Chapter 2-The Civilian To Soldier Metamorphosis
Hello, hello, hello! I have returned from a great journey of research and am ready to get into the fun stuff: writing! Thank you so much for your sweet and awesome reviews. This is such a scary task and your words are really pushing me to dig deep and give it my all. Let's get into this!
The only thing missing from the scene was a squeaky, wicker rocking chair and someone plucking a banjo. Jay swore he saw a tumble weed lallygagging down the sidewalk. This was Jay's first trek to the Deep South and so far, it was living up to his expectations. For starters, he left the expansive, well connected airport in a robust city and found himself landing at the world's smallest airport. No joke, there were three planes taxiing to a gate and no one was waiting at the gate for the next takeoff. Talk about feeling so out of place. He went from a world where you could easily blend in to sticking out like the biggest sore thumb.
The farewell drop-off at the airport was emotional to say the least. When Jay first signed up for the Army, he was required to take a number of IQ and physical test in an effort to place him in a section that best suited his strengths and weaknesses. After scoring well above average in almost everything, it was strongly suggested that he consider becoming a Ranger. The training was harder and the missions would be risker than others, but the rewards would be that much greater. Plus, the title carried some serious bragging rights down the line. Jay didn't give it much thought. If those in charge told him to do it, he blindly jumped at the crazy notion. When announcing his decision to the family, they were initially happy. However, when they began to research it all, that's when the dread and emotions kicked in. His parents respected his decision, but there was always that terrible 'what if' question whispering in the background. Jay picked up on their uneasiness and kept the discussion of the topic to a minimum, only letting them know when he was leaving and how long training camp would take.
The ride to the airport was brutal. There was this air about them like this was the final time they'd all be together. Will kept bringing up memories from when they were younger and it took everything in Jay to not reach over a slap him. Perhaps it was Will's way of processing things, but Jay didn't see where it was helping their parents get through things. They all quickly gathered on the curb and kinda stared at each other, not sure what the next step was. Jay moved in to hug his mother first before doing the same with Dad. He picked up on them all holding back tears and he didn't bring attention to it; knowing he was the instigator of it and almost felt bad for asking them to drop him off. His message to Will was short and direct: 'take care of them while I'm gone,' he said while motioning to their parents. Will gave him a weird face but nodded. Jay gathered his bags and nodded at everyone a final time, promising to contact them when he could. And on that note, he turned around and walked, feeling their last look but refusing to witness it. In that small moment, he half wished he wasn't doing this. He hated putting his family through the stress of not knowing how he was, but he knew it was too late to change his mind. It was when was at the gate that it struck him that he was alone. There wasn't a safety net under him anymore. It was up to him, not other people, to make it back home.
…
To the uninformed eye, it looked like Jay was being kidnapped. An unmarked white van was parked in a spot right in front of the Columbus airport and a random guy was standing out by the curb, scanning the crowd for his target. The guy screamed military and confidently walked up to Jay.
"You Halstead, Jay?"
"Um, yeah." That was going to be an adjustment: hearing his last name come before his first.
"Great, follow me." The two of them walked across the deserted airport walkway and climbed into the white van. Jay claimed the back seat and stared out the window at the towering pine trees and dusty, red stained roads. About twenty minutes later, they pulled up to a daunting gate that guarded a legit fortress. Now getting that in-person persecutive of the place, he understood why these places rarely got attacked. Only the dumbest would try to take down a compound the size of a small city. Everything was massive and had multiple layers of security. He nervously watched the van get scanned, suddenly worried they'd find something in his bags. The guy checking ID didn't let out an ounce of emotion. He'd stare at the image on their IDs for a minute before staring into their souls. Satisfied with his findings, he pressed buttons that sounded off alarms and lowered the ramp for the van to cross into the base. A windy, long drive through the base led them to a building that looked like a college dorm the size of a skyscraper. Jay climbed out and stared at the place, realizing this was home for the next sixty days.
"Whoa." The driver did something rare: smiled.
