2nd Letter

4/29/11 Reception Day 3

I figured out, I think, why reception is longer and/or shorted for people. I was put into Aplha Co. Here at the 30th AG Battalion. I got in on Tuesday. There were guys who got in the save company on Monday, Wednesday,Thursday and Friday. It seems we we'll ship on this coming Tuesday or Wednesday to "Down range," the basic everyone thinks of when they hear "basic training."

This morning we woke up at 0400 for a formation at 0430. I was up about 10 mins early to shave and brush my teeth before other people. We were then taken for any required additional shots as well as evaluate the TB shot site for a reaction. Turns out our Company has our own version of PFC McGuire's PVT Home school. He is an obviously underweight, pale, bad postured kid who seems like he was home schooled. PVT Home school passed out or was close to for some reason in the shots room. I also got one additional shot that I have no idea was for in the least. All I know is it hurt like hell for 20 minutes in my shoulder and then it mellowed me out for about 40 minutes. Also, i thought it was funny when our DS, DS Rhythm, saw PVT Home school passing out, he said "ah shit, we got a funky chicken."

We then went to the DFAC for breakfast. Again eggs were the main entree. I'm betting that is always the entree because it's probably about 40% eggs and 60% other crap. I guess PVT Home school threw up in the chow line and caused some issues. Luckily, he was behind me.

After breakfast, our DS that I call DS Rhythm because he's good with cadences, loud, and black. I always keep in step and have fun when he's marching us. I feel like I have gotten the marching thing down pretty well in the last couple of days. After that, DS Rhythm had us clean our barracks,. He told us that he wants to be able to set a cheeseburger on the urinal, piss, and then pick it back up to eat. I took charge on toilets. My time with Giovanni's cleaning came in handy. I was showing people little tidbits everywhere. I also took the time to finally organize all of my crap. after that DS Clean (looks like Mr. Clean) took us into our classroom and played a BCT DVD showing us what to expect. After that, he put in Troy. I was a little thrown off. He paused it, took us to lunch and brought us back to finish Troy, but then they put in We Were Soldiers. I twas good till DS Tall Prick and DS small Prick saw some people not wearing their camel backs, which is a big no-no. They then turned the movie off and proceeded to yell at us. Because of PVT whiny pants, they said there had to be six people on fire watch at each hour. GREAT! That meant 30 people instead of 12, AND ME!. Oh well I got from 2200-2300.

We then had to clean the barracks again. Oh well, its more bonding experience in my eyes. And DS Clean gave us from 1930-2100 for personal time. I got to talk to my wife before her performance. I miss her so much. Anyways, I got my shift now.

4/30/2011 Reception Day 4

The morning was beautiful! The last two days have had great weather in the morning. I wish it could last, but I know the Georgia summer will start soon. Went to chow with no events. After that, we had a class run by a BCT DS from down range. He spoke about a lot of things. The 25 series Moss (my job is one) is the one mentioned most. He mentioned that my MOS is the one where people make a boat load of money once they get out. He then sobered us up on the Afghanistan fighting. It was crazy to explain how guys with no tactical training at all can challenge a superior army like ours. Also, I guess the Taliban have been working on floating IED's on balloons to get helicopters. Wow. Hurt Locker is a tough movie. It was tough to watch because it was real and it went on to say that FT. Benning will be training about 50% of all income FS's.

On a funnier note, there are people falling asleep all the time, and we have to wake them. Someone nudged me to wake one such fellow. I'm just so happy to have my boot off with my insert out. The first thought was to slap him in the back of the head with my insert. It made everyone lose it around me. Luckily the DS was not in the room.

On a side not, I feel like I need to rename DS Tall Prick to DS Terminatior. This guys looks like he is Arnold walking through and scanning the room for anyone up. I just picture his site as an infrared screen with a grid deciding who to destroy. He was actually cool today for a while. He has been a DS for 12yrs. I think he treats us like the Army from the 1990s when things were tougher.

We went to chow, I figured out that one line has crap for food like cheese burgers while another has healthier stuff like baked chicken and fish. I tried veal today for the first time. We then headed back. The DS then ordered us to make a bunk, what to do about heat injuries, and the uniform. We then had DS Terminator go over our items and stick things we don't need for the next few days in our duffel bag and lock it up. He then went over any issues people have with their processing; clothes, equipment, and finance, etc. This is where the dumb asses came out. Some people kept doing the dumbest things to DS Terminator. One kid would mention his problem and the DS would ask him why and he would respond like a zombie. Later the kid was talking to DS Pinter (he constantly points when he talks) and when Ds Pointer asked him a question he hesitated and said "No" in a condescending tone, with no DS on the end of the statement. I thought he was gonna get punched.

