5th Letter

BCT Day 7 5/11/11

The morning was just delightful…not! Sick call was scheduled to be lined up at 0500. I got there on time. I was there for my knee and my chest crud. The company XO came by and asked each person what was wrong with them and why they had to go that day, the day of the AGR. I told him I was coughing up blood the day before and his response to me was “How about today?” I told him not much better. He shrugged and walked away. I then got more flak from another DS because he had me down for my knee and I could have gone and seen the athletic trainer, and avoid a profile. I explained that I had no idea. He then threw his clip board down and walked away. He then led us into a room and said that another DS would be with us soon to take us to sick call. We waited there for more than 45 minutes! Finally a DS came in and escorted us to the clinic. After getting into the clinic and checking in, my treatment as being sick go to be a lot nicer. I was seen fairly quickly. The nurses told me and a bunch other guys from my company were dehydrated and ordered us to get two bags of saline IV’s. I also got an X-Ray because I might have had pneumonia. The X-ray came back negative, but they think I might have had it and got through it ok. The two bags of saline felt nice though. It did help my knee feel a little bit better though. Luckily they gave me a meal kit for lunch and had to wait for a DS to come and pick me up.

 Luckily, I got back in time for my platoon to start first aid training. I thought I was going to be missing the class and read ahead in our instruction book. It just made it easier for me to follow along we basically went to different bays for different classes where the DS were being pretty funny with us. The Asian DS who pronounces splint as sprint even wrote sprint to be funny. The DS was the one that had us in tears. Every slide had a sexual joke for each slide. We were discussing tubes, mouths, and throats. I will keep the decency of my journal by not mentioning any quotes. 

After that, DS T was pretty cool with us and we got a lot of extra free time. Also, the fireguard at night (including me) had to be on alert for the DS on duty that night to be sneaking in and trying to take our rifles.

My shift was 0100-0200. As I was walking around, I heard a key in our back door. I stood back in a shadow by the door and waited. He slowly opened the door and creped in and let the door close quietly. He creped right by me and then I asked, “What can I help you with DS?” He spun around and said “Damn private you’re good” and walked out. My ninja traits finally kicked in.

BCT Day 8 5/12/11

Not a very eventful day. I am feeling a lot better and so is my knee. I did get a profile saying I would run at my own pace for a week, but I did not let that give me an excuse to wimp out on my training. My cough is mostly dry with no more green crud…yay!!

We had PRT at 0615. We did the prep exercises and for the core, and condition up drill 2. Easy stuff till the DSs had us do as many push-ups and sit ups as possible in 30 seconds about 8 times each. I am proud to say that I am one of the few people not to put my knee down here since I got here. “A little heart privates.” After that we had chow. It sucked because we had loads of sand all over us from outside and got in our food. Luckily we get free dental because we might grind out teeth that way. 

We then got to change our shirts and get ready for land navigation class. The class was more of a review because I didn’t in high school and online with the FS site. It was hard not to fall asleep though, holy crap! The rest of the day got opened to personal time for the most part because some briefs from brigade staff for us got canceled. The tone has certainly chilled a little since last week. However, there are times when the DSs do snap when people screw up on the little things that they should know.

I started using the meds the clinic gave me; light pain reliever, nasal spray, mucinex, throat lozenge, calcium supplement and pain reliever cream.

BCT Day 9 5/13/11 Confidence Course!

I did not have to do fireguard or CQ duty somehow last night, so I was able to sleep through the night somewhat. I seem to remember jumping out of my bed and snapping to parade rest for a DS. I don’t know if I was dreaming or if there was really a DS. Oh well. 

We had chow and cleaned the bay before showing up for formation. I don’t know what it is about the humidity here, but I just start sweating and my eye protection fogs up like nothing.

We then moved over to the German wall. This is a series of walls that a squad has to figure out how to get the group over. My squad went first and finished the fastest we then moved to what they call “the skyscraper.” This is a wooden 4 or 5 structure with ladders or stairs. I thought this was going to be the hardest station. Actually, it was probably the easiest and quickest station. We were supposed to do a 4^th station but the officers double booked our courses for the day. We were supposed to get to do the rappelling tower too but that got postponed as well. Overall, I didn’t know what to expect from the confidence course. It was a lot of fun and built more teamwork skills among everyone.

We then marched back. I was disappointed to see people not being able to stay in formation for 15 minutes with just our rifles. We had 3 guys slow down and not really care. I don’t know what they will do when we load up our full battle uniforms. We got back, had our chow outside. They then had us change into out PTs and do some count. We then loaded into our bay for a classroom on tactical soldier recovery. It was going well till the DS saw so many people dozing off. He then yelled and told us to go downstairs and for up. Everyone thought we were getting smoked. Turns out he had us setup a scenario outside and do teams to practice the lesson. I think we realized this would keep us engaged and awake. We then loaded into our bay again for a class on staying clean and healthy. The laughs came with the STD jokes. 

