Introduction
Yesterday I started a serie about my time in the Army during my Obligatory military service. At the end of thispost you can find a link to the other part(s). My idea to write about this came from the news that on Morocco they are planning to re-introduce the obligatory service again. It reminded me at myself servicing the army when it was still obligated.
where would we be stationed?
Source
As I told in the previous part we still didn't knew (after driving for hours in a truck and being back at the begin point of our application) where we would be stationed. So finally a Sergeant came to tell us (in the canteen) that we would stay in Ossendrecht. He called our names one for one and when we were named we had to walk towards him.
First they apologized for the inconvenience they caused and promised things would get better :).
Finally we got ourselves a dormitory to stay, I remember it was a hall with about 12 beds. Next to each bed there was a metal closet to put your personal stuff. At the end of the room there was a table and some chairs. There was no TV, you had to rent one. We agreed by doing this the next day.
Source (Quite like this picture, but without the Bunkbed)
After we settled the Sergeant came back to us and divided us into groups, he told to me (and 7 other guys) that we were added to the "Motor ordonnans" , this was the Motor division of the Army. I was thrilled because I didn't had my Motor-drivers license at that time, and at that time it was quite common to get your driverslicense for car in the Army. So I thought I would receive my motor license also :)...
The regime of packing your closet was tight, it had to be neat and presentable at all times. Something without priority for young guys at that time, but we did pack the closet (at first) like they asked us to because we were fresh and didn't want have any problems from the start :)
The next day we had to report (me and the 7 other guys) at the testcentre to get our motor-equipment. A motorsuit, helmet, gloves and boots. So things were starting to get real :) After that we got our first introduction class.
when you join the army for obligatory service you get a one month eduction first before you get stationed on the definitive ocation
Part of the eduction was driving the motor, military basics (etiquette etc.), first aid and of course shooting at the shooting range. (I come back to that part later).
Source The type of motor used by the army at that time
When we came to the first motor-lesson out instructor asked us who already had his civilian license for motor. It turned out to be that I was the only one that didn't just like it turned out to be that it was necessary to even be part of the Motor ordonnans. So he felt very sorry for me, but I had to leave that battalion because I didn't met the requirements.
I remember being very pissed about that because I really thought it was a great part of the army ánd again things weren't arranged properly.
The same day I was added to the "Laro Battalion" (Laro was synonymous for Land Rover, the 4x4 jeeps. I thought it was cool but I rather had driven a Moto Guzzi bike :). I remember having a great group of fellow-soldiers, all from different parts of the Netherlands and all with different back-grounds. That made some good talking at nights ;)..
It was tradition that new recruits were called names like "Bolle" and "fresh meat", in my opinion it has to do with the macho culture. Bolle was a name referring to the barret, because it was new (when you just joined) the barret was bulging which is called "Bol" in Dutch. So they called us "Bolle"... It was quiet embarrassing but it was something you had to go trough being a newbie :)
You were supposed to stay during the week at the barracks, only in the weekend you could go home. Because I lived quite far from the barracks I alwasy left home again at sunday evening. I remember that I really hated that cause I came home late at night on friday and had to leave again early on the sunday. So it felt I was living in the army...
Food
Every morning you had to walk to a giant mess hall for breakfast. A big industrial kitchen with army personel which put out a breakfast buffet. You had to arrange your own cutlery from your army package. Overall the food was good, dinner was varied and every week one day there was chinese or indian food.
They also served soup every day, every day a different one except on Friday. Friday's you get MaDiWoDo soup, and MaDiWoDo stands voor Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday (the first two letters from the days in Dutch). So at Friday the throwed all the leftovers from the other day's together and mixed it. I thought it was briljant lol.......
So far part two in this serie, recalling all the memories I discover more and more from that time.... Enjoying the memories...
See also the other parts in this (true) story
Part one of this story
Thanks for reading,
Have a great day
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