Where I live there are a group of computer users that get together a couple of times a month for conversation. There have been some new ppl showing up recently, myself included, and I met another guy last night. I mentioned that my stepson was going off to MCRD San Diego this summer, and he piped up with the fact that he spent ten years in the Marine Corps. We exchanged units and MOSs, and after a while he got a funny look on his face. He asked me if I'd ever been a Drill Instructor. I told him I had, and asked why. He couldn't remember what Bn, company or platoon he went through, but he started naming some DIs. One Marine he mentioned worked for me with my first platoon as a senior, he was my heavy. He then asked my last name.

Within a year of leaving the drill field I met a few recruits I had trained. He is the first since then that I've met. We were dumbfounded.

I'm sure I've shattered all his notions about me. :)