Rusty: You can't just start as a soldier.
You have to go through basic training.
Where you learn all the stuff from your drill sergeant.
That's me.
Jack: Oh. Ok.
Rusty: Where's your hat, Recruit Russell?
Jack: I forgot it, Sergeant.
Rusty: You can use my spare.
But from now on, keep track of your equipment.
Jack: Yes sergeant.
Rusty: Hup!
Jack: Hup!
When I swung my arm up I nocked the hat off my head, then we both laugh
Rusty took me into the bush to learn army stuff.
The first thing I had to learn was heaps of hand signals.
Rusty: Stop!
Rusty Puts up his hand in a stop movement the points down.
Rusty taught me all the hand signs I needed to know.
Now Rusty and I can talk to each other without talking.
An important part of the army stuff is doing push-ups.
Rusty: Good push-ups, Recruit Russell.
Also, everything had a name.
Rusty: Ok. That hill is called Hill Four.
That one is called Hill Six.
That blue gem is called Tango Seven.
You got that?
Jack: Oh Sarge, I'm not good at remembering numbers or words.
Rusty: Well, you better get good if you want to be in the army, Recruit Russel.
You need to know these things if we call for a dust-off.
Jack: A dust-off?
'A dust-off is when you call in a helicopter to come and rescue you.'
Rusty: You have to tell the chopper where to land.
Rusty loved calling for a dust-off.
But the funnest bit was the sentry duty.
It's when you're a guard.
You have to be on the lookout when the other soldiers sleep.
I loved it.
All the other soldiers are counting on you.
I was really good at sentry.
Rusty: You're really good at sentry.
Jack: Thanks, Sarge.
Rusty: Have some rations, Recruit Russel.
"Rations" is what they call food in the army.
Jack: How do you know so much about the army?
Rusty: 'Cause my dad's in the army.
Jack: Is he on patrol like us?
Rusty: Yeah, but not for long.
Jack: Oh, that's good.
Rusty: He said when he comes back, he's going to bring me some condensed milk.
Jack: Ahh, I love condensed milk!
'Then the scariest bit happened.'
The grass in front of us rustles
Rusty gasps as the rustling continues
Out of the grass jumps a Australian Bushturkey.
Rusty: Contact!
Jack: What do we do?
Rusty: Fall back!
We both run
The turkey gobbles and stays where it is.
Rusty: Get down!
Rusty yells over dramatically.
I grunt because when we ran we fell and slid down a short steep hill.
Rusty looks around.
Rusty: There's too many of them!
We have to call for a dust-off!
'I told you he loved dust-offs.'
Rusty: Six-one, this is six-two! We are surrounded!
Request immediate dust-off. Stand by for location, over!
'He turns to me.'
Rusty: Recruit Russell, what's our location?
It was all down to me.
I had to remember what that tree was called.
I think to myself
Tango Five?
No, Tango Six?
Then I yell
Jack: Tango Seven!
Rusty: We're next to Tango Seven, over!
Great work, Recruit Russell.
Oh, no! Negatives on the dust-off, Tango Seven.
LZ is no good!
I think he was saying the chopper had to land somewhere different.
Rusty looks around and points into a field.
Rusty: Recruit Russell, we've got to get to that field!
Jack: How?
Rusty: Run!
One thing I can do is run.
I'm a Jack Russell!
I run past Rusty
Rusty: Whoa!
He says impressed
Rusty: Get to the chopper!
Jack: Ok!
We get to the treehouse that was located in the center of the field.
Good thing we did all of those push-ups.
Jack: We made it!
Rusty: Great work, Recruit Russell.
Then we both laugh.
I can see why Rusty liked calling for dust-offs.
