The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel; Sticks and Bones: Two Plays By David Rabe

1973 Viking Press hardcover, David Rabe (In the Boom Boom Room). A born loser who is drafted into the United States Army, Hummel immediately encounters difficulties with both his sergeants and fellow recruits, none of whom trust him. As he stumbles through basic training and comes ever closer to the battlefield, he is guided by Ardell, a mysteriously ambiguous character who seemingly is an officer but serves as Hummel's conscience.