Kadet Tushka's First Day of Training:
I was a bit disoriented this morning when I woke up. Nothing seemed familiar; I didn't recognize my uniform or my face in the mirror, and I was even having trouble recalling my name. It must have been a good party.
Well, not everything was unfamiliar. The odor was familiar, and I want to thank whoever it was who was thoughtful enough to house me in the latrine. We older men need to use it more frequently, so the closer, the better!
As I was counting my blessings, Comrade Officer Stenka appeared in the doorway, handed me a toothbrush, and after reminding me that my name is Kadet Tushka ordered me to clean these blessings with that very toothbrush. Such a generous man! He gave me the toothbrush outright, with no requirement that I return it! It was then that I realized what a great privilege it is to be a Kadet in this squadron. Ignore the fact that I have no teeth. It isn't the toothbrush, it is the principle!
Just as I was finishing cleaning the latrines, Comrade Officer Stenka returned and ordered me to meet him outside the mess hall for my first gunnery training session, which, he explained, would use the new tail-gunner simulator that had been delivered just the week before.
He explained that 69.GIAP training is always up-to-date and as realistic as possible. He would pilot the simulator, and I would practice shooting. He carefully showed me how to operate the gun, with an emphasis on safety. Safety, in this case, meaning not to shoot at just anything, but only at the targets he would point out. (I got the impression that there had been some unfortunate incidents with previous kadets.) After this introduction, we both got into the simulator, and taxied off to the gunnery training range. I didn't do particularly well, but I was impressed by the facts that we used live ammunition, that the training was well organized, and that the officers of this squad go out of their way to ensure that a Kadet gets the best possible training.
I learned later that Olga (and isn't she a sweet young thing!) happened to snap a picture of us on her Kodakski as we were taxiing, when she gave me a copy as a souvenir of my first full day with the squad. I shall cherish it always. (It was also sweet of her to invite me by her quarters tomorrow to make sure all my equipment is functional. I'd sure hate to have a non-functional parachute!)
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