Wake up was at 0400, which came way too early! We had linen turn in at 0430, so I fell back asleep on the floor with my linen until it was time to go downstairs to turn it in. After I turned it in, I cam upstairs, shaved, brushed my teeth, and put on ACUs. Today we have a bay inspection, so I made sure my wall locker was squared away, and then had to lay out all of my gear on my bed in an organized and platoon uniform fashion. We spent a good two hours working on the bay, making sure everyone's locker, bunk, gear...everything, was neat, organized, and looked the same! We went to breakfast at 0730, and then after breakfast, we got toe to line and waited. We were told our Command Sergeant Major was coming around to inspect, but he never showed up (so it was just a rumor), and only our drill sergeants looked at our gear and bay. My TA-50 was pretty much good to go, and once they looked at our gear, we changed into class A's to get checked. My items were pinned on, and for the most part, spot on (the book I bought at the PX helped!). So after I straightened out my marksmanship pin and re-centered my U.S. pin, I went around and helped others fix their class A's. After about 30 minutes of fixing our class A's, we were told we had ten minutes to change into PTs and have all of our gear packed up. That didn't happen, but there weren't any consequences for not making the time... We worked hard and as fast as we could to get the job done! Most people were finished before lunch, except those who went to turn in the M249 and M240B's to the armory. After our 1200 lunch, we came back to the bay and relaxed until we had a briefing at 1330. We got paperwork back and filled out others... all relating to moving to our duty station and leaving here. At 1500, after our briefing was over, the group that took the M249 and M240B's came back and said the weapons were rejected due to rust on the outside. Because of the humidity, the moisture got onto the weapon and rusted the outside (slightly). So each platoon took their weapons back upstairs to re-clean them. Once again, I was behind the Bravo I had been carrying, but mine was pretty good. Salado gave it a good oil brushing, and we put it back up front! Once others finished with their weapons as well, I floated around helping with class A's again. I then took a nap for about an hour until it was time for dinner. After dinner, we had a mail call (a letter from Devon, a letter from Dana, a letter from my dad (his last), and a letter from my Grandma Sease)! I then re-cleaned a few of my TA-50 items and put them in the dryer to dry. I decided to do a hard-core body, core, and arm workout! I was dripping with sweat and it felt really good! Devon, I'll share this workout with you! We then staged our TA-50 downstairs where we form up, and had our final formation. The Powerade/energy bar guy came, so I had a protein bar since I worked out and wanted the protein. After I was done eating, I went upstairs, took a shower, and enjoyed a night of sleep!
11 August 2009 (Day 108 - 3 days to go)
Although wake up was at 0500, our drill sergeant arrived early and we were woken up at 0440! I really wanted those extra twenty minutes of sleep, but oh well. I got up, made sure people were out of their bunks, and then got ready for the day. Our uniform was ACUs, so I got into those and then helped straighten up the bay. First formation was at 0600, where we were told last night we were getting UPU, but instead, we were told to come back downstairs at 0645 for 0700 breakfast. We went back up to the bay, but were only upstairs for about twenty minutes before being told to go back downstairs to wait in formation. Finally, it was time for breakfast, so we ate in the D-Fac and went back to our formation area and put on our rucks. We formed up as a company on the sidewalk, and marched the mile to the warehouse to turn in our equipment. We arrived at about 0800, and I didn't leave until 1330! Five and a half hours of standing around waiting for everyone to turn in and get their equipment inspected and then signed for. Just as I was about to go in to get my gear inspected, a thunderstorm rolled in, so I attempted to stay dry under the pavilion outside. During a break in the storm, I ran to the main warehouse to turn in my gear. I had everything covered with my poncho, and because my poncho was wet, he told me he wouldn't accept it! So I proceeded to turn in all my other gear, and while I waited for the next station, I waved my poncho and tried drying it off on my ACUs! By the time I finished turning everything in, I got my poncho dry enough, and turned it in! If I didn't turn it in then, I would have to go back Thursday, and that wasn't an option for me since that was family day! After I got my paperwork stamped "cleared," I went back to the barracks with a couple of battle buddies, and ate an MRE for lunch. After lunch, I came back upstairs to the bay and changed into summer PTs. Within a half hour or so, nearly the entire platoon was asleep, and stayed that way for a couple of hours. Our drill sergeants came back around 1630, and we were woken up, being told to get toe to line. We then had some corrective/waking up PT for about twenty minutes, which brought back fond memories of red phase! When we were done, our drill sergeants went home for the day, and we did a quick graduation rehearsal in the bay. We were told that after dinner we were getting photos take in our class A's. I told everyone to hang their class A's at the end of their bunks and I would double check and fix any uniform problems, so the platoon did so and went to dinner while I continued to work! I was relieved to go get dinner, which I