By Kristen Snyder
Black hats surround recruits struggling to drag their bags from the bus. Their voices cut through the air, oversaturating the senses of each recruit. Every error or demonstration of inefficiency is exposed and publicly admonished. Each second passes like a strobe light.
For many recruits, this is the first time they’ve had someone raise their voice at them. They’ve left their families and the outside world. They’re alone, and they’re vulnerable.
A perfect place to begin basic military training.
Memories from basic training
“The first day we got to basic [training], everyone got a phone call and everyone was crying,” Staff Sgt. Delroy Maronie said.
Maronie recalled the day he arrived at basic training. He was exhausted from the travel and the constant shouting of the military training instructors. Yet, he maintained his composure while he waited for other trainees to complete their final call to their families before the 2-month training began. Maronie watched as trainees met their families’ voices with tears, overcome by pressure and anxiety.
In basic training, every day is a chance for military instructors to teach discipline by breaking down recruits and rebuilding them as efficient members of the U.S. military. The ability to work under pressure is crucial to any military role. Often enlisted members are put in command of valuable personnel and assets.
The inability to lead and perform in a high-stress environment is not an option.
Maronie remembered when he was once caught laughing at the mistake of another trainee. He was separated from his fellow trainees in the ranks and stood at attention. He plastered his arms to his sides, put his feet together and focused his eyes on a point in the distance.
He remained motionless while the instructor made him an example of discipline. The instructor told him he would not make it through basic training with his attitude of ambivalence and ordered him to march behind the flight.
“I was humiliated that day,” Maronie said. “For two days, I had to march behind the flight and earn my way back.”
Enlisting in the U.S. military requires perseverance and a diligent mind. Recruits are held to a high standard to meet physical training and mental fortitude requirements. Through classroom instruction, marching and survival scenarios, recruits learn the value of attention to detail.
“I had something minorly incorrect with my uniform or something,” Master Sgt. John Davis said. “I just remember my drill instructor just kind of laying into me about how I can’t even get this right and I am expected to load bombs onto an aircraft.”
Davis has been a part of the enlisted force for 15 years. He joined the U.S. Air Force with the hope of finding direction and purpose in his life after dropping out of college. His time at basic training transformed him into a detailed-oriented and goal-driven airman.
Davis recounted his graduation from basic training. Trainees stood at parade rest, their eyes fixed 10 degrees above the horizon. From the corner of his eye, he saw friends and family members release other trainees from their formation. His mind raced with excitement as he entered his last moments of training. When Davis’s mother reached his eye line, he knew he was a single touch away from telling her about the man he had become.
“It’s a rush of emotions … It’s a lot to deal with at the time,” Davis said.
What comes next?
Since his graduation, Davis has traveled to the Middle East and finished his degree. He holds the position of mission crew supervisor on the EC-130H, a $165 million aircraft, according to Aero Corner. Airmen look up to him as one of the highest-ranked non-commissioned officers.
As a high-ranking enlisted member, Davis helps guide new lieutenants as they start their careers. His experience allows him to mentor these young officers in confidently leading the other enlisted members. The impact of his mentorship reminds him of the importance of his role.
“The enlisted force of today’s Air Force is a lot different than the enlisted force of the 1980s or ‘90s,” Davis said. “Our enlisted force is more educated, more technically savvy than it’s ever been.”
Yet, even with the success story that Davis provides, the rate of those enlisting in the military has decreased significantly. The Pew Research Center reports that less than 1% of the U.S. adult population commits their lives to service for their country.
“I think it comes down to the generation and maybe because the economy was so great,” Staff Sgt. Charles Mason said.
Mason is the North Carolina Army National Guard recruiting liaison at UNC-Chapel Hill. In his 13 years of service, Mason trained under the army police and was deployed to Afghanistan. While he credits the military with providing benefits and reliable employment, he isn’t afraid to admit that being enlisted is very different from the movies and YouTube ads.
Mason remembered his arrival in Afghanistan. As he crossed the runway, he saw scorch marks burned into the airstrip. He was told that an aircraft had crashed earlier that day, killing four service members.
That night his team was hit with mortars.
Service demands sacrifice, and some are still willing to accept that challenge.
From service to student
Caimile Lane takes classes alongside hundreds of other UNC-CH students. Yet, few know that she served four years in the U.S. Air Force before going back to school for a degree in political science.
At Lane’s high school, few graduates chose to enter the military. A four-year university was prescribed to any senior aiming for success. But for Lane, money could not be wasted on years still deciding what she wanted to do. She needed to make a decision that gave her life experiences and financial stability.
“I think it was more so that people were surprised and a little confused, especially when I feel like in our society, we’re just so programmed to do what’s always been done and not to try something different,” Lane said. “If it fails or it’s not for me, at least I know.”
Lane was deployed to South Korea. It was her first time outside the country, thousands of miles away from any sense of familiarity.
As a weather specialist, Lane was trusted to predict weather patterns that would ensure the success of U.S. Air Force missions. Lane was responsible for airmen’s lives and thousands of dollars of equipment. She briefed officers and high-ranking enlisted members on forecasts.
From her experience, Lane said, when she told people she was going into the military, they assumed she was not offered admission or didn’t want to attend college.
“I was always open to trying something different,” Lane said.
Lane had the opportunity to work with members from all branches, enlisted and officers. Her experiences helped her form relationships, sealed with stories of survival.
Lane recalled her final day in South Korea. Frantically, she searched for her wallet which contained her passport and ID. It was gone, and she was stranded. Yet, across branches, a U.S. Army enlisted member stepped up to help.
“She took me back to a local base with her husband,” Lane said. “They gave me new IDs and everything I needed. It showed me how this lady and her family didn’t know me at all but, at the end of the day, I was still going to be taken care of because we are all one big military, one big family looking out for each other.”
As part of the 1%, Lane is dedicated to supporting other enlisted members in the military. She plans to enter the U.S. Air Force as a force support officer, leading enlisted members in meeting the needs of the United States.
“Going enlisted first, it just allowed me to experience the real world sooner,” Lane said. “It definitely adds a very unique experience and perspective to the way I view the world.”
Edited by Anna Neil and Valeria Cloës.