Fort Riley Kansas

While I am in-processing at Fort Riley, two NCO’s come to pay me a visit to let me know that I will be going to HHC 2-34 Armor, who will be deploying to Operation Desert Shield in a few weeks. This is just flat out “awesome” news to be told as soon as you get to your unit. I finished up my in-processing within a few days and then I get taken up to HHC 2-34 Armor where I meet several people from several different sections, Tank Section, Communication (Commo) Section and a few others. I met all of these people because they all wanted me to be in that section. You see, in the Army, you go to school to become what you are going to be, but once you get to your unit, they can put you somewhere else if they need you there. During a deployment, especially back then, this can happen a lot. I spent my first few days working in the Commo section, walking around lost because, well, I was a Tanker. After a few days of this, I guess someone finally said, “What the hell is this guy doing in Commo? He is a tanker and we need one of those in HHC Tank Section.” So, I was moved back to where I started when I got there and became a loader on HQ-63, at which time I would meet someone who would teach me more then anyone else, who I would respect for the rest of my life and never forget, SPC Christopher Winters.