Chapter 11

LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE San Antonio, TX

Airman Donovan Campbell re-read the letter from his young wife one more time before lights out. He chuckled when he read Lanh’s letter and she said she was trying not to disturb the honeymooners, he couldn’t picture his dad and Sandy making love in front of the fireplace ... maybe they should ... maybe they will ... The letter also included a picture of Lanh in her cut-off shorts and her tiny bikini top holding a massive smallmouth bass. He could still remember the day she caught her first bluegill, that little guy put up such a huge fight, and she had so much fun landing him, laughing and giggling the whole time ... that little fish made sure that Lanh was hooked on fishing but good.

“Five minutes to lights out!” called the Technical Instructor.

“Nice catch!” said a voice from over his shoulder, it was the fellow in the next bunk, Dominic Demarco, a self-professed “wop” from Brooklyn, “or you can call me a Dago if you prefer, just don’t call me late for dinner.” As he told Don, every military unit has to have a kid from Brooklyn who’s too young to die. That’s his job. He was annoying, disrespectful, profane, and one of Don’s favorites. Don and Dom, Team Double D.

“She pulled that in from the pond on our farm.”

“I ain’t talking ‘bout no fish,” said Dom. “I see dose rings on her finger dare. Dat’s da wifey, ain’t it.”

“Yep, that’s Missus Airman Lanh Huong Nguyen-Campbell.” Don refrained from providing any more information because Dom can turn anything into an innuendo.

“How long ya been married?” asked Dom.

“It was six weeks last Saturday,” said Don as he put the letter and the picture in his locker and secured it.

“Imagine dat, two guys born a tousan miles apart end up in da same flight in basic ... both in love wit da same woman,” Dom leaned against his locker and rolled his eyes skyward. “It’s just like one of doze old time movies wit all da singin an shit.”

“You slay me D-Bag,” chuckled Don.

“You watch, farm boy, graduation day, I’ll give her da look with deez eye-talian eyes an she’ll be goin’ home wit me,” grinned Dominic. “You watch, gonna happen.”

Don chuckled, “Shut the fuck up Airman Basic Demarco.”

“Oh yea, pull rank, shake that entire stripe at me Air Man Campbell, I’m scared.”

“LIGHTS OUT!”

As the scramble for the bunks began, Dom repeated, “I truly am scared.”

Each flight in basic training has two Technical Instructors, one acts as a team lead, the other is the team member, the junior member of the team, usually in training to become a team lead. Don’s TI was Technical Sergeant Blankenship, a tough old cuss who was rumored to be a para-rescue specialist. The team member is Staff Sergeant Romano, a small blond girl whose career in hospital supply somehow led her to become a TI in basic training. Don’s flight was her very first flight as a TI. Every night, he sat down and wrote a quick letter to Lanh, responding to her previous letter and telling her of the events of the day, no matter how boring.