When I was at Kemper, the year before I graduated from junior college there, the big thing was to have a coffee maker in your room. Now this seems like a small thing in the grand scheme, but you must remember that a) this was a military school and b) this was 1982. Military schools have rules and regulations. And the coffee maker at the time was still a new toy. But I had the rank as an officer and I loved new gadgets. Besides, over coffee it was great to sit and talk with others or have a cup while you studied late at night or have one early in the morning. I almost got used to drinking it without cream or sugar, as this was before any good sugar substitutes and artificial creamers came on the market.
I remember one time, I drank two pots of coffee in the afternoon, before band practice. During rehearsal I was jamming on the tuba; I mean, sweat was pouring off me, and the band director commented on how I was doing. It wasn't until later that I understood that was from the coffee.
Kemper at the time ran like a real army base; and the cadets ran it 98% of it. The reason was they were instilling leadership in us, and a lot of the "2 year wonders" were getting their commission. We called the commissioning cadets, who were only there for the two years of junior college that, verses ones who had been there longer; like me and some others. We got that term from when the Army would commission 2nd lieutenants in 90 days-(90 day wonders). I am proud to say though, that a lot of those guys are now full bird colonels and we even have one who just got his first star (brigadier general). At the time, we may not have thought too much about them. But now; I think those men and women who I was lucky enough to know are some of the best leaders; looking at their uniforms and their resumes proves that. Being around them is truly a humbling experience.
This next part is a little more adult, so be warned. Let me inject some humor from those times about some of those guys. While I was at Kemper, my last year, the cadet Command Sergeant Major and I both had our rooms at the end of the hall, we had similar schedules so we tended to hangout together. We also sat at the same place during the messes (meals) so we became good friends. This man, who eventually went onto become the cadet Corps Commander the following year, get his commission in the Army and from what I understand is a fine Tulsa police officer-to combat the boredom at times; (and let me add, you had to work at being bored as there was always something going on, someone you could talk with or something to do. And I don't mean watch TV or play on that new thing, a computer) he worked up a list of the ways to say you were "self pleasuring"; like, walking the dog, shinning the helmet, etc. I think he had about 35 saying when I left. I was talking to him a few years ago and brought that up to see if he still had the list and what the count was. Of course he didn't remember it until I reminded him.
As I said, its amazing what you remember; but as I also mentioned, this was a time that will be forever burned into me, into my soul. The good and the bad. I could no more forget those days than I could forget to breathe. If there ever comes a time that I do start to forget, and Alzheimer's is always a possibility, then I know that my time is near. Because forgetting them, forgetting those men and women-some who have already gone ahead and reconned the next life, would mean I was in Hell.
The one thing that I never want to do is to forget those people who went to Kemper. Be they with me, before or after me. They are a part of the Kemper family. How can I explain it....there is some lines in our Standard of Honor ceremony. This is where, after one year at Kemper, without any honor violations (not lying, cheating or stealing) you are eligible to sign the Standard of Honor. It talks about those who signed, that some may not reach the heights of business or the high ranks of the military, but those who would also toil. I feel that, by attending Kemper, they did achieve something great. I know, it might seem like I am looking at things through rose colored glasses, but I know that the most important thing I ever did in this life was to go there.
How, you may ask, do I know this?
Simple. I have been able to do more things and know more people because of Kemper, than anything else. I know that I have survived two divorces (Kemper curse) and other things that people are amazed that I have made it through, because of my experiences at Kemper, or through the friends I have made from there. One friend mentioned that he was amazed that I made it through some of the things that had happened in my life. I smiled and said I didn't have a choice. To quit was something that wasn't an option.
In closing, our W.o.W moment: to fail is always an option, but how you handle it (either going back to your corpse or taking the hit and being resurrected at the graveyard) is whats important.
And my picture for the day, is a self portrait I call The Russian Bear. When people ask me where I got the hat, I tell them I traded a Russian guard at Check Point Charlie in Germany, some blue jeans when I was there in 1981. Most people look at me like they have no idea what I am talking about. My how the Cold War has been forgotten.
LOL.
Actually I got it from my ex-wife. And she got it from Wal-Mart, probably as a joke. I know, something from the ex-. But I don't care, I love it! It's warm and I even found a pin with a picture of Stalin on it. Every time I wear it, I want to start speaking with a Russian accent.
До свидания (do svidaniya ) Good bye
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