By the usual way of reckoning such things, I was an Army brat. He was a Lt. Colonel, Army. Uncle Gantt was a Navy fighter pilot in the South Pacific, who did not make it back. My earliest years were spent on Army posts, and the rest of of my childhood and teens in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Baton Rouge is Louisiana's Capitol city, and it was a good place to grow up.
When I joined the Marine Corps in October 1968, military discipline was no great surprise to me. I went to Subic Bay, Philippines, for my jungle training, and then on to Okinawa where I completed the final phase of jump school at Camp Zukeran. Afterwards, I was sent with replacements for the 2nd Bn. 4th Marines, Third Marine Division. 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division.