Editor's Note: We're tracking three recruits from their final days as civilians through to deployment. It's an unprecedented look inside the life of a soldier. This is part three of the American Morning original series "A Soldier's Story," and don't miss part one and two here.

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/12/15/mclain.rifle.art.jpg caption="Army recruit Will McLain is in week three of basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri."]

By Adam Reiss, CNN

It's week three of basic training for Will McLain. He and 193 other new recruits are busy getting through the red stage, physical training also known as PT.

The booming voice of Drill Sergeant Joseph Rix is ever present, "just trying to get them ready to deploy so they have a little bit of a head start more than what we did when we went through basic training," says Rix.

After a quarter of a mile run, Will has time for a drink, while outside a private, who just cannot make it, passes out on the ground. "You've done a total of twenty five push-ups and one lap. Now get up! You did not pass out," says a drill sergeant standing over him. Eventually the other soldiers are ordered to bring him into the barracks and leave him on a bunk to recover.

Later, several soldiers would stumble through the rigorous exercise that has them carrying two forty-pound duffel bags at the same time. It's not easy and Will has trouble lifting them both at the same time. Another angry drill sergeant whispers “encouraging words” in his ear.

FULL POST

Editor's Note: We're tracking three recruits from their final days as civilians through to deployment. It's an unprecedented look inside the life of a soldier. CNN's Jason Carroll reports for American Morning's special series, "A Soldier's Story." Watch part one and two, and tune in to American Morning on Wednesday for part three.

[cnn-photo-caption image= http://am.blogs.cnn.com/files/2009/12/soldiers-mclain-mask-art.jpg caption="Army recruit Will McLain wears a gas mask for a drill on the dangers of a potential sarin gas attack."]

By Adam Reiss, CNN

Correspondent Jason Carroll and I returned to Fort Leonard Wood Monday to check back in on the recruit we are profiling for our ongoing series, "A Soldier’s Story." You may remember meeting Will McLain when we first met him in his hometown of Rosamond, California.

We spent the first couple days of basic combat training with him and now he is with his platoon in his third week of basic training. Will is changing before our eyes both physically and mentally. He has lost ten pounds and is really on his way to becoming a U.S. Army soldier.

He has been assigned a battle buddy, Demetrius Daniels, 23, from Detroit, Michigan. A battle buddy is an interesting concept. The Battle Buddy system is the policy of pairing Initial Entry Training (IET) Soldiers into teams for the following reasons:

– Mutual support and assistance
– Teaching teamwork
– Developing a sense of responsibility and accountability for fellow soldiers
– Improving safety during training
– Reducing the likelihood and opportunity for sexual harassment, misconduct, and suicide gestures or attempts.

Essentially you do not go anywhere without your battle buddy, and Will and Demetrius seem to get along just fine.

On Monday, all the soldiers went through a drill in the NBC chamber. It is where they drill the soldiers on the dangers of a potential sarin gas attack. For the purposes of the test, they use small plastic pellets that they cook on a grill in the chamber. The result is stinging throat and eyes.

Soldiers go in fifteen at a time and go through several exercises before they are ordered to remove their masks. Most of the soldiers begin jumping up and down and try to do anything to ease the pain. One soldier couldn’t make it and ran from the chamber. Will was successful and passed the test.

Please tune in next Wednesday for part three of A Soldier’s Story with Will McLain.