Make Soldiers Out of Them - 1973
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After we moved to Long Bien, I had picked up on all the drug users and misfits. They became my maintenance men and drivers. We set up house rules and I told them that they were in my army and they could learn to soldier or I would see that they went to Long Bien Jail (LBJ).
They told me that they couldn’t do what I wanted because they didn’t have uniforms, boots, coveralls, etc. to become soldiers. I went on a trading spree. At this time they were turning everything over to the ARVN soldiers. I took a case of Jack Daniels and came back with a duce and a half full of gear. The ARVN were small guys and the sizes I wanted were too big for them anyway.
I came back to the motor park and had a formation around the truck. I issued everyone two pairs of boots, three uniforms and two pair of coveralls. I told them that I wanted $5.00 every month from each of them and I would have hooch maids to keep their uniforms clean, their boots polished, and their rooms cleaned.
While all of this was going on the supply officer saw what I was doing and went to the CO complaining that I was out there giving all the druggies clothes and boots. The CO came out to the motor park to see what I was doing and I told him that I expected these guys to soldier or I was going to send them to jail. I told him that I had tried to get the Supply officer to provide what we needed to no avail. Then I told him that when I was finished I would give what was left to supply and would tell them how to get more if they would get off their dead asses. I got a chuckle and an ok from that.