September 12, 2009
Camp Lejeune
12:05
T13 - Boots & Uts Run (Log Drills)
Today I wake up, suffering from major chafing that I suffered the previous day while double timing in place constantly. It actually does hurt every time I take a step. I'm talking about my testicles. The skin is actually almost broken because I really had chafed that bad the previous day.
Today are the log drills, which thankfully only take place once during the whole of Boot Camp. We run (painfully for me) to the PT field with our boots and trousers, but wearing our green sweatshirts.
We are briefed on what kinds of drills we'll be doing, and then we're broken down into squads. The shortest go to the back of a log and the tallest go to the front. I was significantly taller than the person behind me, so I was carrying more weight than I would have if the person was just slightly shorter than I was. We go around a track with the log on our right shoulder. At first it's not that bad. We do curls with the log, we do squats, etc. Then when we don't sound off loud enough we have to hold the logs above our head with our arms locked out. This gets very hard very fast.
Eventually, the ordeal is over and we go back to shower and change back into desert cammies.
Throughout the day my cough persists. I drink water, but it gets worse like it had been getting over the weekend.
At some point in the afternoon, one of our DIs informs our platoon that someone has written graffiti in the armory head across the street from the classrooms. It says "1067 T7" or something along those lines on one of the stalls. Sgt. Virto and Sgt. Saldana are furious, but we're about to go to a class, so there's not much they can do.
While sitting in the class, it hits me: a fever. It hits me like a brick wall. Suddenly my head feels detached from the rest of my body, like it's floating away. A dull throbbing headache follows that and I can barely concentrate on what we're learning.
After the class is over we're marched over to a sandy/dusty area next to the chow hall where Sgt. Virto & Saldana proceed to interrogate the platoon on who could have written the graffiti. No one confesses. They ask people to say something if they know anything.
I raise my hand in formation and suggest that it could have been Miller or one of the other recruits who had failed the piss test and been sent off. Sgt. Virto responds saying that they left before T7.
Since the Senior Drill Instructor is the only DI who can IT the entire platoon at once, Sgt. Virto & Saldana begin taking groups of ten people and ITing them in front of the formation. Eventually I'm called out, and I can't stop coughing. I can barely sound off "Aye aye, sir!" "Yes, sir!" etc. Sgt. Saldana notices this and tells me to go away before I can be ITed.
Later that night, the platoon plays games constantly. Dump out footlockers, two sheets & a blanket, etc.
This is after a previous day when Sgt. Saldana and Sgt. Virto destroyed our squad bay by having us take our shoe displays, sheets, blankets, pillows, war bags, and mattresses to the shower room after dumping out footlockers. That day, SSgt. Arzola sent them home.
This time, SSgt. Arzola is backing the DIs the whole time. No one confesses to the graffiti though.
Later, SSgt. Arzola is telling is that we should make sure we're good for tomorrow since we're getting our military IDs and if we don't get them (i.e. if we go to medical) we won't be able to get them until third phase.
I have to fill out a chit to go to medical tomorrow; I feel like absolute shit. There's no other way to put it. I haven't felt this sick in a long time, and certain suspicions are beginning to arise in my mind.
Other recruits such as O'Brien and Reoyo constantly are going to medical for illnesses and whatnot.
I stand up on the quarterdeck with the others going to medical for the hygiene inspection. I wrote "upper respiratory infection" on my chit.
T14 - Pugil Sticks II
We wake up and everything goes as normal, except those going to medical leave the platoon to go to early chow. We march off to the chow hall in a group of about four to six and eat, then march over to medical and sit outside (the same place we got our shots) in the dark, filling out sick call chits and waiting for medical to open.
Every once in a while a DI or a short angry civilian comes around and yells at us for something. Most of the corpsmen are pretty laid back, except the females for some reason.
Eventually I get called in and I have to wait in the hall behind a few other people. When its my turn I go into the office of a mild looking guy, who I believe was an E5 or HM 2. He is pretty laid back, doesn't get impatient with me or raise his voice. He asks me a bunch of questions and checks things off on a computer.
"Any decrease or loss of appetite?"
"Yes," I say, and then I realize he probably already knows what's wrong with me. I couldn't eat yesterday for dinner or this morning for breakfast. I just couldn't. I had absolutely no desire to eat at all.
"You have pneumonia," he says. Horror washes over me. This is what people get held back for in Boot Camp. I could miss Initial Drill this Friday, and that's a graduation requirement.
He writes some things down, a few prescriptions, and puts me on bed rest (Sick In Quarters) which means I get to sleep all day today. Secretly, I'm relieved, but I hold my bearing to look regretful and disappointed that I can't train.
