Chapter 5: Disparity Between New Recruits

Words : 2402 Updated : Sep 24th, 2025

Everyone crowded in, curiosity buzzing through the room. "Quit being so cryptic!" Adriel didn't budge, but he was all ears. "Daniel, what are you actually trying to say?" Daniel cleared his throat. "You all saw it today. The military isn't like civilian life. We showed up and got hit with a five-kilometer run, and not one of us dropped out." "Same goes for what's next. If anyone messes up again, our whole squad will pay." "So it's still your fault, isn't it?" Adriel rolled his eyes. Daniel let it slide. That kid had to have come off a construction site. All muscle, always ready to argue. "So what should we do?" "That five kilometers nearly snapped my legs. They're still shaking." "I don't wanna get punished. Man, how do we avoid that?" Everyone started talking over each other, and Daniel smiled. "It's simple. Two rules: follow orders to the letter, and show respect to the vets." "What does that mean?" Edison edged closer, nosy and eager. "Spell it out, will you?" Daniel chuckled. "You know why the vets call us green recruits? Because we're new and clueless." "This is the military. A lot of things work differently than outside. You can't just do whatever you feel like." "Take walking. Outside, you swing your arms however you want, and nobody cares. Not here. Here, you follow the unit's rules." He went on, "In the military, you keep in step and stay in formation-two abreast; three in single file." "That means two walk side by side, keeping in step. If there are three, you line up one behind the other." "When you see a veteran, just greet him with 'Squad leader!' Don't worry about his exact rank; just say that." "As loud as you can." Vincent asked, wide-eyed, "Why?" Daniel grinned. "A booming voice shows respect. If the vets feel respected, they won't make things hard for us." "And when you run into officers, call them 'sir,' and treat them with extra respect." Adriel snorted. "Why? What is this, a graveyard visit?" "Don't listen to him," he added to the room, "He's full of hot air. Don't make it sound so over the top." Daniel stared him down. "If you don't believe me, go test it yourself." Adriel fumed. He was not about to stick his neck out. Someone spoke up, "I think Daniel makes sense. Let's do what he says. The squad leader just praised him." The others nodded right away. Adriel looked fed up, though deep down he felt Daniel had a point. He just found the guy annoying, that was all. Vincent piped up, "Bro, anything else we should watch for?" Daniel smiled again. "For example, we're heading to the mess hall soon. If the officers aren't there yet, you stand and wait. If the officers aren't seated, nobody sits. If the officers haven't started eating, nobody picks up their cutlery." "Huh? Why so many rules?" "This is the army, not back home." Daniel's tone turned firm. "Without iron discipline, would our country be this strong?" Heads bobbed. It made sense. "Do as I said," Daniel added, "and we won't get ourselves in trouble." Vincent scratched his head. "So many things. What if I forget?" "Easy. Just do what I do when the time comes." "Great, we'll follow your lead." "Squad leader, time to fetch water?" A shout came from outside, and the crowd scattered like startled sparrows. Pablo walked in with two thermoses swinging from his hands. "What's this? Picked it up already? Why are you all chatting?" Daniel smiled. "Squad leader, I was walking them through the details. They want to learn fast and bring honor to First Squad." Pablo's face lit up. "That's the spirit. Fight to be first. A soldier should have that drive." "Keep folding. If you don't understand something, ask. If you need water, step up." They bent over their quilts again, fingers flying. Before long, a whistle trilled outside. It was mealtime. "Move. With me!" Daniel snapped his hand up, and everyone bolted down the stairs after him. Pablo had been about to call them, surprised at how quick they were to react. By the time he reached the ground floor, First Squad already stood in formation. "Faster." "Move it. You're this slow even at chow time?" "Look at First Squad. They're already formed up." In the other squads, squad leaders were still barking at their sluggish rookies. Pablo planted himself proudly in front of First Squad, wearing a satisfied smirk for the other squads to see. "Too slow. Your reactions are too slow. Second Squad leader, Third Squad leader, why aren't you formed up yet? I've been waiting forever." "Not even eager for food. What am I supposed to say to that?" The second and third squad leaders swung around, glaring at their men. They were all new recruits. How could the difference be this big? A moment later, the whole