WEST POINT?

      When I enlisted in the army in 1968, I had to take an extensive preinduction physical, in the words of Arlo Guthrie, in his classic song “Alice’s Restaurant”, “they left no parts untouched”. There were also scores of mental examinations that had to be taken as well. These mental tests determined what area soldiers would be proficient in and based upon the results of this testing determinations would be made as to what branch of the army you might end up going into.

As a result of my scores on these tests I was given the officers’ training exam (OCT). I scored the maximum number of points on the test. As a result, I was offered the opportunity to go to Officer Candidate School. In a previous blog I talked about OCS but there were some other things that I didn’t realize as a young private that I might be eligible to do.

I know my recruiting Sergeant was very upset with me when I enlisted for infantry training. I had done very well on the language proficiency test, and he wanted me to go into the old Army Security Agency. Honestly, I think he had a quota for finding somebody to fill one of those hard to fill positions. When I insisted on going infantry, he wasn’t happy with me.

After all my testing I was sworn into the army and after spending a night in Richmond Virginia in a pretty low rent hotel we boarded a train and headed for Fort Benning Georgia. It was my first time on a train. Since I had been notified that upon completion of my basic training and advanced individual training that I was qualified to go to OCS I was given the responsibility of carrying all of the records for the men in my troop train car. I guess they were trying to test demonstrated leadership at the lowest level possible.

I did have one man that tried to escape, he had been drafted, and he was trying to get back to the hills of western Virginia. When we change trains, I believe it was in Memphis, I noticed I was missing a man. I contacted the military policeman that was traveling with us and they found him in a restroom stall in the train station. He figured he could jump the train there and then hitchhike back home. I think he figured that at that point nobody knew anything about him, and it would be easy for him to desert without being caught.

When we arrived at Fort Benning, Georgia we went through another extensive series of mental and physical tests in what was called “Zero Week”. Once again, I had to take the O.C.T. test and once again I had a maximum score on it. I found all of the tests that the army gave in those days to be quite simple. I had had some time in college, and I had been a pretty good student in high school, and I found that most of the tests were pretty simple.

When they finally formed up our basic training company once again I found myself in a temporary leadership position as the “Platoon Goon” or “acting Platoon Sergeant” for our platoon. My main responsibility was to fall the platoon in every morning, conduct a head count, and prepare them for inspection by the drill sergeants. I would march them to and from the mess hall and to the training sites. But in reality, I had little or no responsibility or authority over these basic trainees. But it was good training.

During my second or third week at basic training my platoon drill Sergeant called me into his office. He and one of the other drill sergeants had a room at the end of the barracks. It was not only their sleeping quarters but also their office. He told me to sit down.

A few minutes later I heard the command ‘Attention’ being sounded in our barracks. Down the long hallway marched the executive officer of our company. When he entered the sergeant’s room, he and I both came to attention; the Sergeant saluted, closed the door and I was put ‘at ease’.

“Private Taylor, I have some paperwork here for you that I want you to sign. Based upon the scores that you have done with your O.C.T. qualifications we are going to offer you a fantastic military career opportunity. Private Taylor if you sign these papers, we will process you to attend West Point Preparatory Academy at the end of your basic training and advanced infantry training course.”

I noticed that the Lieutenant was wearing a very prestigious ring from West Point where he had graduated a few years earlier.

He went on at great length to explain to me the advantages of being in the military and being a West Point graduate. He indicated that this was a phenomenal opportunity. I could get my college education squared away as well as beginning a great career in the United States army.

I think he was a bit flabbergasted when I told him I wasn’t interested in attending West Point. I had already been selected for OCS when I successfully completed basic training and advanced infantry training. I indicated that I was going to pursue OCS instead. He went on to do everything he could to convince me that going to the Academy was a much more impressive method of getting a Commission than OCS.

When the Lieutenant couldn’t convince me, he laughed and left the office. My drill Sergeant was somewhat miffed at me and told me that I had just turned down a fantastic opportunity and that I should have taken it.

A few days later my drill Sergeant got me off to the side again and he told me that I had to report to the company commander. He gave me a very thorough parade ground inspection and then marched me to the company commander’s office. I walked into the commander’s office stood in front of his desk and saluted. He returned my salute and told me to take a seat.