When I finally get my medicine, it's already lunch time, so I go eat. When I get back to the squad bay, not many people are around. I'm wearing a blue face mask when I walk in so when I cough I don't spew germs everywhere. Someone's guarding the door, one of my fellow recruits. They see I'm sick and sort of nod.
I put my light duty/bed rest chit on the scribe's desk (who is Rohl, a strange guy who I haven't really described yet). Then, I take whatever pills I'm supposed to, put the medicine where it goes, and go to sleep.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Boot Camp Part 14
September 10, 2009
Camp Lejeune
21:05
T11 - Circuit Course
I don't remember doing the circuit course a second time but I guess we do it. It's possible we do different exercises or do one of the circuit runs where we stop and do stuff.
Today (Sat) is also a week from Initial Drill. We practice drill rigorously, usually on Sundays.
This is probably the fifth night we've actually gotten an hour of free time. I recall not getting any until the first Sunday, and then not until the next Wenesday (although it is possible we got it on the previous Monday).
Sometime around this area I start to develop a cough. It comes and goes, but to attempt to avoid being sick I eat two whole oranges per meal (six a day) and drink orange juice to try and boost my immune system. It doesn't help.
We're told earlier in the week that starting today, we'll be allowed to go anywhere on MCRD unaccompanied by a Drill Instructor. For instance, we'll be able to go to church by our self, or go to medical or dental without a DI. It doesn't really mean much; it's just another step closer really. As you progress through Boot Camp, small barriers are lifted.
An example would be the uniform. First you start with your collar buttoned shut and boots unbloused. You eventually blouse the boots and unbutton the collar (looking more like a real Marine).
The privilege of being able to go anywhere on the Depot would be a step closer to acting responsible like a real Marine.
Sunday
This is the first time I go to church alone. I don't recall who I go with; it could have been a number of people, or I simply could have gone alone as there were several Sundays where I did so. A lot of people went to the protestant service, which I never had any intention of going to. I am a Lutheran and always will be and would rather not go to church than go to a service that means nothing to me.
Of course other people go to the Buddhist thing where apparently you're allowed to sleep, or they go to the Muslim group or any number of things just to get away. I can guarantee that no one went to church in MCT where liberty time is a precious commodity, but in Boot Camp, there's no question of whether or not you'll go to church just to leave.
Again, there's not really much different about this Sunday. Perhaps I was getting my voice back and was actually able to sing in church again. Other than that, it was basically just a big tear fest for me. A lot of people at my stage or ahead manage to control themselves, but then a lot of new people are there as well crying and whatnot.
I don't remember what Sunday it actually was, but during the sermon I remember there are a couple recruits totally ignoring it. They've somehow managed to smuggle newspaper clippings in and are reading the sports sections.
This is typical of Lutherans: to be a part of the denomination in name only. It still made me furious though.
T12 - Confidence Course 1
The Confidence Course entails a number of things. There are a ton of different obstacles to overcome. There are the regular "low obstacles" and then the intimidating "high obstacles." Most of these appear somewhere in Full Metal Jacket whether it's actually demonstrated or just shown in the background.
Today, we do the easy "fun" obstacles. After splitting up into small groups (I went with SSgt. Arzola thankfully) we sprint to each excercise, beginning with the Dirty Name. In FMJ, this is the one that Pvt. Pyle tries to do but can't and GySgt. Hartman says "God would have put you up there if you were supposed to go up there" or something. It involves jumping across three ascending logs. It's pretty tough for me since I really hate hights, and jumping from a circular surface to the next is a challenge.
After this we probably do a swinging rope thing wich I manage. We climb over a wall. We climb up a ladder that's slanted back and then over the top and back down. We climb over a net, over the top, and back down. All of these have some strange witty, traditional name to make it sound scarier than it is. There are monkey bars which people tear their hands apart on, there's the Weaver which I never did.
I end up not having to do the skyscraper either (until the Crucible at least) which is almost a high obtacle. (It is in my opinion)
We halt training because someone falls off of it.
Camp Lejeune
21:05
T11 - Circuit Course
I don't remember doing the circuit course a second time but I guess we do it. It's possible we do different exercises or do one of the circuit runs where we stop and do stuff.
Today (Sat) is also a week from Initial Drill. We practice drill rigorously, usually on Sundays.
This is probably the fifth night we've actually gotten an hour of free time. I recall not getting any until the first Sunday, and then not until the next Wenesday (although it is possible we got it on the previous Monday).