We then had to do a bleach drill. This is where we take bleach and wipe it on all visible surfaces. This meant to help stop the spread of the illnesses flying around the bay.

I had fireguard duty from 2200-2300. Not too bad of a shift. I wanted to go to sleep so badly, but made myself walk the bay to prevent falling asleep. I basically slept the rest of the night. I did wake up at 0400 instead of 0430. My sleep cycle is starting to sync for a 0400 wake up.

BCT Day 10 5/14/11

First official Army performance fitness test. Formation was for 0515 to start the push ups and sit-ups. I did 44 push ups. This was more than my requirement for basic and AIT. The last 5 or so were for my wife. I did 52 sit-ups. This is 15 more than what I needed for BCT and AIT. We then had to do the 2 mile run. I debated on not running because I’m on profile and my breathing is not back to where I wanted. I decided to do it and try my best. The road was somewhat flat and the weather was cool and moist, so it felt good. I did alright for the first mile, but during my 2^nd mile, I started coughing and hacked up blood again like I did back on Tuesday. I was able to trudge along to finish line for a 17:45. That is 15 seconds above what I needed to pass BCT. I was a little annoyed. The DSs then had us run back to the company area. 8 people including me fell out of formation. It just to be too much after the other 2 miles. The DSs then yelled at the people who fell out and took their roster numbers. The DS did remember that I was profiled and marked it down.

They then tried to stretch us out, but people were having problems remembering the sequences and that pissed DS T so much that he smoked us for about 10 minutes and degrading, firing, and screaming at people.  After he was done, we ate chow outside. After chow, we went inside to change into our ACUS and start a more in depth bleach drill. We took everything out of our lockers and cleaned the inside of the lockers. After that we took all of the lockers out to the middle of the bay and mopped under the beds and lockers. This too was a team building exercise. The problem with this bay is that there are people who want to take church when it is not their place. I'm usually the person that ends up explaining why they are wrong. We also have the egos with a chip on their shoulder. One kid has had little altercations with multiple people in the platoon. He wanted to get into a fight with me, even after I kept walking away. And people were pulling him away. He is a very sensitive, short tempered person and he is going to learn that the hard way more likely. We got called down to go and watch this interactive movie called “True loyalty and Allegiance. It’s a 3 part series for the next 3 weeks following a kid around and explaining the consequences of his actions in the army. Bad acting and easy decisions.

After that, we did more cleaning and had personal time from 1600 till about 2100. I guess we started and finished our bleach drill early. Also all but one DS left for the night. I guess they will be refreshed tomorrow and Monday. Oh well. 

BCT Day 10 5/15/11

Today was my first relaxed Sunday since even before I left for BCT. We woke up just before 0600 and formed up at 0615! We then went to chow. What’s nice now is that the DSs have allowed the PG’s to control the platoons to chow, with some minor monitoring by the DSs.

After chow, the DS told us we need to clean the bay till 0800, and after that “you so play with your ding-a-lings.” Everyone thought it was funny which I said that it was a direct order to go and masturbate.

We then just sat around writing, talking, napping (if you don’t get caught), working out, or anything to pass the time till they go to mass. At 0900, I had CQ shift for an hour. The DSs are definitely mellower on Sundays. I just hope no one screws up and the DSs decide to make us pay tomorrow.

On a side note, PVT whiney really screwed up last night. Evidently, last Sunday, he got caught buying a Gatorade and some candy at church. They gave him a second chance. Next, he got his article 15 at the obstacle course. I mentioned previously. Last night, he decided he needed to make a call badly. So bad that he got into the DSs room and stole some other persons IPhone. Someone realized that there was a phone somewhere. The E-5 in that platoon decided to talk to him. PVT Whiney was fixing his pant leg, the charger fell out. As he was going for his locker, he darted out of the platoon and outside where he ran for the woods and tossed the phone. The guys did get him. With his attempt for AWOL, there now has to be two more people on fireguard duty to watch him at night. Id hat to say it, but I called it the first night here when I first met him. I’m curious if he will get more than Article 15 for theft.

We went to lunch chow and did more of the same till about 1400 when our SDS decided to do more training and Drill and ceremony (DNC) and the rifle. I didn’t get to do a lot of the rifle because I had to leave for mass.We actually go to mass on time at 1500 and sat waited till almost 1600 before mass. I guess confessions are long and the priest said that mass doesn’t actually start till 1530. Whatever. I have never seen a priest hold a mass so quick. The DS didn’t want to come back and had us march back on our own. We got back in time for chow and to help my platoon with the company cleaning duties. Also, one of the guys on our platoon fainted and needed an ambulance. I don’t know what’s up, we will find out tomorrow.

Wow I need to finish this letter to mail and start on my assault pack for tomorrow’s leadership course (LRC). Evidently we will get dirty. We will see how much.