I started my basic training at Fort Dix 42 years ago this month. I think there were only a couple of draftees in our company.The rest were RA’s,AR’s, & NG’s.
I will always remember my RA number, after the tear-gas chamber.
When I first got to Ft. Hood in the early 70s I somehow got tasked to clean our squad's M60 MG.
Wanting to make a good impression as a boot, I cleaned the hell out of it, including sandpapering all the bluing off the barrel. : (
The E-4 armorer, a short draftee just back from Vietnam looked at it and said "Damn, boy! What the hell did you do"?
After a minute, he said "Don't sweat it, I'll find a new one and tell 'em this one was shot out".
Cool dude.