Sometime around this area I start to develop a cough. It comes and goes, but to attempt to avoid being sick I eat two whole oranges per meal (six a day) and drink orange juice to try and boost my immune system. It doesn't help.
We're told earlier in the week that starting today, we'll be allowed to go anywhere on MCRD unaccompanied by a Drill Instructor. For instance, we'll be able to go to church by our self, or go to medical or dental without a DI. It doesn't really mean much; it's just another step closer really. As you progress through Boot Camp, small barriers are lifted.
An example would be the uniform. First you start with your collar buttoned shut and boots unbloused. You eventually blouse the boots and unbutton the collar (looking more like a real Marine).
The privilege of being able to go anywhere on the Depot would be a step closer to acting responsible like a real Marine.
Sunday
This is the first time I go to church alone. I don't recall who I go with; it could have been a number of people, or I simply could have gone alone as there were several Sundays where I did so. A lot of people went to the protestant service, which I never had any intention of going to. I am a Lutheran and always will be and would rather not go to church than go to a service that means nothing to me.
Of course other people go to the Buddhist thing where apparently you're allowed to sleep, or they go to the Muslim group or any number of things just to get away. I can guarantee that no one went to church in MCT where liberty time is a precious commodity, but in Boot Camp, there's no question of whether or not you'll go to church just to leave.
Again, there's not really much different about this Sunday. Perhaps I was getting my voice back and was actually able to sing in church again. Other than that, it was basically just a big tear fest for me. A lot of people at my stage or ahead manage to control themselves, but then a lot of new people are there as well crying and whatnot.
I don't remember what Sunday it actually was, but during the sermon I remember there are a couple recruits totally ignoring it. They've somehow managed to smuggle newspaper clippings in and are reading the sports sections.
This is typical of Lutherans: to be a part of the denomination in name only. It still made me furious though.
T12 - Confidence Course 1
The Confidence Course entails a number of things. There are a ton of different obstacles to overcome. There are the regular "low obstacles" and then the intimidating "high obstacles." Most of these appear somewhere in Full Metal Jacket whether it's actually demonstrated or just shown in the background.
Today, we do the easy "fun" obstacles. After splitting up into small groups (I went with SSgt. Arzola thankfully) we sprint to each excercise, beginning with the Dirty Name. In FMJ, this is the one that Pvt. Pyle tries to do but can't and GySgt. Hartman says "God would have put you up there if you were supposed to go up there" or something. It involves jumping across three ascending logs. It's pretty tough for me since I really hate hights, and jumping from a circular surface to the next is a challenge.
After this we probably do a swinging rope thing wich I manage. We climb over a wall. We climb up a ladder that's slanted back and then over the top and back down. We climb over a net, over the top, and back down. All of these have some strange witty, traditional name to make it sound scarier than it is. There are monkey bars which people tear their hands apart on, there's the Weaver which I never did.
I end up not having to do the skyscraper either (until the Crucible at least) which is almost a high obtacle. (It is in my opinion)
We halt training because someone falls off of it.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Boot Camp Part 13
September 6, 2009
Camp Lejeune
17:21
T8 - Circuit Course
I remember this day pretty well. It was the day that Kinney joined the platoon. He's a recruit who's been held back for a few weeks (maybe even a month) because he got sick. In boot camp if you get sick bad enough and miss enough training days you'll be sent to MRP or PCP to recover and then you'll have to wait to get picked up with another training platoon. In Kinney's case, he picked up back on T8 where he left off last time. I can't even imagine how it must feel to be there longer than you have to.
Kinney immediatley volunteers to become a squad leader and remains one for the rest of recruit training. He was the first Lutheran to become a squad leader. At this point, people were getting fired left and right and I think Samuels had failed to get a count of recruits after chow, so Syer was made the guide.
Syer and Samuels alternated in their positions as guide several times before Syer ultimately became the guide of 1067.
Like I mentioned previously, Truitt had been there for about a month before I entered boot camp.
Anyway, the circuit course is pretty pointless, even looking back on it. It involves a lot of physical activity in between exercises. Wait, let me correct myself. All we do in between exercises is scream and "in place double time" which means run in place. It's obnoxious to have to war cry from station to station...but it's only the 8th training day and it's only just begun for us.
The circuit course involves doing push-ups with your feet up on a step behind you while blood rushes to your head. There's some dumbbells to do curls and military presses while standing as well. We walk up and down steps while holding an ammo can in each hand. If we don't sound off we have to hold the ammo cans out in front of us with our arms locked out and parallel to the deck.
