When I was a little Army Brat, my friends and I used to sneak onto the Obstacle Course at Fort Sam Houston. The walls and rope swings, the pits and low crawl challenges were just the thrill needed to stimulate an active boyhood.

One day we almost got caught. When we heard the sergeant marching his noisy platoon to our 'playground,' we quickly hid in the trees. We escaped detection, I thought.

"Men," the instructor said to his troops, "I hope you saw those kids maneuvering the Obstacle Course. I want to see if you can complete the course as quick as they did."

I peered at the squad from behind my tree, beaming with pride. I wanted to volunteer to lead the recruits through the course challenges -- but my brother held me back. If our dad found out, he might get in trouble; and that meant we would be in trouble! As the troops began their exercise, we snuck away through the woods.

Ten years later, I found myself at Fort Polk for Basic Training. By 1971, the Army called it a Confidence Course, but the walls, nets, and balance beams were all so familiar. I finished it in record time.

The rest of my company were still lining up to begin their course in confidence when I broke in line. "Can I do it again?" I asked the Drill Sergeant.

"What?" the Drill Instructor said. "I've got soldiers griping about doing the course -- and you're asking to do it again?"

I told him I was raised on an Obstacle Course, and told him the story of my childhood adventures.

"Soldier, we don't have an Obstacle Course anymore," the sergeant said. "We call it a Confidence Course. And if you're crazy enough to want to do it again, I'm crazy enough to let you."

A dozen of my friends followed as I relived my boyhood romp.