ate in about five minutes and was back upstairs working before half of the platoon was back! I finished with everyone's uniforms and put mine on, then joined the rest of the platoon in the classroom. I got my picture taken, came back upstairs, and then changed back into PTs. We then went downstairs for over 90 minutes of graduation rehearsal in our formation area. We have to march to two songs and sing the infantryman song and Army song. After that was finally over, we were supposed to make phone calls, but what we were supposed to say was on a paper taped by the phone, and nothing was on there that wasn't in the letter, so I found it pointless to call (it was at 2130 anyway). Since there is chance of rain this week, we might move to the gym here on Sand Hill if it is raining. That decision will be made Thursday at the family briefing. So anyway, after the rehearsal, I came upstairs, took a shower, and got ready for bed. The lights went out at 2145, and so I went to bed! Five minutes went by when one of the guys in our platoon came up and said we had to go back downstairs. Apparently, he was caught talking about something other than reading what was on the paper, so we got smoked for about thirty minutes because of it! The drill sergeant on duty was just in a bad mood, but he made some good points, calling our guys thugs that do whatever they want. Hopefully his words woke some of them up! We came back upstairs and Captain America got to ranting and raving, acting like he was ready to fight someone. The lights went out and he eventually calmed down. I went to sleep some time after 2230, and wasn't woken up until 0045 for my 0100-0200 fireguard shift. Nothing went wrong during my shift, so at 0200, Salado and I went back to sleep for the night!
12 August 2009 (Day 109 - 2 days to go)
Wake up was at 0430, and when those lights came on, I really wished we had more sleep. We got ready and went downstairs at 0500. As a company, we marched to the paved lot at the top of the hill (where the families park for family day), and did stretch drills and warm-up exercises. After about thirty minutes of a light workout, it was time for the Eagle run! Our captain led the way, and said as long as we sounded off and sang cadence, he would keep a nice easy pace. We started off going up the hill, and then turned left past the Soldier's Chapel. We did a large loop basically to 30th AG and back, being loud and sounding off... making sure everyone knew we were out of here!!! All but one person completed the run, and when I finished, I felt like I could keep on going! The total run was about four miles, and took about 35 minutes, so not a fast pace, but a steady and consistent pace! We went back to the bay, changed into dry PTs, and then headed to breakfast. As soon as we finished with breakfast, we got our patrol caps and marched down to the field we did our drill and ceremony competitions on last month, and practiced our graduation ceremony from 0730 until 1130 with the company we were graduating with. Our company did pretty well, and the other kept getting called out on things they were doing wrong. I made sure to keep note of where I would be, so that when I would be at the National Infantry Museum tomorrow with my family, I could show them where to sit in the stands. After our graduation rehearsal was over, we practiced our turning blue ceremony for an hour. Again, I made sure I knew where my family should be in the stands compared to where I am in the formation. When we finished running through it a couple of times, we went back to our barracks and went to lunch. After lunch, we came up to the bay and started packing. Our drill sergeant had our personal bags passed back out as well as our cell phones, with the instructions to not wear civilian clothes or talk on our cell phones yet. I quickly texted my mom and Brittney saying I had my cell phone back, but couldn't talk yet, and proceeded to pack up the rest of my belongings. We then had hair cuts at 1600, so at about 1530 we formed up downstairs and marched to the PX/barber shop to get our heads completely buzzed. That was a long process, but as we got done, we walked back to the barracks in battle buddy teams. I sent out a few more texts letting family know I was finished with haircuts, but stopped to finish packing and help clean the bay when our drill sergeant made us stand toe to line as he went around measuring people's pinned items, which for the most part were good, with minor changes. I was then put in charge of making sure everyone's class A's met Army standards when our drill sergeant went home for the night. I did the last of my laundry and finished packing. Meanwhile, one of the... dull apples (not a bad kid, just not all there) decided it would be funny to moon the families that came by this evening, so a drill sergeant was told about it by one of the passing cars, and he was taken downstairs for the remainder of the evening (possibly ruining his chance of graduating this Friday). We then had to stay home even busier, because the drill sergeants on duty kept a closer eye on us. We got the bay cleaned and got it inspected so we could go to bed. I then called Brittney and got to talk to her for a couple of hours quietly in bed. Then, at 2345, the lights came on and we had to go downstairs. The fireguard on duty had miscounted and had a wrong number when the drill sergeant came in to do his check while making his round. We waited downstairs until everyone was there, and had to do a roll call to make sure everyone was there. Once all personnel were accounted for, we were released upstairs to go back to sleep!
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