Dear All:
Can you believe I’m beginning my 6th week at Basic Training? It’s amazing how fast time has gone by and there are always exciting things happening, even on a slow day. Today we started our Saturday by bringing wrestling mats into our bay and reviewing our MAC hand-to-hand moves. Then on the way to chow our PG collapsed—I had to run into the chow hall yelling “Man down!” to get the Drill Sergeants to help. He was sent to the hospital and we’re awaiting the results (but we think it’s just dehydration).
The rest of the morning was spent watching an Army film on suicide prevention. It rang true because I’ve already had two soldiers pull me aside this past week to talk about personal issues. It’s hard on someone to be away from their spouses and children for so long and it is wearing on everyone. But morale is still high and the end is in sight.
This weekend is slow, but next week begins “range week”, including 1) Reflexive Fire Drills, 2) Night Shoot (with night vision goggles), and our Pre-Qualification and Qualification for our M-16’s. We’ll be required to hit 23 of our 40 targets (10 rounds kneeling, 10 rounds unsupported prone, and 20 from the supported prone). 36 and up is “expert”, the highest level, and I’d love to get that honor since Dad qualified there too. But it’s really all downhill from here after this point.
It’s now 0515. I don’t even mind being on Fire Guard because we were given an extra hour of sleep going into tomorrow (2000-0600) that’s unheard of, but we think it’s because they want us to rest up going into our PT test on Monday. To date, of the 240+ soldiers in Echo Company, only 42 have completely passed. I feel good about being in that percentage, but I can’t believe that so many can’t meet the standard.
Then again, considering the mix of people here, maybe it shouldn’t be so surprising. There are so many guys in my platoon that I’ve formed instant bonds with. My bunk has become the hot spot for a lot of guys to hang out when we do get personal time, and, like high school and college, I’ve found a mutual respect among just about everyone. My bunkmate, Bourne, and I always talk about how lucky we are to get paired together instead of the 5 or 6 who have simply become “that guy” either because of their attitudes (which range from distant and totally disinterested in any kind of team concept, to ignorant and prejudiced on levels I never expected so far removed from 1963, to individuals who are so hard and aggressive that it’s safer to simply ignore them) or because of the situation they are in (I have to admit I’ve developed a slight bias against those who felt that the Army was a “last resort” – either because of the risk of going to jail, or because they needed a paycheck to support themselves and their families—and still refuse to understand the responsibility and accountability that comes from being in the Army. I know it’s still early in all of our careers, but serving in the military carries the weight of the life of the guy next to you and I just think that everyone should realize that before signing on the dotted line.
But that’s enough of my rant. And it doesn’t mean I’m not having fun and already talking about having all of our families get together for dinner during Family Day, and we’re planning annual reunions. Our Drill Sergeants tell us that the only time we’ll form faster and stronger bonds then we do here is if we are deployed. I believe it. I mean, in 6 weeks I’ve spent every minute with these guys. We’ve run together for distances most of them never thought about, hiked deep into unknown woods, coached each other after shooting, lifted each other over obstacle courses, get smoked together and rewarded together, led each other in and out of the gas chamber and stabbed each other with 18-gauge needles. And in a few weeks, the entire platoon will be entrusting Mungo and I to create a plan to keep them safe, fed, and rested while in the field for a week (FTX 3, our final challenge), all while taking live fire (with real bullets) and being shelled with gas, smoke, and flash-bangs from all of the Drill Sergeants who act as the enemy. It’s as real of simulation as there can be, culminated by a six-mile march home. As Boyd would say (the 17-year old JROTC grad from Poplar Bluff, MO) in his drawl “There’s never a dull moment, I’m not gonna lie.”
I hope all is well at home. Hopefully I’ll see you guys in a few weeks. I’m trying to work out coming home for Tony’s graduation. Gotta see that Marianist Award winner walk across the stage. Thanks again for the letters. (Matt Wendler needs to mail me again with a return address). I’ll talk to you soon.
