We have finally hit the single digits! Only nine more days, and I am on my way home! I got a wake up call at 0500, and got ready for the day. I took a nap once I was finished, until it was time to go down at 0600 for first formation. For some reason, we didn't have PT, but instead, were sent upstairs to pack up our ACUs, put them in our green Army duffle bag, and left to go to 30th AG at 0730. We walked there and arrived at 0800, where we went through the same clothing process that we did 14 weeks ago when we first got here. We went to the classroom in the basement and filled out some paperwork, and then we were moved out into the warehouse area. When we were waiting to turn our gear in, the fire alarm went off, so we had to evacuate the building and move outside to the pavilion that we would form up at after meals when we were t 30th AG. After about a half hour, we were let back inside, and I again waited in line to get my new ACUs. Finally, it was my turn! I got up to the counter and handed over my four old pairs of ACUs, and I tried on new pants first! I went from an XL pant size to large, and I must say, they fit amazingly! In my old pants, I could fit both arms down my pant legs, and still have room! I then tried on my new tops, and the lady fitting me thought it worked well, but I asked about going down a size, because I felt like I was swimming in it, so I tried on a medium regular. She said it was too small, but I thought it fit well! Oh well, I got four new tops of the same size. We then marched back in small groups and put our names on our new ACUs on the inside with permanent markers. Because I was one of the first ones back, the drill sergeant had me and a couple of others come into his office to help put together packets for the next cycle to have and fill out. The drill sergeant had to leave, so we left his office, and when we got back into the bay, the atmosphere was like Christmas, with everyone re-trying on their new clothes! Exciting times!!! The drill sergeant came back, so we went back into the office to keep putting the packets together until it was time for lunch. We went downstairs and ate MREs, and when we were finished, it was back upstairs to the bay! We went back to help the drill sergeant, and he called three guys into his office and told them to erase a marking by their names on the large dry erase board on the wall. He told them that the drill sergeants had a poll going where they picked three guys in the platoon the first week who they didn't think would make it this summer. He lost! The other drill sergeants had their choices, too, and that's when I learned why the green asterisk was by my name! I was chosen by our senior drill sergeant as one who he did not think would make it, but I am glad I proved them wrong! Oh well, it has bugged me not knowing what it meant, so I am glad the mystery is now solved! We finished the packets up around 1500, so I came out to the bay and napped for about an hour off and on while others cleaned their weapons. At 1630, the drill sergeant made us get toe to line to make sure he had an accurate list of what branch we were in and other training we have after basic training. When he was finished, I went downstairs and washed my new ACUs. Because my tops are a little big, I wanted to wash them in hot water and dry them to make them shrink a little. Afterwards, it was time to head to dinner. When I got back, I moved my ACUs to the dryer and then headed back up to the bay. Our drill sergeant handed out new letters to send home regarding family day/turning blue and graduation. I grabbed three extra letters to mail to Brittney, my Reinbold grandparents, and my Sease grandparents, so all the people who are coming will have a letter to know how to get here! The best news on it is that graduation is an hour earlier (which gives me more time to visit with Devon and Deanne since they won't be able to come due to work and school before I take Brittney home to visit with her family, as well!)!!! After I was done addressing all of the envelopes and putting them in our mail box, it was time to go check on and get my stuff out of the dryer. I brought my ACUs upstairs, put my old patches on (which showed how new and clean my ACUs really were), and then put them on hangers and put them in my locker. The drill sergeant brought in mail, and I got a couple of letters from Brittney, a card from my mom, and a letter from my Grandma Reinbold. There was then a competition for our platoon to bring up pictures of our girlfriends and/or wives, so I took up a few pictures of Brittney. I am proud to say that not only do I think I have a wonderful, smart, and beautiful girlfriend, but the platoon also voted Brittney as the prettiest (maybe the cookies from family day helped *wink*)! Because I (or Brittney) won, my drill sergeant awarded me a phone pass to call home! I quickly ran downstairs and called Brittney on the pay phone and talked to her for nearly 20 minutes (since she is the reason I was allowed to call), and then called my parents for a little over 10 minutes, when I had to get off because it was time for final formation at 2030, and it was getting hard to hear. I filled them in on the time changes for graduation and turning blue, as well as gave them a heads up about the letters that were on their way tomorrow morning in the mail! It was great to call home and talk to everyone!!! So we had final formation, and then came back up to the bay to get ready for tonight's cleaning shifts. The way the rotation worked out, fourth squad had the first shift from 2100-2300! I cleaned my waist strap on my rucksack again, because I thought it could be cleaner, and I was right. I also cleaned my boots with my boot cleaning kit, and then sprayed a sealer on them. Lastly, I cleaned my canteens, inside and out, because there was tape residue on the outside from my roster number sticker. When I was finished with all of that, I came upstairs, did 500 or so ab workouts and a hundred pushups (wide, diamond, regular-- normal and from my knees). I then took a shower, applied calamine lotion all over my poison ivy, and finished writing today's journal. A little after 2300, I went to bed!
06 August 2009 (Day 103- 8 days to go)
Today's morning routine was the same as usual- 0500 wake up call, brushed teeth and shaved, got ready for the day, and went downstairs for 0600 first formation. We went out to the PT field, and just did some low intensity workouts and stretches, and ended it with a lap around the track. We came back inside and relaxed in the bay until it was time for breakfast. By my calculations, today would be the last day I can write letters to anyone who would be coming to my graduation, because mail would go out tomorrow, and then have Saturday and Monday, and hopefully delivered on Tuesday. If not, then there will be letters for my family when they get home. I cleaned my weapon again, then was called into the drill sergeant's office to do more paperwork sorting for him. We then had a transportation briefing at 1030, so we went to the classroom and were briefed about plane tickets home and going to our next duty station (I didn't need to be there because I am riding home with my parents, so it was basically a waste of my time). When we were done, we came back up to the bay and went back to cleaning our weapons. At 1200, it was time to go to lunch, so we went, ate, and came back to the bay to continue to clean weapons. It is safe to say that everyone is tired of cleaning these M4s, so whenever the drill sergeant was in his office, I was writing my last letters to my grandparents! Then, a great game was discovered! We use Q-tips to clean our M4s... and they fit perfectly down the barrel of the weapon! By placing a Q-tip in the end of a barrel, you can actually use it as a blow gun, so I must say, it became war among squads! That lasted for about 20 minutes, and then got old, but it was at least something different to do! We continued cleaning our weapons until it was time for dinner at 1700. We went to dinner, and were a half hour early, so we returned back to the bay to wait. The other platoons leave 20 minutes early (supposed to leave no more than 10 minutes early), so we decided to just go down at 1730 and not wait forever in line to eat, but just walk right up to the back of the line and almost get right inside! It almost worked out that way, but oh well. After dinner, I came upstairs and took a nap for about an hour, but it wasn't a very solid sleep. I then spent some time rereading letters and writing my last letter to Brittney. We had final formation at 2015, and then it was back upstairs, get ready for bed, and then sleep at 2100.
No comments:
Post a Comment