2-28 September 1971

2 September 1971
Here's a money order for $175 and $25.  The $25 goes for tithing.  I'm going to put my suit in the cleaners and send some stuff home.  I'll know at the end of this month if I get promoted.  I'll be lucky to make it.  I have everything I need, so I should get it soon.  The time has really passed fast so far.  I'll be getting my assignment any day now. So far everything is going close to how I figured it would. 

10 September 1971
I had to put Blackie to sleep by order of the SPS commander.

11 September 1971
It was a year ago today I got out of AZR at Lackland.

14 September 1971
I learned today that there were no planes at Goodfellow.

15 September 1971
Found my old watch today.  They had a shake down inspection today. They came up with about 500 M-16 clips, one M-16, one AK 47 and all kinds of knifes.

17 September 1971
Not much going on.

20 September 1971
I plan to get a hair cut today, and write a few letters.

21 September 1971
We went out last night and recon an area out with M-16.  We shot close to a thousand rounds.  I stepped into an old grave, and nearly passed out.

23 September 1971
Only two full months to go.  My folks are the only ones who write regular.

24 September 1971
We got our line numbers for sergeant today.  I'm in between 30,000 and 33,000. So maybe by January-hopefully. They are really transferring the cops out.  160 by the end of October.  Everyone should know where he will be going by the 15th of October.  I will be home around the 6th or 7th of December no sooner.

25 September 1971
I had to get some forms filled out for the FBI. At Goodfellow, I had to have a Top Secret clearance.  My boss TSGT Dalton went back to the states. He had a slipped disk in his back.  I got a real VC bow and some arrows.  I'm working on swing shift now.

26 September 1971

I got my paperwork turned into today.  I should get my orders within the next few weeks, I'll send home a copy as soon as I get them.  I'll be sending two boxes of stuff home soon, so be looking for them about the 18th of October. I should go on swings tomorrow.  I should be able to go to church from now on too.  Plus I can sleep more and help the days go that much quicker.  I was told today that the AF was planning on promoting 90,000 sgts if that is true I should make buck in December.  I would like to come home Sergeant.  If I don't, I'll make it soon.  Well everything is just fine.

28 September 1971

The line numbers were released today.  Mine is 32, 427.  Everyone that got here with me have almost the same number, all between 31,000 and 34,000.  Some guys had as high as 80,000. They are only promoting 8,707 in Oct. No telling when I'll make it.  We will be getting close to 200 Vietnamese soldiers the 1st of November.  We will start training them.  I'm glad I'll only have 30 days to put up with them.