Artifacts #4: Just the Basics

Becoming a "pinger"

I received a fabric-lined, faux-leather portfolio on the same day I had my high school hair shaved and a brass padlock and key hung around my neck. I spent that afternoon in the 3723rd BMTS, Flt 623 barracks getting to know my squad as we furiously stamped our tighty-whiteys and "pickle suits" with identifying markings and cowered under the withering glare of buck Sergeant John D. Elovich.

With my ears toward the future

That portfolio carried my red-tape through basic, into tech school, and through two PCS moves before the addition of a family made the paperwork too thick to fit.

I found it a couple of weeks ago, crumpled up at the bottom of our master bedroom closet. Recruits get messenger bags these days. Fucking hipsters.

Wrinkled, but still usable

I wonder if BCGs are still as hipster as they used to be? Probably not, or they wouldn't be called BCGs anymore.