Howdy All!
This will more than likely be my last blog-able letter from boot camp. “Why” you ask? Because I’m almost out of here! Since the mail doesn’t guarantee delivery dates, my letters could end up to any of you from Wednesday to Friday (or so I’ve been told by some of you receivers) after I turn them in on Sunday and after this Sunday, I only have one more Holiday Routine and then it’s LIBERTY WEEKEND!!
I’m starting to write this on a Wednesday because we had TAPS 2 hours early tonight (with Reveille) at normal time – 0600 tomorrow), so I actually have a little bit of time to take a study break (the reason TAPS was early since we have a test tomorrow) & get some writing out of the way now.
I was chosen as a “frontloader” for firefighting which we’ll be doing from week 5 until BATTLE STATIONS! I’m not sure what all that duty entails yet except that the 6 of us who were chosen get to take all the classes early. We started yesterday with our Anti-Terrorism class, & then on Friday, we’ll be away from the division ALL DAY taking our Firefighting I & Basic Damage Control classes, which unfortunately means 2 bag nasties (I wonder if any of you can figure out that lingo).
Tuesday we also had our Live Fire course & quals. I qualified as a Pistol marksman, so I’ll have the basic ribbon for that. Once I get more practice in with how fast the course is, I don’t think it will be too difficult to jump to sharpshooter & expert.
Today we had pictures all morning which turned out to be A LOT of fun. I can’t wait to get my cruisebook. This afternoon we had our drill evaluation. We’ve been putting in many, many, many hours of practice & it paid off! We only got 2 hits, we were given the seemingly lofty goald of 3, so we were STOKED after it was over. 266 earned our flag, our pennant that allows us to march without having to have our RDCs babysit us wherever we go, & we earned (MOST IMPORTANTLY) our cadences! No more “1, 2, 2, 2 & 3 & 4 -1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4…crap! YAY!! Brothers division pretty much did really crappy and their RDCs were pretty pissed because they’ve been talking all kinds of smack about kickin our butts @ drill, & then they bombed it. Pretty exciting for 2-6-6-!!
Like I said, tomorrow we’ve got test 2 which I’m 98% sure I’ll 5.0. I’ll update the details of the rest of the wee either as they go or on Sunday, but for now I want to give a brief rundown of what I have left:
10 Jul (4-5DAY) Test 2
11 Jul (5-1) Frontloader Day of Learning (Fire I & Damage Control)
12 Jul (5-1 Sat) Last B.A.S.E.S. (our fun PT day)
13 Jul (5-1 Sun)
14 Jul (5-2) Inoculations, haircuts, NEX visit
15 Jul (5-3) Division Photos
16 Jul (5-4) Fire I (for everyone else, not sure what for me)
17 Jul (5-5) P.I. (Final one), Fire 2
18 Jul (6-1) Fire Team (Rumor has, this is also Gas chamber day, but not sure)
19 Jul (6-1 Sat) Captain’s Cup – big athletic competition between 25Jul Graduating Division
20 Jul (6-1 Sun) Last Holiday routine at boot camp
21 Jul (6-2) Final PFA, Fire Practice
22 Jul (6-3) Final Phase drill inspection
23 Jul (6-4) Test 3, hair, awards briefing for me & Echternacht, Battle Stations
24 Jul (6-5) Battle Stations through the night! Capping, Phone Call, PIR Practice
25 Jul (7-1) GRADUATION! 1100-2100 Liberty
26 Jul (7-1 Sat) 08-21 Liberty
27 Jul (7-1 Sun) 08-21 Liberty
28 Jul (7-2) Photo Pickup
29 Jul (7-3) Tickets Order/Pickup (For next duty station which is right across the street for me)
30 Jul (7-4) Detach & Transfer Day – Finally done with R.T.C.!
All for tonight – Ashley
11JUL08 2 WEEKS TO P.I.R.!!!