Love, Nick
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ups and Downs
Dear All,
It’s now 0410 on what is now 24 Feb. 09, my birthday, and I am celebrating with a fire guard shift. Today was a good day for me, and an interesting one for the Titans. We rucked again today (all in preparation for our final, 13 mile road march that happens just before graduation). It was a cold morning, but since we’ve moved into “White Phase” now, the Drill Sergeants are actually affording us creative comforts like being able to wear our field jackets and our PT beanies, that’s a far cry from the treatment we had during our first week when we went out to the gas chamber on the coldest day of the year in Columbus where the only way we were able to warm ourselves was by getting smoked for not forming up correctly.
The reason we marched today was to reach the site of our FTX 1 (our first field exercise). Wakeup was at 0500 with formation at 0520. As usual, we didn’t get breakfast until we completed the 3+ mile trip. But, fortunately, our platoon is on duty squad this week – which means they are responsible for setting up equipment and chow when we travel away from our company. Even though this is extra work to coordinate for me, it guarantees I’ll get huge servings in the chow line!
After eating in the cold we moved onto our site where we would spend the day hiking through the woods of southwestern Georgia scouting out and setting up our triangular shaped patrol bases. Most of us will never see this stuff again since our company is non-infantry, but it’s interesting and fun to practice regardless. As I was ordering the 3 squads around just after we had finished our MRE’s for lunch (I had cheese tortellini – solid), I couldn’t help but think about how satisfied I felt doing this and that if I weren’t here I’d probably be in my last semester sitting in a class like Secured Transactions – I think I made the right choice.
I won’t go as far as to say we looked like Green Berets out there today (there are a surprising number of soldiers hesitant to get themselves dirty), but it was a good experience. The march back, however, was not. We road march in a staggered column at 5 meter intervals (so there are two rows on either side of the road with a man every 15 feet). If they keep their spacing it’s easy because the pace remains steady. As APG I walk down the middle and patrol the last third of our platoon. But today everyone was tired and in a hurry to get back – combine that with the fact that our Platoon was leading the company home (with our Drill Sergeants wanting to set a breakneck pace) and you ended up with us, wearing 40 lb. rucks, sprinting half-mile sections at a time to keep up. It’s no coincidence there are over 15 of them going to sick call today for their feet – or that I had to carry 2 rucks the last mile to aid a fallen solider.
But there are ups and downs. No one minded the march when we learned they were serving cake at dinner to anyone who didn’t fall out.
And so that will be my schedule for the rest of Basic Training: Wakeup, train, chow, train, chow, train, chow, mail call, personal time, lights out, and repeat.
Outside the military, I hope everything is going well. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea it was my birthday – all I could think about was how sore I was from the March. 11 of our platoon went to sick call today and two came back on crutches. What made it better was sprinting hills with Alpha group at 0530 during our Ability Group Run. Alpha is the best group and we maintained a 6:50 pace for roughly 4 miles. Needless to say the hot shower was nice tonight – even if it only lasted 3 minutes. Tomorrow we head out to the range all day to finalize our “zeros” before we begin our qualifying shoots with our M-16s. That’s an eliminator and we need to hit 23 of 40 targets to qualify – wish me luck!
Anyway, I’ll end this now so that I can get to sleep on time, but I’ll write again soon. I hope everything is going well. I did find out some info about leave: there are 15 OCS candidates in my company – 14 in 1st platoon and myself in the 2nd. I talked to some of them today and they said our class won’t start until the 27th and that I get leave. They also said we can have cell phones and laptops but that’s not confirmed. Hope the weather is getting warmer, but either way, don’t take your heat or your car for granted!
Love, Nick
PS – For all of those who are reading along with my adventures, I wanted to let you know that I am writing these letters to Matt and he is posting them for me. I have no access to computers or email – so if you want to send your thoughts and comments feel free to write a letter and mail them to me! My mailing address can be found at the bottom of my blog.