"Welcome to Fort Benning."
…
Perhaps the biggest hurdle in those early days of boot camp was the adjustment. No longer did one have the freedom of choice. Everything from hours of sleep to type of food that was eaten was controlled by the people over them. In the beginning, Jay felt like he'd signed up for prison, the lack of a record when you leave being the only difference. As much as he looked forward to the high stakes, adrenaline-pumping mission that were ahead, he somewhat overlooked the process of going from an independent person to a highly skilled obedient operative. The other shocking truth was the irregular sleep, eating, and training patterns. Sleep was often limited to three to four hour shifts and meals were sometimes only once or twice a day. Life in a war zone isn't scheduled. Sometimes you'll get plenty of sleep while at times it'll be days between recharges. This early stage was to instill that truth in applicants and help weed out the serious candidates from the imposters. Looking back, it was clear to see it's intentions, but in the moment, Jay would admit to questioning if he made the right decision.
While the Ranger academy doesn't have a bell to ring or towel to throw in when one's reached their limits, there are several pass/fail challenges throughout the course. Jay would never forget the first meeting with the instructors. There were two hundred candidates in that meeting and the drill sergeant told them he'd be impressed if ten percent of them reached the other side of training. That perked up Jay's determination. He was the tallest or stealthiest or sharpest shooter in the group. As he sized the group up, he calculated that he wasn't in that ten percent bracket. Challenge, meet Jay Halstead. Jay Halstead, meet your challenge for the next sixty days. He didn't rest well that evening, partly because they were allowed a small amount, but mostly because Jay didn't like the idea of failing. It wasn't in him but he couldn't see a clear path to passing. It was during their early morning run/breeze that it finally hit him: pick them off one by one. Be faster, train longer, figure out how to aim and shoot better. The Rangers weren't looking for those already prepped for the field, but rather, were looking for willing lumps of clay awaiting their mold. So for the rest of boot camp that's how Jay pushed himself to his limit. Everyday was a new opportunity to reach that next level of discovery. He went from hating change to fully embracing it, hoping that his mental adjustment would pay off soon. He couldn't help but smile when each meeting required fewer and fewer chairs. His slightly evil, but necessary plan was paying off.
The first pass/fail hurdle came just a couple days into the boot camp process. It was testing the candidates jump skills. Now, we're not talking about jumping out of windows or from a high ledge, but jumping out of a plane and safely parachuting down to the ground. For a majority of the recruits, this was going to be there first time doing this, Jay included. Prior to ascending into the clouds, everyone was required to watch a demonstration on the proper and improper pre-jump preparation. From there, they all got to stand on the ground and watch one of the instructors successfully jump and land on a target the size of a dinning room table. For a good chunk of their missions, reaching a zone or target would require parachuting and landing in a tight space. Therefore, if you couldn't bravely and accurately complete the task, then there wasn't a point in continuing your training. Jay will never forget the first climb to altitude. He was visually freaked out, finding it hard to control the shake in his hands and feet and was positive his face was pure white. He'd frequently close his eyes, visualizing what the instructors told them and going through the hand motions of deploying the chute. He truly forced himself to stand as the large ramp pried open minutes later. Every fiber of him screamed to back away. But he found himself in a do or die, fight or flight mode. It was this or he'd be cleaning out his bunk. He leaned forward seconds after the call was made to jump. For a couple of seconds, he had that sickening roller coaster feeling all over his body. But once he realized that he had a safety net strapped around him and that he was in control, it became incredible, therapeutic almost. He was totally hooked. The biggest grin spread across his face as his feet reunited with earth, totally relieved and elated that he actually conquered that unknown fear. He turned to see that a little more than seventy percent of the group made it back down. As he detached himself from the chute, he couldn't help but cross imaginary Xs over their names. That percentile was decreasing and he was still hanging around.
