First Drill Weekend

Okay, update time. Took me long enough, right? So last weekend Fri-Sun was my first drill weekend (my regular monthly work) for the army. I got there the first day at 0700 and had no idea what to expect. I was thrilled when I found the right building on the first try! We went out to formation, and we listened to announcements while standing at attention. I even went up and was introduced.

After that I was told I was going to work with Sgt. Lindsey, the base network guy. He also had another private under him, Pvt. Vaughn, and the two of us made to be pretty quick friends. He's about my same age, was also in marching band (he went to Littleton High), and switched between snare and tenor drumming. He had a lot of stories about being in a rescue corps, and growing up with his dad in the Army. (He fondly recounts taking MRE (field ration) sack lunches to school, apparently the hot dogs are pretty good.)

I also got to meet First Sergeant Rusher, basically my manager. When I have logistical or other kinds of problems, she said she's the one to talk to. She's an extremely nice lady, and I think she's probably a career soldier and mother. She's businesslike most of the time, and it seems she can arrange anything you could possibly need, but she also appreciates a good joke. I really like knowing that she's helping me out.

As for the weekend itself, it was pretty dull. Friday, I helped Sgt. Lindsey and Pvt. Vaughn clean out a couple of their computer storage closets, then we set up tables in a huge room called the drill hall, then set up computers and network cabling in that room. I got to watch all of the higher personnel prepare some equipment for the firing range, which is where they're going for the next drill weekend, but I won't be allowed up there until I complete Basic. Saturday and Sunday, the majority of people were using our computers in the drill hall. They were processing paperwork for other units that were being mobilized. Since Vaughn and I had no experience with the paperwork, we were stuck sitting around and cleaning out more closets. Sunday I was able to fill out paperwork to receive a camou uniform. The person that's supposed to do it wasn't there the entire weekend, so Vaughn and I improvised with First Sergeant's permission.

I'll try and update later and tell you about the rest of the week.

Edit: from my journal:

My "sponsor" in the 651st was supposed to be SPC Nieto, but I learned this weekend that he's being mobilized. Sounds like mobilization happens a lot more than the recruiters told me.

On Saturday with the "mobex" happening, we cleaned out an office. In the afternoon, a new sergeant to the unit, Sgt. Faughn, helped Pvt. Vaughn and Pvt. Whittier (also a DEP, my MOS) with their DEP checklists. If a DEP soldier finishes their checklist before Basic, they can be promoted. I didn't have mine, but sat with them and learned the trivia.

Sunday was about as boring as the day before. I cleaned out another closet with Vaughn and Pvt. Faith, a DEP female who goes to CSU. We did more checklist studying with Sgt. Faughn. First Sergeant Rusher helped me fill out a uniform request form even though the usual person who processes them wasn't there.

Sgt. Fleagle told us about Desert Storm and differences from today. She reckons last time we sieged their line long enough that the ywere willing to give up easily. She also alluded that another mobilization cycle is coming up when we're exiting BCT. That scares me a little; I expected to be mobilized in my enlistment, but hoped it would be in 2-3 years after I've learned a little.