agcoop10, yeah, it was the real deal, how we kept from falling off those semi's to and from the cut was amazing,also had wrestling matches, and of course most all outfits had a "company log" with the outfit unit (A-1),etc, on it blazed in with and axe and the whole outfit blanked.. those out to the load trucks. Most fish wore a variety of clothes from fatigues, jeans, with football shoulder pads,piss pots,etc. Would have 'inspection" on the wall prior to loading out before daybreak to get "motivated" by the upperclassmen. We would go to the local army surplus store and buy machetes,canteens, etc. for cut. Most juniors, depending on the battalion or need stood "guard" around the stack prior to it being lighted, wore shined combat boots with fatigues and pots with dates in front of us. We formed a ring about 4 feet apart around the stack, facing out. Everyone was up close, then when the heat from bonfire really caught, everyone would run back away from it. Those were great times.