Day 11-15

Day 11: 1/27/10
Yesterday we did some team building events and rifle stuff. We had to road march with all our gear (rucksack, ACH, helmet, FLIK, vest M16*that he named Amy*) about a mile. I thought my feet were getting used to these boots but by right foot on this march started to hurt due to a blister. At the end of the day my skin had rubbed off the heel. Oh well.

We started out learning range procedure. Properly sighting targets. Then how to sight, post, sprawl. Pretty much you’re walking or running, you see the enemy, get into an offensive stance pointing the weapon at the enemy, squat down sticking one hand on the ground, then kick the legs out to a sprawl. Kind of cool.

After lunch we went to a sort of obstacle course as squads and had to manipulate them as a team in a certain amount of time. It would be hard to explain, so I won’t. We didn’t complete it, but came close.

We marched back for chow, had another combat life saving course, then personal time. Spent it writing the freaking Soldier’s Creed.

Day 12: 1/28/10
Today we were at the firing range to group. We got 18 shots and have to get 6 consecutive shots to qualify our grouping. The range is 25 meters away and we are aiming at a target made to be a similar size as if we were shooting at 300 meters. My first 6 shots were close but not quite in the 4 cm circle to be considered “grouped” but after that, I was right on, so I grouped my weapon the M-16 doesn’t have a whole lot of recoil either. It was weird when the round discharges, really all the shooter hears is the buffer spring absorbing the recoil. Pretty interesting.

There is a soldier in our platoon who shot too early and his ass is grass. He is gonna get an Article 15, which sucks. Feel bad for the guy. He is a good kid. Not sure what happened, but either way it’s poopy.

Right now we are waiting for the rest of the company to finish up shooting. We just had lunch and now we wait. I really hope I can do well when it comes to qualifying. It would be coo

Well the people who haven’t grouped are shooting again the rest of us are sitting in the bleachers. This is boring. Then the soldiers start talking and the DS’s get pissed at us. I know it’s red phase and all, but this is retarded sometimes.

We left the range and came back to the barracks. DS Logan was doing question and answer thing. She went down to check for mail cause everyone seems to think the DS’s hold our mail. Well, she came back with a big ‘ole garbage bag full of mail and like 6 packages. So yeah, they have been holding on to it. I got 3 letters from Amy (big smile face) and one from Abe. That was nice. Amy wrote a novel which I enjoyed reading. After reading some mail I finished up cleaning my weapon, showered, then off to bed. I have fireguard tonight.

Day 13: 1/29/10
Today was a busy day. We started out early and marched to our “Fit to Win” obstacle course. It was about 3 miles to the course and we were in full combat gear again. Ruck sack, FLC, SCH, and M-16. This time my ruck weighs a lot more cause of the extra stuff they want us to bring. The march isn’t bad, but again these stupid boots are shredding my heals. At the end of the day I had 2 monster blisters on my heels that popped and the skin worn away. I am glad it’s Sunday soon so I can wear my winter boots cause they are way more comfy.

The obstacle course was fun. There were about 20 different obstacles we had to negotiate. We ran the course as squads and the times of the four squads are added up and the platoon with the shortest time wins. Well our platoon won (smile). We smoked the other three platoons by at least 10 minutes. We had a female in our squad who jacked her ankle pretty bad. She is either gonna have to sit around till it heals and then finish Basic, or get discharged.

After the “Fit to Win” we marched up the road to the gas chamber. This is kind of a nervous excitement time. I am looking forward to it but at the same time nervous cause I know it’s nasty stuff. But then again I have never done anything like this so let’s get it on. We get a quick briefing on what we are about to do and what we need to do to pass.

We are lined up by platoons and since we are 1st Platoon we were first in the chamber. We walk into this room with the platoon divided on either side. Gas is floating around everywhere. Already I can feel the tingling on my neck. The first thing we have to do is break the seal on our gas mask; say our name, rank, and social security number, close the mask, reseal, and then clear the mask. So I take a deep breath, close my eyes, break the seal and say the required stuff. Sealed my mask and things were pretty good. There is still some of the CS gas in the mask, but not enough to freak you out.

