get closer to killing them." Ideas started coming at me. The army knows about killing - it knows about people and survival. I started having doubts about my goal...Top looked at me. "Let's go". We had to go over my paperwork for AIT (advanced training)...