This goes on for maybe an hour. There are certain regulations for recruits being outside in the sun for a certain amount of time. I don't think I was able to complete every exercise, but like I said, it was all pretty pointless anyway and I didn't care.
Later, we're practicing drill. The previous night, Sgt. Virto called someone out when we secured the head. He'd seen someone laughing and the person didn't confess. He knew who they were, but they didn't come out with it. Sgt. Virto didn't say anything; he just let them carry it on their own concious. While we're drilling, someone laughs again when we're in a school circle. Sgt. Virto marches out in front of us demonstrating a movement. He power walks through the platoon and comes face to face with Weinmann, who I end up loathing.
Weinmann is the perfect example of a spoiled brat who probably never worked a real job in his life. Why he enlisted in the Marine Corps instead of getting his parents to pay for college, I'll never know and I hope I never encounter him again. Sgt. Virto says something along the lines of, "You're the liar from last night" or whatever. Weinmann is a total asshole, and when he makes some comment about me screwing up when we're drilling I simply respond with some comment about him being a scumbag.
I believe this moment is when I first start breaking down. Many people refer to First Phase as the "Breaking You Down Phase" while in 2nd and 3rd phase you're built back up.
T9 - Obstacle Course
The Obstacle Course is never referred to as such. It's called the O-Course (as the Endurance Course on Lejeune is called the E-Course. The Marine Corps loves destroying the English language). The O-Course involves mainly jumping over logs, pulling yourself over pull-up bars, sliding down bars, climbing over walls, and then finally climbing up and down a rope at the end.
We're formed up alongside the O-Course in a mass formation as a DI instructs us on how to do it and a few Drill Instructors demonstrate it in their PT gear.
It begins with a bar that's maybe two feet higher than my head. One of the ways to do it is roll backwards, bringing your feet over your head. This is called the "college boy roll," and I don't even bother trying it. I just hold onto the bar and walk my legs up one of the side poles holding it up to flip over it. The rest is pretty simple, jumping over logs, jumping over walls, slinding down some bars.
When I get to the rope I kind of freak out. I got my same 17 pull-ups that I alway got as a poolie in the initial IST, but I've been getting weaker here due to the lack of actual weight training.
I begin climbing the rope with SSgt. Arzola watching me. I get maybe 3/4 of the way before getting extremely tired.
Some Corpsman on the ground looks up at me and says, "Look at how skinny you are. You should be done already."
I don't make it to the top and for the rest of the day my wrists are killing me.
T-10 Counters to Strikes
Since I hate MCMAP and I hate talking about it, I'm not really going to say anything. As I haven't been to Boot Camp in a year, my memory if each individual day has faded and I don't know what else to say about this day.
If I had my Green Monster knowledge I could elaborate on some of the classes we were receiving,
No doubt by this time we were at First Aid III (out of 5) and probably History II or III.
Incidentally, here's a picture of Sgt. Saldana, my kill hat. You can't see his face.
Camp Lejeune
17:21
T8 - Circuit Course
I remember this day pretty well. It was the day that Kinney joined the platoon. He's a recruit who's been held back for a few weeks (maybe even a month) because he got sick. In boot camp if you get sick bad enough and miss enough training days you'll be sent to MRP or PCP to recover and then you'll have to wait to get picked up with another training platoon. In Kinney's case, he picked up back on T8 where he left off last time. I can't even imagine how it must feel to be there longer than you have to.
Kinney immediatley volunteers to become a squad leader and remains one for the rest of recruit training. He was the first Lutheran to become a squad leader. At this point, people were getting fired left and right and I think Samuels had failed to get a count of recruits after chow, so Syer was made the guide.
Syer and Samuels alternated in their positions as guide several times before Syer ultimately became the guide of 1067.
Like I mentioned previously, Truitt had been there for about a month before I entered boot camp.
Anyway, the circuit course is pretty pointless, even looking back on it. It involves a lot of physical activity in between exercises. Wait, let me correct myself. All we do in between exercises is scream and "in place double time" which means run in place. It's obnoxious to have to war cry from station to station...but it's only the 8th training day and it's only just begun for us.
The circuit course involves doing push-ups with your feet up on a step behind you while blood rushes to your head. There's some dumbbells to do curls and military presses while standing as well. We walk up and down steps while holding an ammo can in each hand. If we don't sound off we have to hold the ammo cans out in front of us with our arms locked out and parallel to the deck.
This goes on for maybe an hour. There are certain regulations for recruits being outside in the sun for a certain amount of time. I don't think I was able to complete every exercise, but like I said, it was all pretty pointless anyway and I didn't care.