It’s now 0410 on what is now 24 Feb. 09, my birthday, and I am celebrating with a fire guard shift. Today was a good day for me, and an interesting one for the Titans. We rucked again today (all in preparation for our final, 13 mile road march that happens just before graduation). It was a cold morning, but since we’ve moved into “White Phase” now, the Drill Sergeants are actually affording us creative comforts like being able to wear our field jackets and our PT beanies, that’s a far cry from the treatment we had during our first week when we went out to the gas chamber on the coldest day of the year in Columbus where the only way we were able to warm ourselves was by getting smoked for not forming up correctly.
The reason we marched today was to reach the site of our FTX 1 (our first field exercise). Wakeup was at 0500 with formation at 0520. As usual, we didn’t get breakfast until we completed the 3+ mile trip. But, fortunately, our platoon is on duty squad this week – which means they are responsible for setting up equipment and chow when we travel away from our company. Even though this is extra work to coordinate for me, it guarantees I’ll get huge servings in the chow line!
After eating in the cold we moved onto our site where we would spend the day hiking through the woods of southwestern Georgia scouting out and setting up our triangular shaped patrol bases. Most of us will never see this stuff again since our company is non-infantry, but it’s interesting and fun to practice regardless. As I was ordering the 3 squads around just after we had finished our MRE’s for lunch (I had cheese tortellini – solid), I couldn’t help but think about how satisfied I felt doing this and that if I weren’t here I’d probably be in my last semester sitting in a class like Secured Transactions – I think I made the right choice.
I won’t go as far as to say we looked like Green Berets out there today (there are a surprising number of soldiers hesitant to get themselves dirty), but it was a good experience. The march back, however, was not. We road march in a staggered column at 5 meter intervals (so there are two rows on either side of the road with a man every 15 feet). If they keep their spacing it’s easy because the pace remains steady. As APG I walk down the middle and patrol the last third of our platoon. But today everyone was tired and in a hurry to get back – combine that with the fact that our Platoon was leading the company home (with our Drill Sergeants wanting to set a breakneck pace) and you ended up with us, wearing 40 lb. rucks, sprinting half-mile sections at a time to keep up. It’s no coincidence there are over 15 of them going to sick call today for their feet – or that I had to carry 2 rucks the last mile to aid a fallen solider.
But there are ups and downs. No one minded the march when we learned they were serving cake at dinner to anyone who didn’t fall out.
And so that will be my schedule for the rest of Basic Training: Wakeup, train, chow, train, chow, train, chow, mail call, personal time, lights out, and repeat.
Outside the military, I hope everything is going well. When I woke up this morning, I had no idea it was my birthday – all I could think about was how sore I was from the March. 11 of our platoon went to sick call today and two came back on crutches. What made it better was sprinting hills with Alpha group at 0530 during our Ability Group Run. Alpha is the best group and we maintained a 6:50 pace for roughly 4 miles. Needless to say the hot shower was nice tonight – even if it only lasted 3 minutes. Tomorrow we head out to the range all day to finalize our “zeros” before we begin our qualifying shoots with our M-16s. That’s an eliminator and we need to hit 23 of 40 targets to qualify – wish me luck!
Anyway, I’ll end this now so that I can get to sleep on time, but I’ll write again soon. I hope everything is going well. I did find out some info about leave: there are 15 OCS candidates in my company – 14 in 1st platoon and myself in the 2nd. I talked to some of them today and they said our class won’t start until the 27th and that I get leave. They also said we can have cell phones and laptops but that’s not confirmed. Hope the weather is getting warmer, but either way, don’t take your heat or your car for granted!
Love, Nick
PS – For all of those who are reading along with my adventures, I wanted to let you know that I am writing these letters to Matt and he is posting them for me. I have no access to computers or email – so if you want to send your thoughts and comments feel free to write a letter and mail them to me! My mailing address can be found at the bottom of my blog.
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