Next set of journal

2/2/10 Sat
So it has been a few days since I last wrote, but we have been pretty busy. As I said, I didn’t get my Hawkeye goal, but I did shoot expert, which I am very pleased about.

Later that night after we got back to the company and 1st SGT tallied up the scored from each platoon, we formed up downstairs to find out who was the best shooting platoon the prize is a pizza party on Sunday, movies and our cell phone (smile face). A lot of people in our platoon didn’t think we would win cause it didn’t seem like we had that may experts or sharpshooters. As the 1st SGT was reading the results, he announced a two way tie for 2nd place, which was 2nd and 4th platoon and the 1st place platoon is 1st platoon, which is my platoon. Freaking right on! I was really surprised we won I there was 6% difference between 1st place and 4th place, so it was really close, but we won it. Granted we can do something to tick the DS’s off and they will take it away, but right now so far so good.

Let’s see what else has happened. Oh, when we came back from BRM, bunks were tossed everywhere. If someone’s bunk looked like crap, it was tossed. Mine wasn’t (smile). Once soldiers fixed it and we left our bay for some other training, a DS went through and checked again. A couple of the same soldiers were tossed again. It really isn’t that hard to make a bed, and make it look good. Oh, the one soldier who doesn’t shower…a DS female saw inside his locker last night and tore him a new one. I guess he has pies of dirty laundry in there. He even started using another locker to store stuff. His laundry bag was stuffed, almost busting the seams after he put his infected clothes in there. This morning when we came back from our PT test, his locker was tipped over, bunk tossed, crap everywhere. It was rather humorous. I don’t think this kid is gonna last. I say that cause he threatened another soldier who has been trying to help him. That soldier is obligated to report it. Other soldiers heard it too. So yeah, that should get him kicked out.

While at the range we were required to keep our bolt locked back. If someone was caught with it forward, instant Article 15. Well I think total I all there were a dozen or so who were busted. I think they only received a counseling statement though, with like three days of extra duty. That kind of sucks.

Yesterday we went to the confidence course. It is, for the most part, a chance to have some fun while also using team building. It is a big course too but we only did five of the obstacles. We ended up only doing three of them before a different company showed up. It kind of sucked, I didn’t get to do the zip line. I did do the one where you climb maybe two stories, then have to slide down this robe, head first, upside down. It was pretty cool. It wears the hands and forearms out real quick.i don’t think we will be going back either, poopy.

I am finally getting over this freaking cold. I was able to get a good night’s rest last night without waking up to cough or cause my throat is so dry cause my nose is all stuffy. I still have a little bit of a cough, but nothing to worry about. We went to the PX today and I bought some cough drops. Hopefully a couple more days and I will be better. Then I can eat the cough drops like candy.

So I learned a nice lesson last night. I kind of already knew it, but in the moment it just slipped my mind. We were in company formation about to get our usual brief for the PT test. Another soldier and I had to go dig through this plastic crate to find something. Well, DS Shortty had his “smokey the bear” had sitting on top of the box and I grabbed it to get in the crate. Well, I wasn’t going to set it on the ground, so I held on to it. Well it didn’t take long till one DS saw it in my hand and old DS Shortty. Well he spun right around, got this look in his eye like I just touched the Holy Grail, called me out to the front where he was at giving the briefing and made me get in the front leaning rest position. If you don’t know what that is, it’s the start of the pushup position. So he asks why I was “contaminating” his hat. I told him I thought it was better than setting it on the ground. Well he asked me that like five more times, each time walking a bit closer to me to where he was right in front of me and then squats down and moves his hat right in front of my face. There he proceeds to recite some stuff as an apology to his hat that I have to repeat. It was stuff he was making up, but still pretty funny. After my “apology” I have to “knock out 25.” So after 25 pushups and staying in the front leaning rest position for a bit, I am allowed to continue on. So yeah, that was in front of the company. Lesson learned . Never touch a DS’s hat, EVER!

Today besides the PT test, which was the first 2-2-2 test, we haven’t done a whole lot. Got haircuts, PX, was issues the M68 “CCO” (close combat optic), which is a red dot sight, and now in a class learning about these and the NVG’s 14. We mounted out M68’s on our M16’s and I think later we get our NVG’s (night vision goggles), which attach to our ACH. Some fun stuff.

Yesterday our bay was issued the M249 SAW, M240B, and the .50 caliber machine gun. We get to shoot all those this coming Friday (smile). The 240B is a beast, but the .50 cal is a freaking monster. Should be fun.

I guess on Thursday we head back to 120th, which is where I spent my first few days at reception, to get our class A uniforms. That means we are getting closer to graduation (smile). Plus I should get my “Expert” badge for shooting on expert (smile).

2/21/10 Sunday
Right now I am at church. What a nice break from the platoon it is. Just before I left, we were given our cell phones for the day (smile). Plus we wrote down our pizza orders. The TV was wheeled out ready for movies. I don’t have my cell phone here with me. I didn’t think that would be smart and my suspicion was confirmed when I asked Female DS what I should do about it and she said to leave it in the bay. No worries, I locked it up and it will be sitting there when I get back. I did talk to Amy for a few minutes though, very nice.

Last night while we were zeroing out M68’s in the bay, DS Lead came in and wanted to have a talk with us about PT scores. Sounded like we screwed those up. He didn’t look happy and we were ready for a nice butt chewing. He read the stats for each platoon and when he read ours, turns out we were the best platoon in PT as well! That’s freaking awesome. DS Lead told us that he didn’t think we could do it, but we pulled it out so by now his serious tone took on a humorous tone. He is always doing that to us. Being all serious and makes it seem like we are in trouble or we suck at something, but then it turns out he is pulling our chains. Pretty funny.

I took some pictures with my cell phone for the few minutes I had it before leaving. I will send them to Amy and maybe get them posted. (Amy writing…never got them, bummer)

Well I got to talk to a few people before DS came in and took them away from us. He is getting back at us cause we kicked his platoon’s butt at BRM. He is the only DS here so he is in charge. He doesn’t want us letting the whole company use our cell phones. Yeah, ok butt hole, we are stuck in our bay, can’t go anywhere. Besides, we were all busy on our cell phones, you really think we are gonna let someone else use our cell phone? Freaking ree-ree. Oh well, I did talk to some people, so I am happy. Well, that’s it for this week.