Going into the Army

Where do I start on this? It is difficult. I wanted to go to college. But truthfuly I was not mature enough. I started at Columbia State Commuity College in the fall of 1966. I went to classes but I never studied because I did not have to in high school. Mom and I did not have much money for me to go to school, guess I was too lazy to work my way through. Looking back I don't know what happened. Anyway after one quarter I dropped out of school and went to work for Union Carbide in Columbia in the shipping dept on a swing shift driving back and forth to Lawrenceburg. Here I was set to spend my life in a plant atmosphere driving a forklift. The one fate that I did not want. I had already worked one summer at Murray Ohio Mfg. plant drilling holes in the seat post of bicycles. Wow, took a lot of brains to do something that repetitive.

That was to be taken care of very soon. Uncle Sam himself.

It had just turned 1967 and I was working at Union Carbide and driving back and forth and not doing much for anyone even myself. Didn't date, went to the drag races a few times but all in all did nothing with my spare time. Then in early 1968 I got my greetings letter from Uncle Sam. I was to report in April to the induction station in Nashville. My goofing off time had come to an end. All in all I think back and that must have been the force I was waiting for.

All of a sudden the things I really cared about came to mind. What was I going to do? How could I leave my mother, I know she needed me but not in the way I had been. I was worthless. Then my thoughts turned to the future and what it held. I knew that I wanted Peggy in it somehow.

I knew she was dating Bill Moore. I am not really a jealous person but this is one guy that I was jealous of. Not sure why, he seemed so sure of himself and he was older than us. But regardless I called Peggy and asked for a date. We went to dinner in Florence, Al. I had it all planned out but to this day I can't remember the exact way things happened. I had wanted to marry Peggy my entire life even from elementary school. But leaving so soon for the Army I had no right to ask her to marry me so soon. So I asked her if she would wait for me, be my one and only and write me while I was in the Army. To my utter disbelief she agreed. It was at that point I think I realized that she cared for me. Up until then I was unsure. But I still had an uneasyness about Bill. This was due to my own lack of self confidence and inmaturity. I felt like I had the world by the tail and was flying high. You may ask what happend to me and Peggy. I will cover that later as one of the biggest mistakes of my life. But that fateful day was still to come when I had to report to the Army. April 16th, 1968 will live in my mind forever.

I rode the Greyhound to Nashville (first time ever) and reported to the induction center which was upstairs in the Arcade (between 5th and 4th Ave in Nashville). There was 16 or so of us. One incident I will never forget. We were lined up in a row and told to drop them and then bend over, it was the proverbial prostate exam. But that was not what I remember it was what happened next. One Seargent went down the line taping us on the shoulder alternating between Army and Marines. Yes during that time they drafted into the marines. Luckily I got the Army, if I had gotten the marines I probably wouldn't be here today. I thank God for giving me life. I had never been a strong Christian but I became one that day.

Something happened to me the 2nd day in the Army that I will nver forget or regret. Once you are in the Army they send you through 2 days of tests to determine where you should serve the Army. After all of this testing they came to me and said Pvt Nix you have done so well on the exams that you can become a Warrant Oficer. Dumfounded I said what is that? They explained, a helicopter pilot. What was I to do, chopper pilots were one of the most dangerous jobs in Vietnam. But that could make me some money once I got out. I said ok, lets do it. They said then you will have to reenlist for another year. Ok I did that. I was discharged from my original induction. I had to go over it entirely again this time my enlistment was dated April 21, 1968. The next item really blew me up. they said then you will have to go through a new battery of physicals tomorrow. I was not worried I was healthy as a horse. I reported back after the physicals, the first thing they said is why did not you tell us that you were color blind. I said I'm not I just never learned my colors. They said "no" you are blue green color blind and bad at that. Sorry but you can't be a chopper pilot. I said ok I'll serve my 2 years and go home. They said no you dont understand you have already signed up for the extra year. We will give you a lot of choices for schooling but you will have to serve the extra year.  Have you ever been given 15 miutes to decide what you want as a career. Well I was. They started reading down the list and got to Radiologic Technologist. I asked is that like a x-ray tech in a hospital. Sure is was their response. Back home we lived across the street from the emergency room of the hospital and I knew the x-ray tech drove a new car every year. Also I knew that in a hospital I may not be in harms way. Little did I know that you had to become a combat medic prior to becoming an x-ray tech. Anyway I agreed to sign up for that school.


The next thing was basic training and the trials and tribulations of making it through basic training. Basic was tough but it also was fun. We had a Black D.I. that must have been 7 feet tall and could run circles around all of us. This time forced me to grow up quickly. I was still only 20 years old and had thought I knew it all.

Little did I know. Something happened somewhere in here that I have tried to forget and almost sucessfully had that is until recently. Either I got a letter or I witnessed this myself while on leave after basic. I think I got a letter with someone telling me that they saw Peggy out with Bill. I lost it and was devestated. I had no idea what to do but I knew that I wasn't going to be cheated on. Without giving Peggy an opportunity to explain I went off and wrote her a letter braking it off with us. My worst mistake, she had been with Bill to tell him she was breaking it off with him and going to wait for me. I never found this out until rcently. Makes me realize how impetious I was during that time. Wonder how many times in my life I have been the same way? Peggy has had a good life I am thankful for. She will always have a special place in my heart.