PLDC IV

Reporting to a new unit or training a Class A uniform is always required.  For males, that's easy as there is only one Class A uniform but for females you have the pant or skirt option and the low-quarters or heels option.  Low-quarters = ugly orthapedic looking black flat shoes.  Sometimes the specific uniform is stated and sometimes its just your personal choice or a matter of convenience/comfort.  Are you going to be standing in a formation at Parade Rest for 2 hours?  Go with the low-quarter foot-gear option.  Are you going to a formal military dinner?  Perhaps the nice shiny heels and skirt would be best.

Its tough being a girl.

So I was all packed up and ready to go to PLDC, dreading it yes but also glad to finally get this thing done and over with.  My shoes and boots were polished, uniforms pressed and ready to go, duffle bag packed, brass shined . . . Class A jacket?  Check!  Class A skirt?  Check!  Class A pants?  Check!  Oh and required "Nude Pantyhose" for skirt uniform?  Uh, NO PANTY HOSE?

Okay so Allison, I realize in today's fashion sense pantyhose are a thing of the past  --right up there with wearing slips under our Baptist high collar, shoulder padded, puffy sleeved dresses but this was a required part of the Army uniform and I didn't have any.  And I didn't have a store to go to . . . .  but I did have a roommate -- and apparently,  I had compeltely forgotten this lesson about Connie's Lipstick so I asked Connie if I could borrow a pair of her pantyhose.  Pointing out the obvious to me, I argued with her it would be better to have a pair the wrong color than none at all.  So she gave me a pair.

And did I mention Connie was several inches taller than me?

I get to PLDC, which for us was really just down the street about 15 mintues.  For the entire Division some units had to travel 2 hours or more.  My JAG NCO took me and my packed duffle bag to PLDC.  For check-in we wore our BDU's but after receiving our room assignments we had a formation to report to -Class A uniform required, skirts and low-quarters for females.  Darn it!  I was so hoping it wasn't specifically stated so I could wear my pants but you know, no biggie --I had my pantyhose.  And really, is anyone going to notice the color?

After getting settled into my room and introducing myself to my roommates, with whom I would not become lifelong friends, I got ready to report to formation.

Hmm well --these pantyhose do look much darker on that I thought they would but maybe no one will notice.

Actually, they look hideously dark.   This is a great way to start off --out of uniform and -- 

My roommate blurts out, "Are you going to formation like that?"


At this point its time to go and I had no other choice than to go as is.  I walk outside my room and started heading towards the gym and . . .

Slip and slide!  My too dark pantyhose are also too long for my short little legs --and down they go until the excess nylon is puddled around my ankles.

Can you picture it with me?  Skirt.  Ugly orthepedic type shoes, too dark pantyhose, nice folds of pantyhose gathering around my ankles.  And I'm marching onward to formation --pretending to be oblivious to it all.

But inside I was dying and wanted to run away and hide and PLDC Sergeant was right, I wasn't cut out for any of this.