From the Air Force News Service:
(U.S. Air Force photo/Alan Boedeker)
3/10/2010 - LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- The last of three remaining remnants from Lackland's World War II-era housing facilities, a military open-bay barracks, was moved to a site behind the History and Traditions Museum.
The only basic military training dormitory left from the 1940s, Bldg. 6351 was loaded by a crane onto a flatbed trailer and relocated behind the museum. It will become a part of the museum's enlisted heritage exhibits following renovation and restoration.
The building was moved because of the construction area for a new BMT Airman Training Complex, the first of eight complexes and four dining-classroom facilities being built to replace the current recruit housing and training buildings. Two other remaining open-bay barracks in the construction area were torn down.
[...]
"You're going to step back in time," said Mr. English about restoration plans. "If you came here in the 1950s, '60s or '70s and lived in one of these two-story dorms, you'll recognize it when you walk in.
"At least one side will be renovated like it was in the '60s with beds and we'll have (uniformed) mannequins in various positions (to simulate) making up a bed."
Interactive displays also are being considered which Mr. English said would give returning Airmen an opportunity to reclaim some past victories on how fast they can make a bed with military corners.
"It would definitely be a treat for them (to come back and relive the past)," he said. "We are always impressed and interested to hear their stories about when they were here."
Yeah... I have a whole slew of stories about bed-making, any one of which might have been the highlight of my USAF basic training experience. Yet somehow my nostalgia button ain't being pressed all that hard, yanno? OTOH... I might have lived in that barracks in the way-back, seeing as how it was one of perhaps several hundred back in 1963. That otta be worth something. Maybe.
Sounds very practical of them that they kept just one.
ReplyDeleteIs bed-making still a big part of basic training today? It's still a good thing to learn.
Yeah Buck, I bet you just can't hardly wait to charge over there to San Antone, and get all practiced back up in hospital corners.
ReplyDeleteThose kind of displays are pretty cool. I went through the one at Fort Benning with WWII era buildings. It's interesting, and the old guys that ran the tours had lived in them.
But you're right...there MUST BE something comical about that to a vet.
When Toby and I lived in the married housing at SWTSU in San Marcos, we lived in old officer's quarters. They were tiny cinder block apartments - very efficient - four apts. on the bottom and four on top with metal staircases. I have lots of stories about those apts.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I would go to San Antonio in a heart beat, but not to see old barracks.
I've often felt that the USAF tends to do a better job preserving their history than do the other branches. This is yet another example of that.
ReplyDeleteBed making Olympics? A bit hairbrained if you ask me.
My retired Army guy callously rips out my hospital corner every night before laying down his sweet head. He says it puts too much pressure on his foot, and that aggravates his tendonitis.
ReplyDeleteI somehow doubt he would gleefully attack a bed-making display.
In fact, I can guarantee he wouldn't even approach a bed-making display.
Veriword: basted. It must not have realized that we were talking about the bedroom instead of the kitchen!
Truly, I wouldn't expect that anybody, ex-military or otherwise, would look forward gleefully to making a bed. I think Mr. English is slightly... let's say, bewildered.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know they are going to perserve it! it wold be a shame to allow what happened in Abberdean, MD to happen to it.
ReplyDeleteIs bed-making still a big part of basic training today?
ReplyDeleteI would think so, Kath. Some things just don't change and this would be one of 'em.
But you're right...there MUST BE something comical about that to a vet.
You're right, Andy. Bed making comes in at the bottom of the list of ALL possible basic training war stories. It did strike my funny bone last evening, but then again... the hour was late.
Hmm, I would go to San Antonio in a heart beat, but not to see old barracks.
Heh. I'm with you, Lou. I always get stuck on the River Walk, which is NOT a bad place to be!
I've often felt that the USAF tends to do a better job preserving their history than do the other branches.
I tend to agree. I remain amazed at the sheer number of museums the AF and/or its auxiliaries run... there's a ton of 'em.
My retired Army guy callously rips out my hospital corner...
You still do hospital corners, Moogie? I AM impressed! (Yet I would do the same as Pepper. Always did, for that matter.)
I think Mr. English is slightly... let's say, bewildered.
You and me both, Jim.
I hear ya, RLM. Too much military history is never preserved and just fades away.
I remember our third night in the barracks, when the drill sergeant caught "Porno Bob" trying to copulate a urinal. There were no privacy stalls, and he was in bad shape if he couldn't last three days, but anyway we needed one less man to volunteer to clean the bathroom every day.
ReplyDeleteMy mission was to take a piece of string and align the beds every morning. But the string had to be hidden in my laundry bag, as string was contraband...
I was billeted in one of the newer, high-rise (and air conditioned) dorms, but I visited some folks in who drew the older barracks. There's not many of those old white clapboard buildings left. It's nice they kept one.
ReplyDeleteI started Googling for pictures of Lackland, and found this interesting site on how to survive AF basic. It has definitely changed since my day. Not only is it 2 1/2 weeks longer, but there's a lot more weapons training, and an actual field deployment/war game section. And every trainee gets an M-16 replica to carry the whole time. It's just like the real rifle except it won't fire.
We spend a couple of hours learning how to disassemble an M-16, followed by firing all of 50 rounds. That was the total extent of my Air Force weapons training.
I suspect the better training is because a lot of AF folks get seconded to Army units in the war zones. It helps to reduce the number of repeated deployments.
Anon: Great story... I don't have anything that even comes close!
ReplyDeleteGordon: USAF had just started building the multi-story air conditioned dorms when I went thru. Those of us stuck in the non-ac'ed WW II open bay barracks were VERY envious, especially considering I was at Lackland in August/September.
SN1 told me about USAF changing BMT, in an approving way. And I agree, given the nature of assignments these days.
Short story: The two days we spent out on the "obstacle course/CBR training" were most interesting. Early on... during our first or second break in mid-morning... some fat SSgt was yelling at us (TIs NEVER spoke in a normal voice) that "You Girls better goddamned well PAY ATTENTION TO THIS STUFF! Coz you're gonna NEED IT if your tired asses get shipped off to THE WAR!"
Each of us looked at the other and said "War? What war?" This being 1963, mind you. Well, our fat SSgt saw this and yelled at us "VEET NAM, BOZOS! VEET NAM! We got guys sweatin' and DYIN' over there RIGHT NOW! SO PAY ATTENTION!"
That was my introduction to "current events" in Southeast Asia. Needless to say... I paid attention. The Gulf of Tonkin incident happened about eight months later.