USAFA Prep School – Military Memory Book
Today was the first writing session for my military memory book since returning from my trip.
I worked on the college chapter today. What is interesting about my time at the US Air Force Academy is how my memories of the experience are distributed.
I spent five years total there, 1 at the Prep School, 4 at the Academy.
Yet the time at the Prep School has far more emotional significance than at USAFA.
At Prep School, classes, duties, and training (outside of TX) weren’t memorable. My classmates and friends were.
The Academy was the opposite. I remember more of the content from my classes, than I recall spending time with friends or forming deep relationships.
Part of the reason for this was the phase of life I was in. I was doing a lot of identity work at the time. Who was I as a Black man? What type of officer did I want to be? What was my position in my family? Among my friends? Who was I?
These were the types of questions I thought and wrote a lot about back then. That didn’t leave room for others to get far into my headspace.
Here are a few quotes from today’s writing session:
“There were daily annoyances. Classes were easier versions of what I’d done in high school. Military duties like keeping the dorms tidy or room inspections were low stress affairs (at least for me). We also had our Cadet Candidate (CC for short) leadership roles. This was no different than my time as a JROTC cadet.
Hayden: Brave, USAFA Years
After 20 years, I don’t remember the specifics of my day-to-day there well. What I do remember were the friends I made there. Many of whom I stay in touch with or at least aware of today.
Then there was the final test before graduating from the Prep School I had to go through – TX.
What was it? “TX” was short for “Training Exercise”. This was the final military training exercise prior to graduating from school and receiving the thing all of us coveted beyond anything else – an official appointment to the United States Air Force Academy.
Hayden: Brave, USAFA Years
But like a rare item in a video game, it wouldn’t be so easy to claim.
I was able to dig up a lengthy journal entry detailing the experience. After re-reading it, I felt the phantom pain from the ordeal.
It still stands as the most physically and mentally demanding training I ever completed.
Funnily enough, I wrote the entire entry in third person perspective. (Early training for future storytelling,)
He and everyone else knew that “IT” was coming, but nobody knew when or how it would begin…This time when they fell [out] there was no front leaning rest or speech…Just standing.
From Keith’s Journal – May 12, 2004
The sun glared down with intensity that almost made the red hats of Alpha Squadron seem to glow. Keith estimated that they stood out there anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes roasting and standing.
The walk back to the dorm was cold and miserable [following the stretcher run]. The sun was out but the wind continued to blow relentlessly. With mud and dirt in our ears and BDUs (battle dress uniforms) soaked from head to toe, the members of Keith’s group were more than bitter.
I’ll include the entire entry in the finished book.
