Boot Camp #1

F2, Sunday

October 31, 2010

Today is Forming Day 2 of Recruit Training. Yesterday, on Forming Day 1 (F1), we met our Drill Instructors for the first time; up until that point we had been with one of two Receiving Drill Instructors, and life wasn’t too bad then. I suppose I should explain…

Let’s start from the beginning: on Monday morning, I took my last trip to MEPS for an extremely brief medical inspect, a final revision of my contract, and to swear-in to active duty. By 1230, all 20101025 shippers were shuttled to the airport. A large group of USMC male shippers went their own way, since they had a flight to MCRD San Diego at 1400, leaving four for of us; myself, a female Coast Guard shipper, an Army shipper, and a Navy shipper. Our fight was to Minneapolis, MN at 2135. Unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to leave the airport. So, for 6 hours, we hung out or slept in the USO office. Then I was on my own from Minneapolis to Atlanta, GA and again to Savannah, GA. I didn’t get to Savannah until 1200 (ET) on Tuesday.

60+ shippers from around the country made their way to the Savannah airport USO where we waited until 1700 four our escorts from the depot to arrive. The fact that I was going to boot camp didn’t actually hit me until a Corporal came through the doors and started yelling at us to stand at attention.

Some time during the evening (we weren’t supposed to leave the airport for the MCRD until around 2300), ten brave souls (myself included) volunteered to leave for the depot at 2310 in a van.

Sunday, November ?

When we reached the gate at Parris Island we were all told to keep our heads down-we weren’t allowed to look at anything. Then we stopped and the doors of the van were flung open by a female Drill Instructor. She yelled at us to get out of the van and to get on the famous yellow footprints. Then of course, we were sent through the silver hatches. Thus began the all-to-famous “receiving phase”. Most of the time was spent running from room to room filling out paperwork and having gear issued. None of us slept until 8pm the next day and were given boxed lunches to eat some time during the day. It took all my energy to not fall asleep wherever we sat for long periods of time.

From Tuesday night through Friday, it was mostly the same stuff. Get up at 0330, march to chow or eat boxed lunch, go to a classroom or sit on the floor all day at medical. It became routine very quick.

Our IST came on Friday morning and I passed but I didn’t perform as well as I usually do. My run time was almost 14:00. I had a 00:37 second hang and 51 crunches. We started with about 65 recruits in our platoon-two were dropped for not being able to pass the IST.

Then came Saturday. That day we met our actual training Drill Instructor and it would be the start of our 3 days of “Forming”- the time they take to teach how to perform as a basic recruit. (Things from rifle watch to drill formation). It was tough transitioning from Receiving phase to Forming phase then to Training phase. However, now that it’s going on Training Day 6, it’s a little easier to count down the training days left to go (64), although Sundays aren’t included. Most mornings we PT with the entire series on a track and circuit course after morning chow, then go to some type of class. After that we drill, drill, drill. M16’s get heavy after a little while, I tell you what. We’ve started MCMAP and the other day we went on the bayonet assault course. It was more tiring than anything.

We get yelled at for not yelling loud enough, not moving fast enough and anything you can think of. I’ve been sent to the pit once for the hell of it and again today with the ENTIRE SERIES (our platoon (4003) and out sister platoon (4002)) because some recruit from 4002 assaulted a Drill Instructor (or something) and we were al acting like “nasty civilians”. Not one of our finer moments.

It’s not all that bad. I’m homesick, yeah, but I’m okay. I’ll write more soon.