We finally got released to personal time, I made a call to my wife and left a voicemail because she was doing a performance. Tomorrow is church. We also get to wear our ACUs for the first time. Hooah! I think everyone has been waiting for that. We also don't have to wake up till 0600. Never thought I would think of 6am as late wake up. I am in good spirits right now and apparently we will ship down range on Wednesday. I am looking forward to exercise. Goodnight!

05/01/2011 Reception Day 5

Wake up was supposed to be at 0600, but DS Clean decided that 0540 was when we should wake up. We then went to chow. Hard boiled eggs! Sweet! After chow, we signed up for our selected service. I signed up for confession and mass, 1200 & 1500 respectively. We were released to our barracks to clean and wait for our service. About 1030hrs, DS Clean called us into the classroom thinking he was mad. We then find out he wanted us to watch Rambo?!?! One of the goriest and violent movies I have seen in a while. The at 1115, 15 minutes before I was gonna go to confession, DS Clean lined us up for chow. I asked him about me and confession with chow and he said "either you go to chow or church, your choice." I thought that was a little crappy. I went to chow. During chow, some people saw a mouse running across the floor in the DFAC into the kitchen area. DS Easy said, "don't worry guys, it's still alive, they ain't cooking it." wow! After chow, we started watching Terminater Salvation. I didn't care, I read my Initial Entry Training (IET) Book. DS Easy released us about 1930 to the barracks. I got the chance to call my wife. I really miss her, but its not eating me up. I know the quickest way for me to see he will be to finish BCT. There are guys at the reception center who are waiting 1 to 2 months to discharge from the Army.

I had fireguard duty at 2100 to 2200 tonight. I'll take that all week. Best shift! I also just finished my BS 250 word Essay on guide lines. Now I'm going to bed.

05/02/2011 Reception Day 6

This morning, I think that my bay had a case of the Mondays, The DS small prick (now known as DS Prick), came in about 0430 when wakeup was still at 0400, and people were still sleeping. Oh shit! He then had DS Rhythm come in and toss our bay for cleaning that had not been finished. All of the Ds's were yelling at us this morning when we got into formation. I then got yelled at for doing road guard duty wrong by DS Prick's standards. I had no idea what I was doing, I just did it because no one else was at the time. No more volunteering for me I guess. Problem is, it's in my nature to volunteer rather than sit back and hide.

They had us clean for the next two hours. During that time, we came across a letter to someone from his girlfriend. The letter was pretty off the wall. The girlfriend said because she knew he would be lonely, he was allowed Bj's and Hj's...Oh man people lost it. We got back to the classroom with a senior Ds, DS Short. He asked who knew the soldiers creed, general orders,and a few other things. I raised my hand and he then had us sit down and wait for something, but none of us knew what we thought we were getting tested. Turns out, the company commander sat down and surveyed us and let us ask questions about BCT. It was actually really relaxing while everyone else was cleaning. A benefit of standing out for once.

After that, we worked on some drill and ceremony (DNC) with DS Terminator, who was being pretty cool. We then went to chow uneventful except that my spirits were fairly low because I didn't speak to my wife today, given it was our 2 yrs Anniversary, because phone privileges were revoked in the morning. We got back to the classroom and waited for them to take us to the Tricare and Ranger class while waiting, I asked SGT Crazy Eyes if I could call my wife seeing it was our anniversary. He said he would make it happen. I said thank you and sat back down. He called me back up and asked if I was ok because I was in tears. I said yes, I was just worried about her. He told me not ti feel like a sissy, and that I'm feeling normal, because he knows I'm a "hard ass" and to go to the latrine and let it out. I DID. I felt better thinking about what we would do when I get some freedom.

They then marched us to the Tricare class. It didn't help that it made me think of my wife more, but Tricare sounds like a great program though. After Tricare, DS Alright tried to sell us on the rangers and joining. It was tempting, but my wife would kill me. After every sentence by the ranger was "Alright?" I wish I counted.

We then went to chow and came back. DS Short told us we will be shipping Wednesday at 1000 hrs. to Alpha 245. I don't know what that means, but it was motivating for a shitty day. What was funny was that DS Short first told us, "Correction, Alpha. My fault right, but your bad Hooah!?!" Like say I'm wrong, but so are you because I said so. We then had our dog tags pitched at our faces. We were then released at 1930 hrs and they forgot about the phone freedom. I got to speak to my wife for a bit. Being here has made me appreciate her more that I ever, though I could and thank God for her everyday here. I did get a free ACD (Army Camo Design) Bible today from the Chaplain's table. I even read a little bit sitting here while waiting for my laundry to finish. I found that Deuteronomy ch 30 verse 6 will be a good verse for me to live by for BCT when it starts. "Be strong and good courage, fear not nor be afraid of them; for the lord thy God, he it is that cloth so with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Good night.