Today was probably one of my new favorite boot camp days. We had our frontloader classes starting at 08 on the other side of the base…literally as far away as is possible…almost 2 miles & it was rainy and gross muggy, so that was a fun hick. We were supposed to do Fire 1 & Basic Damage Control. When we walked in the Petty Officer who took charge of us was like…”I think I’ll put you guys in Fire 2 this morning & DC this afternoon. Then you’ll come back Monday & do Fire 1 & Team.” Ooooookay “No Biggie” we were thinking, just a bit out of order. We ended up in the class with the 2 senior divisions of our graduating class & they’re all real serious & quiet. We just figured because they were just those kinds of divisions. Well, then the instructor walks in and about 15 minutes into class hollers up at the 12 stragglers (6 frontloaders from both 266 & 277) “You guys know what you’re here for today, right?” We’re all like “we thought for fire 1.” He goes “hell no. You’re doing Fire 2 and we’re doing Confidence Chamber.” WHOA. We were totally unprepared for that. It ended up not being all that bad. We’re all herded in with our gas masks, then one row at a time, we take them off once they’ve lit up the tear gas. Then about 20 or 30 seconds with our masks off as they go down the row and make us say a little spiel, then herded out coughing up all kinds of junk and trying to get your eyes clear enough to see, & your face to stop burning. FUN STUFF.
We took another class this afternoon with a Petty Office who sounded and acted like Chris Tucker – think Rush Hour “can’t nobody understand the words that are comin outta you mouth!”
Tonight, we had a REALLY good time learning to wear all of our uniforms. Petty Office Stugart made it super fun and one of those things you just know you’ll remember.
I didn’t do as well on test 2 as I did on test 1, but still better than the average. I’ve really got to work on not overanalyzing (aka “nuking”) the questions.
Tomorrow is our last BASES. I’m excited and bummed, just like I am with everything else around here. It’s really strange to realize that I’m used to this now. When RDCs tell us to go home, I don’t think twice about that “home” being Ship 10 – USS Enterprise, Compartment A-1. I hope it always happens this fast (getting used to the new environment) when I switch commands.
I’ve got to be up to iron in aboutr 5 hours, and up for good at reveille in 7 ½ hours, and I definitely need all the sleep I can get in these next couple of weeks.
More to come later – Ashley
13JULY08 – Holiday Routine
Yesterday was fairly boring…BASES, practice FEP P.I in our dress whites (Petty Office Wiita being amused by giving me a trick question.), & watch, where our RDC who was with us made the night fun as all getup once again (not being sarcastic at all).
I’m trying to think of things I haven’t written about yet…the weather of “always sunny” Great Lakes. It reminds me of how the weather was this spring in Austin (sunny and HOT then windy and crazy stormy and cool then gorgeous, on a continuous cycle). It’s really nice up here so far as I can tell by the 2 mile x 2 mile or so block of base I’ve had the pleasure of viewing. All the colors are really vibrant: bright green grass & trees, deep blue skies, the gorgeous color red brick buildings on base, and these fantastic clouds: the whites are always picture perfect, and when the dark clouds roll in it looks like something from a storybook.
Hve I mentioned before that the blueberry muffins and pancakes here are to die for??? Because they are.
Have I ever given names of my RDCs? 266 RDCs” Chief Steo, Petty Officer Wiit, Petty Officer Savage 267 RDCs (so they RDCs in my house, not my Div.) Chief Vuist, Petty Office Stugart,& Petty Officer Benoza. It’s the best damn group of RDCs on this base. That’s for sure.
I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned my bunkmate either, Montez. (She also pretty much the S**T and she might be getting married over Liberty weekend, so that may take up an hour or two one of the days.) She’s the Port Watch Section Leader, so she’s in charge of Watch bills (which is a lot to deal with) and she has a couple of commands to give during marching. OOOH! I’ll give a little chart of division front so that those who are coming to grad (or will see pics. I guess) can recognize certain people.
**NOTE FROM GEORGIA….I’M TIRED OF TYPING AND REALIZED YOU MIGHT ENJOY ASHLEY’S LETTER IN HER OWN HANDWRITING….WHY DIDN’T I THINK TO SCANNED SOONER!!! Enjoy the next couple of pages….so classically Ashley in soooooo many ways!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m sure going to miss getting “snail mail” from her. Hey - I think if you click on the photos you can make them bigger...so you can read them. Georgia***
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