"Good morning recruits!"
"Good morning sir!" the new recruits saluted and stood as straight as poles according to what they learned in the academy. They were young.
"Welcome to the military boot camp. My name is Lieutenant Marco Daniel and I'll take you through this camp training alongside a few others." The Lieutenant swept his eyes across the 150 new recruits as a wicked smile blossomed on his face.
He had a clipboard in his hand. He kept his smile as he paced back and forth in front of the recruits without saying a word. He threw them a look and asked, "Do you know why you're here?"
The recruits murmured as they tried to chorus an answer but Lieutenant Marco raised his hand and full silence returned. "I'll answer that for you.
"Every year we receive hundreds of students who passed out of the military academy and others who just think they're meant to serve the country. They are sent to this training camp for a year.
"What do we do here? We train them and turn them from duffel bags to big, strong iron rods. When I look at you here, all I can see are a bunch of kids with flabby stomachs and wet hair.
"In previous years, only 20-30% of the recruits manage to get enlisted but this year? I estimate that only 10% will get enlisted.
"Why do I say this? It's because I just don't see many of you having what it takes to survive this camp. So why are you here? It's simple. You're here to be tortured."
The camp was silent. Lieutenant Marco smiled. "In the academy they thought you how a soldier should live and interact and then many combat techniques and shooting skills but here, we'll put those skills to the test.
"We'll make you bleed, sweat, cry and wish you were dead. We will milk every strand of stamina in you till we are able to separate the boys from the men.
"You'll get to see the beauty and horror of a war front. You'll get real combat training within this one year and even go on several field exercises. You'll learn how to survive in the wilds and during a war.
"How many of you want to drop out now?"
No one lifted a finger. The camp was still silent. The Lieutenant nodded his head. "Good. But you'll get the chance to quit in the future. Maybe out of the 10% that will get enlisted 7% will not even get to carry guns because they did so poor in the camp training that they could only make do with sitting in an office just to fill in paper works—which could be very boring."
"Are you ready to begin?"
"Yes, sir!" the reply this time was less enthusiastic than the first time they saw the Lieutenant step into the camp ground. Most of the new recruits now had deflated hopes of ever passing out.
Lieutenant Marco noticed the lack of interest in their voice and it pleased him. They had to realise that being in the military was more than carrying a gun around and wearing a uniform. They had to realise that it meant being ready at all time to sacrifice your life for your country without a thought for family or pleasure.
He considered the military as a form of death warrant.
He nodded and flipped his clipboard. "Today, I'll be taking you through the introductions. We'll begin actual combat and shooting practices tomorrow and then we'll have a field exercise at some point in between.
"Now, you guys don't strike me as the most powerful ones so let's see. You there, short stuff, step forward."
Everyone exchanged looks trying to figure out who was the 'short stuff' he was referring to. Lieutenant Marco shook his head in displeasure and pointed his finger in the direction of the person he wanted, "bean pole, I'm talking to you!"
Arianna glanced back and forth but realised that it was indeed her that the mean Lieutenant was pointing at. She pointed at herself and asked, "Sir, me? But my name isn't bean pole it's Arianna."
"Are you sure 'cause that's what's on my record." Marco shot her a menacing look.
"No, my name…"
"Shut up and give me fifty!" Marco cut her.
"I…"
"Sixty!"
"But…"
"Make that seventy. Your behaviour is bordering insubordination and I will be sure to put that in your file!"
Arianna grunted and reluctantly stepped out and did the push ups.
Marco retracted his gaze from her and opened his arms wide, "anyone else wants to join the short stuff?"
No one answered. "Good. I wonder how many of you got into the academy when you look so short."
Arianna cursed under her breath. She wasn't short. She had barely passed the height requirement of the military which was 1.50 metres. She found, on her very first day in the training camp, that she actually hated the instructor.
Marco then turned to face the new recruits and said, "In the army the very first lesson you must learn is to obey authority. Obey before questioning the authority and you'll last longer here. If a commanding officer asks you to jump what do you do? You leap into the air and stay there."
He paced again with his eyes scanning the recruits again then he pointed at a direction. "You, with the military hand band."
Edwin Trueman nodded and stepped forward. His face was resolute as if he was trying to prove a point. He stood just in front of the Lieutenant.
"Hit me with everything you have, soldier." Marco ordered.
Edwin didn't argue. He pushed his leg into the ground and maintained his balance. He clenched his fist and propelled himself at the Lieutenant who did nothing but side step.
Edwin was almost thrown off balance but quickly stabilised himself and launched another attack but this time with his leg. Marco ducked down and the leg passed over his head. He did a little roll and delivered a blow to the jaw that sent Edwin flying off a distance.
He shook he head. "How pathetic. I beat him up with one hand holding onto this clipboard. That's General Gordon's son."
He pointed out to everyone. "A classic case of when a lion begets a goat but what's worse is that the goat doesn't even have horns."
"Let's see his mistakes during the fight," Marco soon forgot about Edwin who had shrunk in embarrassment. "He used too much momentum in a punch that the moment it failed to connect, he almost tumbled to the floor then he launched a kick without protecting himself.
"I had four openings in that fight to put him down but I didn't. In this camp, we'll teach you how to take the combat skills you learnt to the next level. To beat a soldier you have to think like one."
And so the first of day of boot camp began.