FORT BENNING, Ga., (Oct. 28, 2015) -- Herbie Hunter II arrived at the 30th Adjutant General Battalion (Reception) around midnight Oct. 20, traveling from Detroit, Michigan. When he arrived, he was given a brief by a drill sergeant under a 'Welcome to the U.S. Army' sign.
"On behalf of the battalion commander and battalion command sergeant major of the 30th AG, welcome to Fort Benning, Georgia," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Brungardt.
Still dressed in their civilian clothes, the new arrivals are told what jewelry Soldiers are allowed to wear and to tuck in their shirts.
"As I say it, you do it," Brungardt said.
The recruits watched their feet as they were told how to stand, where their toes were to point and how their arms should hang. This is the start of their Army careers.
Hunter, 34, said his stepson joined the Army in July. Hunter asked the Army recruiter what the cut-off age was to join and he was younger by one year. He discussed the option with his wife, with whom he owned an event-planning business. He enlisted in September to become a culinary specialist, so that he could leave with tangible skills to help the Family business after his service.
Approximately one month after his decision to enlist, Hunter, along with more than 200 other men, was woken by drill sergeants around 3 a.m. to begin the process of becoming Soldiers.
One of the first tasks is a haircut. After that, the men go through a series of appointments to set up their pay and receive their identification cards. Next they get their uniforms and boots. By now, they're starting to look like Soldiers and not day zero arrivals.
Each year, approximately 29,000 men will pass through the 30th AG Bn. (Reception) to become a Soldier. Arrivals come in waves, said Staff Sgt. Dustin Chamberlain, senior processor with the battalion. A large portion come in May, right after school lets out and September after the summer is over.
The drill sergeants immediately train the men to take orders respectfully.
If they come in with the right attitude, they're going to be successful, Chamberlain said.
"The drill sergeants aren't here to fail them, they are here to train them," he said.
Hunter isn't worried about being older than a lot of his battle buddies at basic training; he said he worked at UPS for 14 years alongside guys who were younger than him. He said the structure and long hours won't be difficult for him.
"The discipline I received as a civilian is going to definitely benefit me," Hunter said. "In the workforce, customers are always right; here, the drill sergeants are always right."
Da'Von Scott, who enlisted to become an ammunitions specialist, from Columbia, South Carolina, said he wanted to be a Soldier since he was in seventh grade.
"If you really want to do it, you've got to stay dedicated to the whole thing," he said. "It's not easy, and once you get into it, it is a wake-up call."
He said through the inprocessing, he found his first challenge in the Army - work with no sleep. He looks forward to the challenges that lie ahead in his career.
Editor's Note: The "Bayonet and Saber" will follow the D Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment Soldiers through their basic combat training.
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