LEGE

The summer of 1982 was an interesting year. I got to take my first plane ride because I was headed for Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri for Army Basic Training. I was in the Army Reserve. I had my first encounter with a racist. The Senior Drill Instructor was asking questions. Simple ones like where are you from. He lit up when he saw the last name Lege. "Where are you from?" The answer was Louisiana just like him. Senior Drill Instructor Bachand warned Lege not to let him down! Lege was sharp. He was our platoon leader. He bragged that his father was a professional gambler. One day he asked me what I was doing in the United States Army. Why wasn't I in the Mexican Army? I told him "I am an American." He asked me where I was born. Rotana, Texas. Lege insisted only white folks are AMERICAN. WE had a huge heated conversation. By his logic Mueller should've been in the Eedt German Army. Lege was not ok with Jews and Blacks. In the weeks that followed Lege did all he could yo get oit of yhe Army. He headed for Las Vegas, Nevada to gamble with his dad. He let Senior Drill Instructor Bachand down.