“Private Taylor, I understand that you have been offered an opportunity to attend West Point, as he knocked his West Point ring on the tabletop.”

I explained to him that I had been offered the position but that I had no real interest in going to West Point. I was going to go to OCS and get commissioned and I would do my time in the military that way. He went on again to extol the virtues of the Academy. I politely refused and once again was sent back to my platoon where we continued our training

A week later my drill Sergeant got me off to the side once again and said you have been ordered to see the battalion commander a Lieutenant Colonel, another West Point graduate. He was once again trying to convince me that I should attend West Point. I explained to my drill Sergeant I really wasn’t interested; however, that didn’t make a difference I was still required to go see the battalion commander. So here I am a lowly buck private now standing in front of the battalion commander’s desk; he takes his big West Point ring and knocks it on the top of the desk and says:

” Private  Taylor I understand that you have told your company officers that you have no desire to attend West Point; is that the case?”

I explained to him that I really had no desire to go to West Point. Once again he did everything he could to recruit me. He talked about the wonderful educational opportunities, the fact that I could get a college degree, and it wasn’t going to cost me anything. Upon graduation I would be a second Lieutenant in the Regular United States army. He also said that the other advantage was that by the time I graduated from West Point the Vietnam War might be over, and I might not have to go over there. He also indicated that if I went to West Point my chances of having a very good assignment in the military were much better than the opportunities that were offered an OCS officer. I politely refused again.

A week later my frustrated drill Sergeant called me into his office one more time. This time I was ordered to see the Regimental commander. Once again, he gave me a parade ground inspection to make sure that my uniform was strac and that I was properly told how to report to the brigade commander, a full Colonel. He marched me down to the Regimental headquarters and directly into the Regimental Command Sergeant Major’s office. There the Command Sergeant Major gave me another parade ground inspection and explain the protocol of reporting to the regimental commander.

The Regimental Command Sergeant Major and I marched into the colonel’s office; we rendered a smart salute and went to the position of parade rest. The Colonel dismissed his Command Sergeant Major put me at ease and had me take a seat.

“Private Taylor, I understand that you have discussed West Point with your chain of command, and you have decided that you’re not interested, may I ask why?”

I told him that I had been a ‘Rat’ (first year cadet) at Virginia Military Institute for a semester, that I had left VMI and gone to Virginia Tech in the ROTC program there for another and had been a “bean head” there. I told him that I had no desire to go back and do a year as a plebe at West Point. I had done my time with spit and polish and all the harassment that went on at a military school. I explained to him that I was very satisfied in going to OCS and getting commissioned as a second Lieutenant that way.

He looked at me with a big grin and spoke. “Son that’s the best excuse I’ve ever had I hope you do well in OCS and that you become a commissioned officer.”

Had I accepted the army’s offer to attend West Point I would have gone to Fort Monmouth and been enrolled in the West Point Preparatory program. This program still exists today for junior enlisted personnel who can qualify. It’s a limited program, but upon completion the person can either apply for an appointment to the Academy through their local congressmen or they can receive a presidential appointment to attend West Point. It’s a fine program, but I’ve never regretted not accepting the appointment. I know that my leadership was upset with me, but I think the Regimental commander set them straight and no one ever talked to me about it again.

As I discussed in one of my blogs, I went on to attend Officer Candidate School, graduated as a second Lieutenant, and did my time in the army. I never regretted what I did. In the long run the army sent me to college paid for my education and gave me a wonderful 27-year career.

If you’re enjoying these blogs please drop me a comment or if you have any questions that I might answer, again submit a comment on the comment pages. I’m always glad to hear from you.

Again, please take a look at all of my books that I have listed. They can be purchased from Amazon.com with the click of a button directly from the website. Until next Friday, Have a good one.

The Advisor Series:

• “The Advisor, Kien Bing, South Vietnam, 1969-1970. A Novel” (Available on Amazon ASIN: B09L4X5NQ3)
• “The Province Senior Intelligence Advisor, Kien Song Province 1970-1971; A Novel” (Available on Amazon ASIN: B0BHL2XCX5)
• “The Hardchargers,” Vietnam 1972-1973; A Novel” (Available on Amazon ASIN: B0C7SPR1JY)
• “The Tuscarora Trail” (Available on Amazon ASIN: B0D3QY2GM6)

Check out my website for other books that I’ve written or edited.

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