Some soldiers couldn’t do that, they were already hacking and coughing. But they eventually got under control. This soldier behind me was freaking out so I was calming him down I can tell the next part coming up is gonna suck.

Now they line us up in 2 rows of 10 and we have to take the mask off and recite the Soldiers Creed. Just before I take the mask off I take a deep breath to hopefully recite it in one breath. Well, once the mask was off and I started to recite I tood a breath out of natual reaction when one begins speaking well, I ony got the frist sentence out, then I was bent over hacking and coughing and spitting and snot running down my nose. I kept my eyes closed so no tears. So here I am bent over, can’t breath, the snot just running down my nose. I didn’t think I was gonna make it when we finally get the clear to head out once outside the effects of the gas are dissipated very quickly. Finally I can breathe but sill hacking up saliva and snot out the nose. So we walk down this hill flapping our arms like birds to help rid us of the CS gas in the clothes. Finally I am getting back to normal.

Almost everyone has snot hanging on their nose. We are told not to touch our faces cause it will make matter worse if we do. What a trip that was, definitely suckie, but a fun experience nonetheless.

Once all 4 platoons ere through DS Byles told us e are going through again cause it’s something the “Ruff Riders, 1st Platoons” do. Oh fun. So back up to the chamber we go. But at least the chamber has aired out some. The plan is, go inside the chamber and all of us have to do 10 pushups. We have to wait till everyone gets in to start. I am one of the first ones in and this time around I have my eyes open. It takes a few moments before I start to feel the effects, but yeah, it still sucks. It is even worse with the eyes open. The gas smells like fireworks and pepper spray on steroids. We crank out our 10 pushups and the whole snot, spitting, coughing thing is in full swing again. It was definitely a pride thing too, cause no other platoon went through again. So as we were leaving the area, we held our heads a little bit higher.

Once back e started a class on land navigation. This I am looking forward to. It will be coold to be able to land navigate military style. I mean, I did some in Boy Scouts, but this is Military Navigating.

Day 15: 1/31/10 Sunday
Right now I am sitting in church. Coming to church is a nice break and good way to relax. Plus I get my emails from the elder missionaries. So far the only ones to email are Amy and my mom. The rest of you need to email me. I may not be able to write you back, but trust me, I appreciate it very much.

Yesterday kind of sucked. We were going to a PT Assessment but it was raining so that got aced and we did normal PT in our platoon area. It’s freaking cold here. The humidity suck. When it’s cold and rainy, that eats right through the layers. Today is sunny though.

We had our first bay inspection yesterday by the 1st SGT well, needless to say, we failed. No bay passed. But it is the first inspection. We stand in front of our locker as the 1st SGT walks u and down and inspects each soldier. He would stop on some and drill them with questions, especially if something was crappy with their uniform or locker. Guess I was squared away enough cause he took a quick look, check something, and went on his merry way. This is how it works, we get drilled and fail cause we didn’t have everything the same way as a team. So they yell and curse and are told the smoking is gonna happen (which probably will today), but next time we know what to do so we should pass. I guess in the female bay some female took a dump and didn’t flush, so it was floating there when the 1st SGT inspecting and he was pissed. That’s pretty funny.

We had another bay meeting about getting our act together as a team. We really need to otherwise we will be stuck in red phase which will suck. I sure hope we can get it together. We have a group that just can’t stop goofing around. Any little bit of freedom we get they are joking around, farting, etc. they are laughing and it’s frustrating cause this is where we need the discipline. We need new leadership too. Our bay leader sucks, our PG sucks. I think the only reason why she was made PG is cause her husband is in the military and the DS wants to give her some leadership or feels obligated. I don’t know, but she sucks. She won’t march us and usually cops an attitude when we talk. What a wench.

Just talked to another soldier who was in the same RSP company back in UT and is a week ahead of me, he says they just went to the white phase yesterday and they are having the same issues that we are going through. That’s some relief to hear, but we will see for sure.

Anyways, I’m gonna go. Gotta get this week’s worth of entries sent out.
Late.