intake gathered. A platoon leader bellowed, "All personnel, right face!" Snap! First Squad turned right as one. The moves were a bit rough, but compared to the others, shuffling and slouching, they looked way sharper. "Forward, march!" Other squads fell out of sync at once. Some guys even chatted and laughed in the ranks. Only First Squad managed to keep in step, and nobody spoke from start to finish. Side by side, the contrast was obvious. At the mess hall entrance, the regimental commander, Christopher, waited with several company commanders. From a distance, Christopher spotted one platoon that stood out a mile, and his eyes brightened. "This squad's recruits are not bad." Oscar blinked because he recognized the guy at the front as Daniel. His mouth twitched, but he answered at once. "Commander, that's First Squad. Their squad leader is Pablo. He's got plenty of experience." Christopher nodded, pleased. "Even the best steel needs a good whetstone. Good. This squad is good." Oscar forced a smile, his gaze locked on Daniel. What was with this kid? How were his movements so textbook? Every beat on the mark. He was a different person from earlier. If you didn't know better, you'd think the one leading was a veteran. As the column neared the mess hall, the platoon leader shouted, "Make some noise. Show some spirit. One, two, three, four!" While most recruits stared blankly, unsure what he wanted, Daniel had already belted it out. "One, two, three, four!" Hearing him, Vincent and the others behind him joined in at the top of their lungs. Across the whole intake, First Squad shouted first, and their voices rang out. The other squads needed their leaders to prod them before they joined in half-heartedly. "Good." Christopher nodded, then pointed at the guy up front. "Already starting to look like soldiers. First Squad's front man looks promising." Oscar's eye twitched. Wasn't this kid supposed to have gotten in through the back door? Why had he suddenly hit his stride? He said quickly, "It just shows Pablo's experience; he had the new recruits looking sharp on day one." Christopher approved with a nod. "He's good. Tell him to keep it up. If he delivers results, I'll submit that report myself." "Yes, Commander." Oscar could barely contain his excitement. Looked like this one was in the bag. His eyes found Daniel again. He still couldn't make sense of it. What happened to the kid? How did he change overnight? Soon the recruits halted at the mess hall door. The neatest formation still belonged to First Squad. Christopher smiled. "New recruits, I'm the regimental commander for this training cycle. Welcome to 602." "602 is an old unit with an honorable tradition. In the days ahead, train hard and carry that honor forward." "Yes, sir!" First Squad roared along with Daniel. The other squads stared, gawping. "Warming up their pipes? Why so loud?" "Those guys must be out of their minds." "They've lost their marbles." The other squad leaders looked sour. Compared to First Squad, their own men looked embarrassing. Pablo held his head high, grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He'd seen the commander's smile, clear as day. These boys were making him look good, especially Daniel. A real talent. Worth training, worth leaning on. Use him to spur the whole squad, and the results would climb. With honors in hand, a commission would be a sure thing. Christopher's gaze rested on Daniel, his mouth flicking with a barely visible smile. Then he raised his voice. "In the army, you sing before meals." "You just arrived, so we'll skip it today. Tomorrow during a break, your squad leaders will teach you." "All right, go in and eat." Pablo led First Squad at a measured pace inside. The others trickled into the hall. At the tables, Daniel gave a quick signal. "Don't sit. Stay standing at attention." Adriel scowled. "Listen to you. As if you're the real deal." Daniel smiled. "If you don't believe me, sit. I'm not stopping you." "I'm doing what he says," Vincent muttered, standing square. The others straightened their backs too. Adriel wanted to sit, but he clenched his teeth and held himself up. The rest of the recruits didn't care. They walked in and flopped down. Just then, the officers filed in. Christopher swept a glance around and finally let his eyes rest on First Squad. He smiled, satisfied, and took his seat. Oscar hadn't thought much of it at first. Then he noticed the commander's expression, looked around the hall, and his brows knotted. "Everyone, on your feet!" Oscar barked, furious. The recruits jumped, bewildered. What had happened? Daniel's lips curled. He tipped the others a quick wink.

Chapter 5: Disparity Between New Recruits

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