A Mentor and a Friend

I was a scrawny 17 year old kid who joined the US Army because I was kicked out of school and wasn't allowed back in. I weighed 119 lbs. I went to Fort Benning GA. in April 1967 to end of May 1967.  Our drill instructors were strict and disciplinarians to the extreme, but SSG Bennie Monfort seemed to be a bit different as he was always smiling and acted more friendly to us greenies than the other unit Sergeants.  SSG Monfort was a nice guy.  He was only 10 years older than me.  

He went to Nam and was killed a year after I left Fort Benning.  His death was disturbing to say the least.  He treated us greenies like we were his students rather than recruits or something.  He always gave us pointers on our footlocker inspections, how to set up our bivouac areas, like a mentor perhaps.  He always had advice to help us in our new setting. I liked the Sarge, and wish to keep his memory alive in my life.

Michael
PFC veteran
Weatherford,TX