Hey everybody, Chris here again! I'm finally out of Basic, and about a week thru Advanced Individual Training, or AIT. Life is much different here at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. Instead of 24/7 Drill Sergeant presence, they only really deal with us at the barracks. When we leave for school, we are under the instructor's charge, and generally the instructors are pretty lax. Our current instructor, Sgt. Grimes, is very laid back. And unlike the drill sergeants, he acts like a human being, with his own cares and concerns. He's here to teach us skills, not discipline. I really enjoy that attitude, since I have a high level of discipline anyway.
We even get free time after school and on the weekends. Yes, we have to take care of the barracks and the occasional busywork detail, but we can do just about anything on free time. The only frustrating part so far is when the drill sergeant on CQ for the night decides to play with formation times and uniforms.
"Formation is 21:15 in PT's."
"No, wait, it's 19:30 in BDU's."
"Why are you forming up? Formation isn't until 20:45 in PT's!"
You get the picture.
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Friday, August 12, 2005
BCT Graduation
From journal entry:
The air was charged with excitement this morning as we got ready. We got our personal effects and cell phones back, and people saw their opportunity for last minute pictures and exchanging of addresses. We caught the motor move to Hilton Field where we marched in proudly. The ceremony was short and sweet, and the pass and review was our moment to shine. We were released, and I found Mom and Ashley. The graduates were required to take the bus back to the company, but we met back up there.
Sign-out took forever, but eventually we got off-base. We ate lunch, and I had the first real burger I'd eaten in two months. We shopped for a short bit, and then went and just rested at Mom and Ashley's hotel room. I felt bad not doing something more interesting with them, but they told me they were there to enjoy my company, no matter where or what we were doing.
The last two days were a great visit, and not nearly long enough But I guess it's time to start looking forward again. I was told that 90% of the graduates will see Iraq, so I need to be ready. Time to learn my trade at AIT.
The air was charged with excitement this morning as we got ready. We got our personal effects and cell phones back, and people saw their opportunity for last minute pictures and exchanging of addresses. We caught the motor move to Hilton Field where we marched in proudly. The ceremony was short and sweet, and the pass and review was our moment to shine. We were released, and I found Mom and Ashley. The graduates were required to take the bus back to the company, but we met back up there.
Sign-out took forever, but eventually we got off-base. We ate lunch, and I had the first real burger I'd eaten in two months. We shopped for a short bit, and then went and just rested at Mom and Ashley's hotel room. I felt bad not doing something more interesting with them, but they told me they were there to enjoy my company, no matter where or what we were doing.
The last two days were a great visit, and not nearly long enough But I guess it's time to start looking forward again. I was told that 90% of the graduates will see Iraq, so I need to be ready. Time to learn my trade at AIT.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Family Day
From journal entry:
I finally got to see Mom and Ashley after 10 weeks of hardly talking to them. It was incredible to see the, even with so little to do. We were restricted to the base, so we checked out the PX and the Ft. Jackson museum. It was hard to let them go for the night.
I finally got to see Mom and Ashley after 10 weeks of hardly talking to them. It was incredible to see the, even with so little to do. We were restricted to the base, so we checked out the PX and the Ft. Jackson museum. It was hard to let them go for the night.
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Inspection 4
From journal entry:
Today was a frantic attempt to get the bay ready for Inspection 4. We had to dress the bunks in our TA-50, plus prepare our Class B uniforms. IN4 itself was hellish. Standing at parade rest for an hour is not fun, especially in those patent leather shoes. But we got pizza, candy and soda afterward. Woot!
Today was a frantic attempt to get the bay ready for Inspection 4. We had to dress the bunks in our TA-50, plus prepare our Class B uniforms. IN4 itself was hellish. Standing at parade rest for an hour is not fun, especially in those patent leather shoes. But we got pizza, candy and soda afterward. Woot!
Sunday, August 7, 2005
End of Victory Forge
From journal entry:
The rest of Victory Forge was uneventful, and we marched back Friday night. Saturday was spent inventorying and cleaning TA50.
This morning was my makeup PT test. I passed easily: 38 pushups, 61 situps and 16:21 two-mile run. I should've run faster, but I was trying to pace Kelley. After 4 laps (1 mile), our time was 9 minutes. I had to leave him behind. I don't think he'll pass before graduation.
I felt so glad about passing that instead of watching movies with the platoon, I donated blood at a drive for the 82nd Airborne. Woohoo!
The rest of Victory Forge was uneventful, and we marched back Friday night. Saturday was spent inventorying and cleaning TA50.
This morning was my makeup PT test. I passed easily: 38 pushups, 61 situps and 16:21 two-mile run. I should've run faster, but I was trying to pace Kelley. After 4 laps (1 mile), our time was 9 minutes. I had to leave him behind. I don't think he'll pass before graduation.
I felt so glad about passing that instead of watching movies with the platoon, I donated blood at a drive for the 82nd Airborne. Woohoo!
Thursday, August 4, 2005
More Victory Forge
From journal entry:
It's been a relatively uneventful few days out here in the field. Training has been scheduled, but we never get to do it before heat stand-down. However, last night we were able to run Operation Kill Bill. DS Latta led us on a 5-ton dismount and counterattack, a road march, recon, and a hike through dense woodlands in pitch dark.
Today we had NBC training. We were in the process of staying masked for one hour before heat stand-down forced us to unmask. Bummer. The Sergeant Major of the Army, SMA Preston visited our company, but I didn't get to see him.
It's been a relatively uneventful few days out here in the field. Training has been scheduled, but we never get to do it before heat stand-down. However, last night we were able to run Operation Kill Bill. DS Latta led us on a 5-ton dismount and counterattack, a road march, recon, and a hike through dense woodlands in pitch dark.
Today we had NBC training. We were in the process of staying masked for one hour before heat stand-down forced us to unmask. Bummer. The Sergeant Major of the Army, SMA Preston visited our company, but I didn't get to see him.
Monday, August 1, 2005
Anzio Convoy Live Fire
We ran dry, blank, and finally live-fire runs of the Anzio course. The drill sergeants were very concerned about safety, particularly since we'd have live rounds chambered while dismounting the 5-ton truck. Everything went well, and the IED simulation was very good to run. As dusk fell, we started the Squad Night Fire to practice relief-in-place and Quick Reaction Forces. It was about 2300 when we finished and we figured they'd just move us back to the company, but instead we moved to the victory forge site, marched the 1/2 mile back to the site, made camp and slept.
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