Recruit by Jonathan Brazee (best historical fiction books of all time .txt) 📖

Chapter 5

Ryck slid into the seat, grateful to be off his feet.  This was their first history class, and one of the few training events in which there were no DIs.  Drill Instructor Lorenz, looking refreshed and as if he hadn’t just been with them on the nine-kilometer ruck run, had marched the platoon to the classroom, then left after each rank had filed in.

The platoon already had a number of classes in subjects such as rank structure, military etiquette, Marine Corps organization, and the UCMJ.[12]  Some of the other platoons had already started history classes, but with only one instructor, classes had to be juggled.  They were scheduled for 20 hours in just this single classroom before graduation.  Ryck wasn’t sure just why recruits needed that much time, but any time without the DIs was welcomed.

Dr. Berber stood at the front of the classroom, watching each file of recruits march in and take a seat.  When the last recruit sat down, he started right in.

“When was the first Marine Corps formed?” he asked without any attempt at an introduction.

Not that an introduction was really needed.  Everyone knew about Dr. Berber.  He’d been a Marine, but he was a fixture at Camp Charles and had been teaching there for over 40 years.  He was a lean, almost skeletal figure, and he spoke with a sharp staccato.   

Several hands shot up.  Ryck kept his face neutral, hiding the distaste he had for the springbutts.  Recruit training was not a place to put yourself in the limelight where you could draw attention to yourself.

“You,” Dr. Berber said, pointing a long arm at Doggie Jenkins. 

“Doggie” was an appropriate name for a guy who kept seeking approval.  Ryck could almost imagine a tail under his trou, wagging in excitement.

“The Infantería de Marina, established on February 27, 1537, by Charles the First, for whom this camp was named,” Doggie recited.

“Wrong!” shouted Dr. Berber.

That caught Ryck’s attention.  Doggie was not any sort of history buff.  What he’d just said was right out of our Marine Corps Handbook, the printed book that recruits were required to carry at all times.  The book was filled with all sorts of Marine Corps knowledge, not the least being the origins of the Corps.

“The Infantería de Marina was the oldest extant Marine Corps when the Federation Marine Corps was formed.  But there were many different naval infantry, or marine units formed before that.  During the Chinese Warring States of 481-221 BC, soldiers armed with dagger-halberds were put on ships to ward off boarders.  The ancient Greeks used hoplites as naval infantry.  Mighty Imperial Rome, though, in the year 68 AD, might have been the first government to form specific marine units, the First and Second Adiutrix.  The point I am making is two-fold.  The first is listen to the question, not just in history, but in life.  I asked one thing, and our volunteer there, Mr. Jenkins,” he said after peering at Doggie’s nametag, “answered what he thought I asked instead of what I asked.  Doing that in combat could have drastic consequences.  The second point is that from the time of navies, there had to be soldiers to protect them.  These soldiers of the seas are your direct forebears.  We didn’t need Chuck the First to suddenly come up with the idea.  All he did was put into a decree what was already a proven need.  That need has not changed from the time of war galleys to our newest Prion Class carrier today.

“I hope you will take advantage of not only listening, but also learning from this class.  Yes, I know that you miss your drill instructors,” he said to the laughter breaking out in the classroom, “and you need them to tell you how to fart,” as even louder laughter broke out.  “But this is your heritage.  This is what makes you what you are.  I’m not going to be ratting out any of you if you fall asleep, but I hope you have the pride and discipline to listen and learn.”

The “falling asleep” comment hit home.  Ryck had it in the back of his mind to do just that if he could get away with it.  But Dr. Berber’s comment and appeal to their own sense of discipline instilled something more in him.  He was going to be a Marine, and he should know its history, what would soon be his history. 

“Settle back and relax.  I will let you know,” Dr. Berber said, stomping his foot in an exaggerated manner, “what you will have to know for the test.  What you think the Corps doesn’t test everything here at Camp Charles?” he said to the groans that had come at the word “test.”  “The Corps tests everything, so get used to it.  Anyway, I’ll let you know what will be tested,” he said, once again making the exaggerated stomp.  “But what I want you to absorb is the makings of the Marines and how our own culture has been developed.  We work closely with the Navy, but we are different animals. 

“Over our twenty classes together, we will examine the birth of dedicated naval infantry units, of the proliferation and periodic demise of marine units, of the 43 national and three planetary Marine Corps that were combined to form the Federation Marines, and of our own Federation Marine Corps’ history, our greatest battles and heroes.  Much of this will directly affect you, from why we celebrate both February 27 and November 10 as our Marine Corps birthdays, why NCOs wear the red stripe on their blues, and why a drummer in the Marine band wears a leopard skin over his uniform.

“Today, we will go over the foundation of how naval infantry was developed.”

A vid of some sort of war galley appeared over his arena.

“I won’t be foot-stomping anything during this class.  There won’t be anything on the test from today, so just listen and let it sink in. 

“The first recorded naval battle was the Battle of the Delta, between the Egyptians under Ramses III and a group known as the Sea Peoples.  In this battle, which took place around 1175 BC, the ships were used as platforms from which archers could fire toward shore-based troops, so in a way, the naval infantry preceded the use of a navy ship as a weapon in and of itself.  Ships continued to be more of floating transports, and it wasn’t until the rise of the Greeks and Phoenicians around 1000 BC that the war galley was developed.  This is what is called a triaconter, or ‘thirty-oared ship.’  Not only could it transport troops, but also it could attack and destroy other ships, quite often through ramming” he said, pointing to the image above his desk arena.  Another image of a galley appeared, and the first one turned to face it before oars started it forward toward the new ship.

Ryck leaned forward in his seat.  He had a feeling that the 20 hours he was scheduled to be in class with the good doctor were going to be interesting.