The end of what seemed like it could never end happened: Basic Training was closing. Not only was Jus moving onto his next phase of training, but he would have two days to see his family. This was a big deal. Mastering this previously unknown and mythical experience was empowering. Life was new, making his previous chemical dependence seem like something he had only read about in a novel. It was clear that part of his existence had been truly left behind.
The visit with his family made Jus anxious to begin his new life. He finally felt like a symbol of stability instead of a cautionary tale. He did not feel precarious anymore. He had wondered if his family viewed him more as a time bomb waiting to go off before. It was nice that this feeling was now gone. His regular life was still far off because of his next training, which began right after this visit.
Advanced Individual Training was similar to Basic, but there were so many freedoms, too, which made it weird. Freedom felt great for Jus, but he also observed that it negatively affected the unit. They started out cohesive and making their leaders proud, but then everyone fragmented and failed to operate as a single unit.
When Jus arrived at camp in January, smoking was taken away. This was not a universal military rule; it was a pre-non-smoking directive by the Post Commander General, who had lost one lung due to cigar smoking. He described it as an excellent opportunity for Jus and other new recruits. They, however, did not see it that way, and the moment that cigarettes could be procured while on a weekend off post, passes to go bowling or whatever, they all started smoking again.
AIT was a melting pot for mastering new skills, extending physical conditioning to new heights that could never be imagined, and using history to advance. Jus could rely on some of his primary experience to advance his stature. This resulted in being promoted one grade in rank. There were so many choices, which was a complete turnaround from his previous training, which gave him only one option in most situations.
Some aspects of this showed that things were not as polished as they appeared. There were rumours of leaders taking recruits out to bars at night, and some wild times there. Females were held back due to not performing, holding administrative positions by day, and taking mutual liberties at night. None of which could be proven, but as years passed from this day, Jus would see a story in the news in which indiscretions like these were proven and exposed. He knew that for these stories to be exposed, there were probably some big career losses and damage to the brave ones who pulled all of this dirt into the light.
As the weeks of training were winding down, critical skill exams commenced. Jus was a natural at most of it. He got along alright with most of the people in Class 20, but a couple of recruits just rubbed him the wrong way in a predetermined way. Back in high school, Jus tried to bridge many gaps he found in groups of people, only to let the generations of war win. It left him bitter. These two recruits brought that up in him. Although he was never rude or disrespectful, he tuned them out.
Derek, one of these recruits, struggled with one very important skill that would pass or fail him. His frustration and disillusionment were apparent. Jus had been reading the gospels in his spare time since the only non-Army manual book was the Bible. There is no way one can read about the life of Jesus and not take a good look at themselves and just do better. The task Derek was struggling with, Jus needed no practice, it just came naturally. Jus told Derek he would work with him and they would make sure they both would pass.
Day after day, Jus and Derek prepared for the test. In no time, Derek mastered the task and, in the end, passed the test without struggling at all. It was a lesson for Jus. He needed to question everything from the past. No conclusions stood, with one big exception. There was no place in his life for chemical dependency.
Graduation happened, and Jus made the journey home. He thought everything from this point on would be well defined and decisive. He did not see that he was about to enter the most nebulous summer of his lifetime. Soon after, he would be swept away into a massive machine that had swallowed up the entire world for thousands of years.
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