It was during the pre-jump prep for a night jump that he met Matt 'Rev' DeSilva. He was a Georgia native that had an odd accent. It was a combo of country and mountain and he often tried to camouflage it, making most of those around him wish he came with closed captions. The nickname is sourced from his life before the Rangers. He was in his senior year at seminary school when he felt the calling. He had plans to become a youth pastor at a church in Atlanta, but life had a larger field in mind for him. The first day of boot camp was the two week anniversary of him graduating. He walked for graduation, took a week trip to Charleston, and then packed his bags for Columbus. Jay had noticed him early on, but never had the courage or mindset to talk to his 'competitors.' Tonight though, he couldn't help but notice an uneasiness radiating off of Rev. He empathized with him, knowing he was in that mental place not too long ago. He was fidgeting with his harness straps when Jay walked over to him.
"Nervous?" Rev looked up with a startled look.
"What, I'm sorry?"
"It's fine. It's one thing to see the bottom, another thing to leap into an abyss." Rev chuckled a little.
"Very true. Matt DeSilva from Dawsonville." He extended a hand and Jay accepted.
""Jay Halstead from Chicago."
"Chicago, wow. How are you liking the South's fine weather?"
"The humidity is killer, but it's great." The instructor gave them the two minute warning, ushering everyone to the plane warming up on the runway. Jay walked a couple of feet before turning around, looking at a pitiful, terrified Rev.
"C'mon man. Don't flunk out on this. Just remember the altimeter thing they told us and everything will be fine." Jay walked back to Matt, waiting for him to put one foot forward. They both grabbed seats next to each other and Jay practically kicked him out the back of the plane when the time was right. The ride down was pitch black and endless, the night vision goggles doing little to help one see the ground. Jay kept staring at his meter before the magic number flashed over the screen. He breathed a small sigh of relief as the shoot slowed his free fall to a controllable rate. He'd admit to being surprised when he made hard contact with the ground, but thoroughly enjoyed the daunting task. He looked over to his left to see Rev make a bumpy landing. Jay gave him a big, dorky thumbs up and Rev returned the gesture with a fist pump. While Jay had every intention of making it into that coveted ten percent group, he now wanted to share that honor with his newfound jump buddy.
…
Perhaps the toughest, most intimidating challenge during that Benning leg of boot camp was the obstacle course. It wasn't your field day or Wipe Out course This one was similar to something you'd see on American Ninja Warrior, but on steroids. At the beginning of camp, candidates were warned of the incoming challenge and advised them to prepare at once. And, of course, the training for the course was designed and supervised by the instructors. It was a challenge inside of a bigger challenge. The overarching lesson of it all was to test a candidates' physical endurance and mental determination while seeing how well they responded to harsh challenges. War isn't for the half hearted or mentally lazy and Jay picked up on that fairly quickly. The training for the big exam began with a four mile run every day. The run wasn't a pleasant jog through the woods, but a full out breeze that was allowed to occasionally slow down to a quick pace. In numerical terms, candidates needing to be hitting a mile every nine minutes in order to confidently complete the upcoming challenge. From there, training traveled to the gym. Immediately after the run, candidates went straight into cardio training. That would range from push-ups to dead lifts, each requiring numerous successions of each. Finally, candidates were allowed to relax with some weight lifting, and not five to ten pound weights. Jay wasn't sure what drew his attention, but he picked up fairly quickly that a certain sergeant made it a personal mission to get him to fail.
His name was Sergeant Ortiz and he was a small, but intimidating person. While he was only five foot seven, his muscle mass and boisterous voice made him feared and revered by all. Jay would complete the run portion of training and Ortiz would almost always demand he do it again, claiming Jay was too slow. Without showing frustration, Jay would nod and begin again, pushing himself even farther the next time. During cardio, he'd do everything ten more times than the others, and the weights were always a little heavier than the rest. Jay's mindset in the beginning was despise for the tiny man, but by the halfway mark of Benning, that all changed. With each surpassing of the day, he realized that he hadn't given up and, surprisingly, looked forward to finding a new level of ability. It hit him one day that he was standing out, but for good reasons. That man saw something in Jay that he himself couldn't envision at the time, only to be found by continuous pushing. He was being crafted into a superb, victorious version of himself and Jay became grateful for the man's unwavering efforts.
