The Rusty Doorknob

I was reflecting on doorknobs and their use. Without a doorknob, the door will not open properly, nor will it shut properly. Think of all the times you have turned a doorknob (or as in Europe, pushed down on the latch). The Bible speaks of the Lord opening and closing doors, and I can see Jesus' nailed scarred hand on the doorknob, just waiting for us to knock. I wrote this little poem to go along with my reflections. The doorknob I am writing about comes from the old house where I grew up.

The Rusty Doorknob

The rusty doorknob was removed from the old front door
And replaced by a new one to match the carpet on the floor
I have that aged and rusty doorknob sitting in front of me
Some of the hands that turned that doorknob I can see

Others who have left fingerprints on the doorknob are gone
I no longer can see them or talk to them on the phone
But I have precious memories that the doorknob brought back
Of dear departed friends like Malbert King and his son Mack

Many times that doorknob turned and a neighbor entered in
And visited with us as the rain pounded down on the roof's tin
I remembered that time when the doorknob was turned by a hand
That brought news of my daddy's leaving for the promised land

If old doorknobs could write what stories they could pen
About the lives of the many boys, girls, women and men
Whose hands have turned its' rusty round face
And came into the old house and found a safe place

walkin2e

35 Years Ago

This date, Nov 22, 1971, I entered the US Army. I was sworn in at the Military Entrance Processing Station in Jacksonville, Florida, and took a Greyhound bus to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. I took both Basic Training and Advanced Training (Personnel Specialist 71H20) there. I ate Thanksgiving dinner in the Army mess hall...and it was good! Here are some of my thoughts about wanting to reinstate the draft:



During the Vietnam "conflict", my draft number was 39. Coming from a family of patriots (My dad, uncles WW !!, others Civil War and Revolutionary), I was willing but knew my position would be better if I volunteered...so I did. I never had to go to Vietnam, but I ended up serving on active duty for 16 years and retired from the Reserves with over 21 years.

I was a personnel officer, and was there when the draft was ended...and when the "all volunteer" Army started. From my perspective, the volunteer Army produced more lower income, and lower educated soldiers. There were four categories of soldiers (based on test scores)..Cat I, II, III, and IV..Cat I was the soldiers with the highest IQ's and Cat IV's were at the lower end of the spectrum...Wasn't much of problem except that the Army was always short of those soldiers who Military Occupational Specialties were highly technical, and so required a fairly intelligent individual to complete the training requirements. As a personnel management officer, I was always being bombarded by commanders who were short soldiers in these categories.

During the period of time I served with draftees, we had a wide variety of soldiers from all walks of life...It was not uncommon to have college graduates performing duties as clerks, and infantryman. Despite the fact they were drafted, they had good attitudes and wanted to perform to the best of their ability (sure, they were a few troublemakers, but most were weeded out during basic or advanced training). Can't say much about today's Army except I know technology is more advanced.

We had no trouble getting volunteers, as the economy was bad, but we did have trouble getting Cat I and Cat II soldiers. Also during this time, mid seventies through mid eighties, there was no major conflicts going on. We also had drug problems, so the Army changed the rules...I was over in Hawaii with a division, and we were discharging over 100 soldiers a month because they failed urine tests for marijuana...Course we had plenty of volunteers to replace them. Then the Army changed the weight and height rules, so we had to weigh in every month. If you were just a few pounds overweight, you could be discharged. I saw the Army lose many good soldiers over this policy. I recall having to discharge a Staff Sergeant who was a cook, and a good one. He had served two tours in Vietnam, but he was about 10 pounds overweight and could not lose the pounds. We said good bye to him.

Before the draft is reinstated, Army recruitment and retention policies should be reviewed...

The draft does produce quantity but it also produces quality...Why shouldn't a young man have to serve his country? Women should not be drafted.

Irvin L. Rozier, Captain (Ret) US Army Reserves, proudly served as a Private, Staff Sergeant, Chief Warrant Officer, and Captain