While attending microwave communications school in 29 stumps, summer of 1982, I had an encounter with a Jr. Jump school instructor. This highly motivated Sgt. never gave it a rest, always spit-shined and starched. He would always try to impress our class with his physical challenges and feats. Believe me this guy was in shape. He could run like no one else. I was also pretty motivated and physically fit, just out of bootcamp, and loved a challenge. On the same note I was a bit of a wise guy, or smart ass as my high school teachers use to say.
On base in 29 Stumps, they had colored flags that were used to inform you the level of outdoor activities that could be performed in relation to the weather (heat). It gets extremely hot there. I may be wrong on the color, but I think the Black flag meant it was too hot for any outdoor physical activities, PT was forbidden.
Well one Black Flag day about 1300 in the afternoon, the instructors had the class out doors, teaching us how to eject a 15 foot parabolic antenna. Along came Sgt. "Jr. Jump school", with the daily challenge. He asked if there was anyone in the group that thought they could do 2 push ups for everyone that he could do. Well being the smart ass that I was, I raised my hand and told him I could. He was pumped that someone took the challenge. My buddies thought I was crazy, but they had no idea what I was about to pull.
Sgt, "JJ" dropped and proceeded to do pushups even though it was a black flag day and this type of activity was against regulations. He squeezed out 50 pushups, which I wasn't really impressed with, and jumped to his feet telling me it was my turn. I dropped and completed two pushups and jumped to my feet and said, "Mission accomplished!"
He gave me a puzzled look and said, "You're not finished, I did 50 you have to do 100."
Then I told him that I had done what I said I would do, two pushups for every one that he had done, I did two for every one of his 50 pushups. The class started to roar, laughing like dogs. Well Sgt. "JJ" was steamed and started screaming at me to drop and do 100 pushups. I dropped and proceeded to crank them out. I had just completed my 75th pushup, when our Senior Instructor started screaming at Sgt. "JJ" telling him it was a black flag day, and to get me into the shade and get me something cool to drink and anything else I needed. He told him that if I had any complications from the heat that it would be his ass.
Sgt. "JJ" did what he was told and kept checking on me to see if I needed anything, and on top of all that, told me that I was a damn fine Marine, and wished he had more like me.
The crazy thing about it is, I was more pissed off that I wasn't allowed to finish the 100 pushups to show him up, than I was for being made to do them in the first place.
Semper Fi!