Later, we're practicing drill. The previous night, Sgt. Virto called someone out when we secured the head. He'd seen someone laughing and the person didn't confess. He knew who they were, but they didn't come out with it. Sgt. Virto didn't say anything; he just let them carry it on their own concious. While we're drilling, someone laughs again when we're in a school circle. Sgt. Virto marches out in front of us demonstrating a movement. He power walks through the platoon and comes face to face with Weinmann, who I end up loathing.
Weinmann is the perfect example of a spoiled brat who probably never worked a real job in his life. Why he enlisted in the Marine Corps instead of getting his parents to pay for college, I'll never know and I hope I never encounter him again. Sgt. Virto says something along the lines of, "You're the liar from last night" or whatever. Weinmann is a total asshole, and when he makes some comment about me screwing up when we're drilling I simply respond with some comment about him being a scumbag.
I believe this moment is when I first start breaking down. Many people refer to First Phase as the "Breaking You Down Phase" while in 2nd and 3rd phase you're built back up.
T9 - Obstacle Course
The Obstacle Course is never referred to as such. It's called the O-Course (as the Endurance Course on Lejeune is called the E-Course. The Marine Corps loves destroying the English language). The O-Course involves mainly jumping over logs, pulling yourself over pull-up bars, sliding down bars, climbing over walls, and then finally climbing up and down a rope at the end.
We're formed up alongside the O-Course in a mass formation as a DI instructs us on how to do it and a few Drill Instructors demonstrate it in their PT gear.
It begins with a bar that's maybe two feet higher than my head. One of the ways to do it is roll backwards, bringing your feet over your head. This is called the "college boy roll," and I don't even bother trying it. I just hold onto the bar and walk my legs up one of the side poles holding it up to flip over it. The rest is pretty simple, jumping over logs, jumping over walls, slinding down some bars.
When I get to the rope I kind of freak out. I got my same 17 pull-ups that I alway got as a poolie in the initial IST, but I've been getting weaker here due to the lack of actual weight training.
I begin climbing the rope with SSgt. Arzola watching me. I get maybe 3/4 of the way before getting extremely tired.
Some Corpsman on the ground looks up at me and says, "Look at how skinny you are. You should be done already."
I don't make it to the top and for the rest of the day my wrists are killing me.
T-10 Counters to Strikes
Since I hate MCMAP and I hate talking about it, I'm not really going to say anything. As I haven't been to Boot Camp in a year, my memory if each individual day has faded and I don't know what else to say about this day.
If I had my Green Monster knowledge I could elaborate on some of the classes we were receiving,
No doubt by this time we were at First Aid III (out of 5) and probably History II or III.
Incidentally, here's a picture of Sgt. Saldana, my kill hat. You can't see his face.
To All Followers
September 6, 2009
Camp Lejeune
17:15
I was just copying and pasting all of my entries into Word to see what kind of a word count it would come up with. I noticed that there were a lot more comments made then I initially noticed. My apologies for being so slow with this blog between March and August. I was just in a poor state of mind and really didn't feel like working on anything, but recently I've been getting myself back into a writing routine, so things should come more regularly.
Unfortunately, it seems like some of you are already in Boot Camp now...
I don't really know what to say other than good luck. You'll see this message when you come back. Hopefully you'll follow through with reading this. I have a lot more material to offer about the Marine Corps than just boot camp, as I'm almost a whole year behind myself as far as where I want to be with this blog.
My goal is just to catch up with where I'm currently at and this means posting entries covering September 08 through September 09!
I'll get on that...starting now.
By the way, up through Part 12, this blog contains at least 32,000 words and covered 61 pages in microsoft word.
Camp Lejeune
17:15
I was just copying and pasting all of my entries into Word to see what kind of a word count it would come up with. I noticed that there were a lot more comments made then I initially noticed. My apologies for being so slow with this blog between March and August. I was just in a poor state of mind and really didn't feel like working on anything, but recently I've been getting myself back into a writing routine, so things should come more regularly.
Unfortunately, it seems like some of you are already in Boot Camp now...
I don't really know what to say other than good luck. You'll see this message when you come back. Hopefully you'll follow through with reading this. I have a lot more material to offer about the Marine Corps than just boot camp, as I'm almost a whole year behind myself as far as where I want to be with this blog.
My goal is just to catch up with where I'm currently at and this means posting entries covering September 08 through September 09!
I'll get on that...starting now.
By the way, up through Part 12, this blog contains at least 32,000 words and covered 61 pages in microsoft word.
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