Happy June first! I enjoy seeing a new month at the top of my journal because I can see the time going by! Last night, though, we were woken up at 0230 because we didn't have a laundry guard downstairs in the laundry room watching our laundry. Due to laundry being mixed up, we stopped having a laundry guard, but we still should have had two people who were doing laundry stay down there. We didn't get in trouble, just had the inconvenience of being woken up, so I think that was lucky. The platoon went back to sleep and then woke up at 0400 to turn in our bed linens at 0430. We then came back to the bay, cleaned it up, and then went to PT at 0600. Today's PT was broken down into our running groups. I am still in C group, and today I wished I was in B group. All we did was a warm up lap (1/2 mile loop track) at about a 10 minute pace, and then a mile at about a 9.5 minute pace. That was too slow and short for me. I didn't feel pushed enough, so I am going to switch groups next time. We came back from PT and changed into ACUs and formed back up downstairs. We then worked on basic marching commands (left face, right face, about face, cover right, dress right, open ranks, and close ranks). Once it was time for chow, we went and ate breakfast. After our platoon was finished eating, we marched ourselves back to our area, and then headed upstairs to our bay, where we had a class over splints, and how to treat a fracture. Once the class was over, we headed over to second platoon's bay and learned about blocked airways. We were taught the head tilt chin lift and the jaw thrust. Then, if the lung is collapsed and pressure is built up in the chest cavity, we use a chest decompression needle. For our third class in fourth platoon's bay, we went over the 9 line medivac (9 lines read over the radio for a medical evacuation). Also, we were quickly shown the fireman's carry and the seated carry (both learned in Boy Scouts). The last part of the class was about using a little and stico. A litter is a stretcher and the stico is for carrying and helicopter pick-up. After that class was over, we went to our final class where we learned about how to properly give an IV to someone, so I am glad I wasn't the one chosen to have the IV demonstrated on. It was interesting, but I am not looking forward to me and my battle buddy taking turns doing IVs on one another (Basic Training requirement). Oh well, like the gas chamber, this too will pass! After our classes, we went to lunch, and then went upstairs to change into a sterile ACU (no patches or things in pockets). We then went downstairs, formed up, and proceeded to the grassy area across the street next to our PT field to do parts 2 and 3 of level 1 GFT (Ground Fighting Tactics). I definitely performed better this time, but I won't win any sort of competition. Oh well, so we did that for a couple of hours, came back to our bay and got smoked because of someone who had talked in the D-Fac (Dining Facility) during breakfast. It lasted for about 20 minutes, and then we were allowed to take showers and change into summer PTs. We then headed to dinner, and then back to the bay where we cleaned and organized things, as well as made our beds. One of our road guards lost their vest, so I went around the other platoons with a battle buddy to see if they found it. No one had it, so we came back empty handed. We didn't do too much until final formation (I worked on FAQs a little more). We drank our milk (or warm liquid cheese) and then went to bed. I haven't had much downtime over the last couple of days, so the journal is my way of communicating right now. I will try to respond to letters when I can! I love you all and keep me in your prayers (less than 40 days until family day!)!
02 June 2009 (Day 38)
Last night, I had fireguard from 0300-0400, so I woke up at 0245 to get ready, and then pulled my shift. Wake-up was at 0415, so I didn't get to go to sleep after my shift was over, but at least I shouldn't have any duties tonight. We then had PT, so that was fun. We ran about a mile, did chin-ups, pushups, sit-ups, and climbed the rope. I was able to climb all the way to the top, so that was good, but on the way down, the drill sergeant asked if I made it to the top, and I answered, "Yeah...Yes, Drill Sergeant," so since I said yeah, he made me low crawl through the sand. When PT was over, I took a shower really quickly, changed into clean PTs, and went to breakfast. After breakfast, we came back up to the bay to fill up our camelbacks and to sweep up the sand from PT. We then headed downstairs for our first aid class...IVs! I was teamed up with Spiva (roster #149, so the bunk beside me). I did the IV first, and did it with ease, although I didn't like the feeling of me being the one to stab the needle through the skin, but in a life or death situation, I feel confident in my ability to stick someone with an IV. Anyway, afterwards, we went to lunch, then changed into sterile ACUs, and did part 4 of level 1 GFT, which was about how to do submissions. My arms were a little sore from the IVs (Spiva sort of messed up on the first one, so he had to do it a second time!). We did GFT for a little over three hours, and then were allowed to go to the bay, shower, and get ready for dinner. After dinner, our drill sergeant left for home (I believe there was an NBA playoff game tonight), so we were on our own for the remainder of the evening. We had a bay meeting (I guess we ARE in white phase), and our temporary PG (platoon guide) led it. The meeting had to end due to final formation, where they had Powerade, Gatorade, and energy bars for sale. We finally got finished and sent upstairs, where we went to sleep at 2200 (10:00 pm). Since I left home, half way to family day!!!
