The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-11
Reporter Finds
Army's Hard
To Enter
Complications Arise When
Fake Enlistment Is
Started.
BY Rookie" John L. NibIack

@F you want 10 have some ex'
element try slipping some
thing over on the Army, say
fake enlistment in the Citizens
Military Training Camp under way
at Ft. Benjamin Harrison.
First, you have to get in. Then
you have to get out.
Thinking It would be a grand
idea IL a reporter put on a set of
false whiskers or something and
went through the mill as a rookie
with the other rockies to see If they
get fed enough, or IL anybody is
beaten with a cato o'-nine-tails. OF
what they do for them when the
rockies get their feet wet. the city
editor suggested I journey out TO
the fort.
No Contracts
First, Capt. Howard Clark, U. S.
Army. was appealed to and arranged
to see / was started through the
MILL without actually signing any
contracts, although ii looked for a
while like they were going to bore
me for typhoid and vaccinate against
smallpox. which would have been
more than was expected. And this
was not all that happened or nearly
happened, beyond expectations.
In company with seven rockies
from Ohio and one tall lad from
West Virginia. was lined up in
a mule barn. where the recruits are
received. Here our papers were ex-
amined, and then we were shot
across the barnyard to another mule
barn for physical examination.
How would you like to undress
before eight young men you never
had seen before. and a flock of hard
boiled Army officers and privates?
Well, we all did. and made It SNAP
py" on request. 1t was nice and
cool. anyhow, parading around while
a gang CT doctors pried your mouth
open, tickled your ribs or listened
in on your insides.
Then the Doctors
I had good teeth. no fiat feet, and
weighed enough to carry a rife.
they opined.
For a moment, however. 1t looked
like all was over and the plan
wrecked. when one doctor clamped
his instrument of my chest. He
summoned another. who called a
tn. i'll 1r~fh
and they all listened to my heart.
singly and in unison, having me
thinking after a few moments that
the least that could be wrong was
a busted valve and enlargement Of
the heart.
you've either got something there
or you've been out late and worn
yourself out the past few nights,
one said finally on DISCRIMINATION
by yours truly, who was about ready
to retire from the Army, the news
paper game, and everything else in
favor of a first-class sanitarium.
Correct" 1 said, in relief. Il
played tennis last evening. and then
stayed up late"
1 could have added that If had
my way 1 would then and there be
underneath some shady tree on a
breezy hill taking a little rest, but
1 thought better not to go into de-
tails.
Red or Blue?
Just then a second lieutenant,
George Isaacs, a friend. strolled up.
and nearly gave the game away. He
saw my tag was marked red,
which meant 1 had had enough pre-
vious military training to rate sec
ond year class. The white class was
the third year and blue the last
This isn't right, you have had
enough training to rate the blue
class" he said. I'll go and see
about it right away and get you
fixed up"
Gosh, now everything win be
messed up If they start an inquiry
and ask me why l didn't fill out that
card with all my previous training.
l thought. as he departed. not dar-
ing to yell out and stop him.
Cwhat happened next will be told
Mnni1axl