The day before the final test was a day filled with torrential rains. The running course was flooded and thick with mud. Jay awoke that morning filled with excitement, ready to face and conquer this latest element. He broke quick and wound up finishing ahead of the pack, looking over to Ortiz for the barking to begin again. Sure enough, he gave him the finger, motioning to go another round. Along the route, Jay's footing went awkward and he wound up twisting his ankle. He made it one step before tripping in pain, stopping for seconds to breath it all out. The mental clock ticked loudly in his mind and he was soon up and jogging, every step making him want to pass out a little more. He reached the finish line a little under his first run, trying to hide his limp as he walked around catching his breathe. His ankle was in the early stages of swelling and bruising as he completed the gym portion of training. As the spotter carefully returned the weights to their wrack, Jay sat up and hung his head down, feeling the shakes running through his very being. He closed his eyes before standing, now really feeling the full effect of the sprained ankle. It was at this point Ortiz walked over and placed a hand on Jay's shoulder.
"Good job, Halstead," he quietly spoke. Jay only nodded, convinced this moment was a figure of his oxygen deprived mind.
"Go get that looked at, son. Take the rest of the day off if you're advised to." Jay wasn't sure if he wanted to cry or do a celebratory dance. In the battle between mind over matter, he scored a crushing victory.
…
Naturally, the dawning of the final test was a foggy one. It was late summer, transitioning into early fall now and the air had that first twinge of coolness. The rain from the previous night made everything soggy and the humidity plum thick. Jay awoke that morning almost as refreshed as he was day one of camp. The nurses gave him told him to rest the previous day and he fully committed to the command. He slept twelve hours yesterday, icing his ankle when he was awake and coherent. Today the ankle was still swollen and bruised but he tried his best to ignore the shooting pain. As the other candidates went about their morning workout, Jay stayed around the barracks. He lightly jogged that morning, every step feeling like the one that would make his ankle snap. But it held on and soon he was gathering with the rest of the group, listening to the barking of the day's activities.
"Listen up! Groups of twelve will leave at a time and begin with the worm pit before climbing the wall and walking across the log suspended thirty feet in the air. After that, you'll repel down the other side before going into the five mile run. After that, it's just a few push-ups, chin-ups, and sit-ups to the finish line. Refuse to complete any portion of the task or finish in over four hours, we appreciate your participation." Jay found himself in the leadoff pack with eleven super fit, super tall guys. Not knowing if this was another strategy to get him out, Jay took on the task and lined up at the line, fixating his eyes on the first obstacle ahead. The gun sounded and he took off sprinting, convinced he looked ridiculous running while hobbling. Every step, climb, and crawl was excruciating, but he told himself to just keep pushing. He heard instructors yelling to people they were out, but he kept going; the only way he wasn't finishing was if they dragged him off the course. At some point during the run, he felt a tightening sensation and blood dripping, but just kept going. By the time he reached the 'ups' in the test, he was relieved to be off his feet. As the whistle sounded, marking the end of his test, Jay laid there shaking. Every fiber of his being either ached or was pain-ridden and his muscle were shaking. But as he lay there with his eyes closed, he couldn't help but smile. He didn't know the final time, but just knew it was a good one. Furthermore, he pushed through something that should've sidelined him. Someone tapping on his shoulder made him come back to reality, forcing himself into a sitting position.
"Nice job, Halstead. Pack your bags, you're headed for the hills of North Georgia." The officer lent a hand and Jay accepted it, ignoring the massive limp as he beelined it for the barracks. Phase one of metamorphosis was complete.
Out of all the chapters I've got planned out, this one was probably the hardest. We just don't have that much information about Jay's time at Benning and the kind of training he went through. Therefore, I had to find that balance between providing information and making it readable while also making it entertaining. I hope you guys liked this one. Thank you for reading!