03 June 2009 (Day 39)
Besides the delay in going to sleep, our platoon actually did well, and we weren't woken up by the drill sergeant on duty. I got a full 6 hours of sleep before lights came on! We did the usual cleaning and then went to PT. We did our warm-ups, and then did 60-120s, which is 60 seconds of sprints with 120 seconds of walking. I was glad I was able to push myself to keep up with Salado (who ran a 17 minute 2 mile). We came back from PT and went to breakfast. I had the usual (Eggs, ham, and potatoes with a side of fruit), and then we came back up to the bay and changed into ACUs. We had BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship) today, during which we learned the proper positions to fire our M4s. We also took apart and relearned how to clean or weapons, and were shown areas that we might miss and that are hard to get. The class was interesting, and afterwards we had time before lunch, so we practiced in the area we form up in. We then headed to lunch and they had corn beef, so I got some rye bread and a little thousand island dressing from the salad bar and sort of had a Ruben sandwich (or a rub, since I eat rubes--no sour kraut)! Anyway, after lunch, we laid out mats, went upstairs to sterilize our ACUs, and then headed back downstairs for free for all GFT. Each platoon broke up in their areas and had 3 minute fights, practicing for Saturday's tournament against the other platoons! I tied my round, but if points were taken, I am pretty sure I would have won, because I was in more dominant positions, and got out of a couple of locks, earning me points. I am not going to try to win to be in a tournament because I am willing to put up a fight, but I am trying my best NOT to get hurt this summer. If I get injured and I can't train, then I will be restarted, which I do not have time for. Plus, I am learning how to do it and know what the different moves and positions are, and how to get out of locks. My biggest fear here is getting hurt because I want to be out of here and graduated by August 14th! Anyway, after we finished rolling around, we changed into PTs, came downstairs to our formation area, and cleaned our weapons thoroughly. About an hour later, we went to dinner, and then went off to the PT field and had free PT. Once again, I worked out with Salado, and I was soaked in sweat at the end. We got in about two miles, and in between laps we did some log flipping, pull ups, inverted sit ups, power lifting (there are metal pipes with concrete filled coffee cans at the end of our track), and some other exercise that Salado made up on the spot- flip the 80-100 lb. log end over end, then do a push up, jump into the air, and go back into a pushup. I think I get a better workout when I am off on my own with friends then I do with the drill sergeants leading it in the morning. We then came back to the bay, showered, and got ready for final formation, which we received our delicious liquid cheese (warm milk in the juice box), and then went back upstairs and prepared for bed. We were finally assigned our PG (platoon guide), and squad leaders, so they held a brief meeting about how things were going to start running, and about a letter we were going to sign to keep the guys who used the cell phone. More has come out about the cell phone situation, and the guy who had the cell phone asked the drill sergeants if he could call home to check on his really sick brother (not flu sick), and they couldn't let him. Then, the other three individuals had problems at home that they were dealing with and had asked to call home on things to make sure were okay (wife's pregnancy, a child who went to the hospital, and a serious financial situation at home). Anyway, after things settled down, lights were turned off, and I went to sleep!
No comments:
Post a Comment