Leigh's Naval Adventures!

“On Holiday Routine” – we live for this 6 hour block of semi-free time. There are still lots of rules involved but it’s a little looser.

This week we had our first exam, personal inspection, bunk/rack inspection, a zone inspection (covers the entire compartment), 2 regular running PT sessions, 1 “bases” PT (which is like a circuit system of different exercises). I passed them all, I didn’t do perfect but I passed.

I got de-crowned (my position as Master of Arms) taken away when a young attitude filled hot-head went to the RDC’s and told them she could do the job better. So far she is not doing a good job and the Division is chaotic. I’m just keeping my mouth shut, laying low and watching her.

Monday (tomorrow) we head into day 24 and we have a weapons inspection (covering weapons safety) and another personal inspection.

Since Sunday:

04/19/2009 – Sunday was a “Holiday Routine” day we have from 0700-1300 to write, iron, shine boots, etc. Then Sunday afternoon we just started getting ready for our first inspection, it covers a rack/bunk inspection. Each little item has a special place and way of being folded and it has to be perfect, right down to the folds being measured. Also covers a personal inspect (how much you have learned and how you wear your uniform.)

04/20-21/2009 – So Monday and today we have been practicing all the ins and outs for inspection. Plus Friday is our first written exam, 100 questions covering rank and recognition, 11 general orders, chain of command, first aid, grooming and uniform regulations, watch standing and ship and aircraft.

My days begins around 0430 and 0600 and almost all of my time awake is filled with classes, marching, PTing, eating (decent cafeteria-like galley serving 3 meals a day. I haven’t eaten so much or as often in years. When our “RDC” (Drill Instructors) don’t have us doing something then I’m playing 20 questions, Mommy, and disciplinarian to 30-35 attitude filled girls. My position also includes making sure our house is always perfect as we could be inspected at any time. So, super busy.

I am doing fine though, I feel like I am leaps and bounds ahead mentally and emotionally then most of the Division. I am even holding my own in PT. Ran pace for pace with our Chief this morning and led the formation. Others with jobs have been fired and replaced several times. But I think I must be doing a decent job because the RDC’s rarely get on me.

Got my dog tags yesterday……SO COOL!…. always wanted some and these are the real deal….O Positive blood type, in case, we also got collar decives.

The RPOC (Recruit Head of the Division) the “AROC”, (second in command), then comes me  (Master at Arms), 3rd in charge but I carry most of the discipline and directing of the Division. My collar device is what a First Class Petty Officer would wear. One step below Chief. BIG DAY TOMORROW…. GOT TO SLEEP!

Since I last entered

* We moved to Ship 14 – USS Arizona which will be our home till we graduate.

* We had tons of medical and dental exams – the dreaded “Military Shots” were not bad at all – they were injected through little guns that look like Wii controllers.

* We got our real boot camp uniforms, called Utilities – light blue long sleeve shirts and navy docker style pants. This like Dickies.

* We took our initial PT test and I passed but over 50% of our division didn’t.

* Swim Test Qualifications – Most of us passed. About 18 of us didn’t pass. I passed (duh!)

* I bunk with a very young know-it-all (she thinks) from Washington.

* A lot of these girls got a lot of growing up to do. They can’t figure out how to shut up and listen.

2248: It’s been 4 days. 4 very, very, long days. Just as I feared, I’ve been made Master at Arms (Discipline Enforcer) and part time RPOC (Recruitment Petty Officer in Charge) of a combined division of 81 females. 80% under the age of 23. Most are cool with me taking over the lead and follow pretty well but some of the younger ones have that “Jenny from the Block Don’t Cross Me” attitude going on. I just laugh to myself because all I see is the immaturity in it.

Since the first few days have been processing days we’ve waited, waited, waited gotten all of our uniforms issued, at least the ones we will have while here, done tons of labeling and stenciling our gear and uniforms, gotten yelled at and laughed at, gone through a medical, dental and vision exam.

Tonight we got our first taste of it, Intensive Training, which is basically some push ups, sit ups, squats and jumping jacks till you can’t move or breathe. The instructors use this as punishment when we’re not acting right. It’s true when you bring together that many people (esp females) with all those different back grounds, attitudes and intentions, and then you try to make them work together, in a military type structure it is a mess to say the least. I imagine many tonight are wondering what in the heck they have done.

No PT (Physical Training) yet and we haven’t gotten the dreaded shots, six of them. Maybe Monday?

Tomorrow is Easter but our Command has said since we are still in Processing Days we won’t get to attend services.

The worst parts so far have been the 42 hours I was awake. Tuesday – Wednesday night, the frustration of 81 individuals trying to work together and the waiting.

Things that aren’t really such a big deal:

The yelling and screaming instructors are really kinda amusing if they are chewing your ass. You did something bone headed that they told you a billion times not to…

The food is decent and I am getting used to eating 3 square well balanced meals a day.

Having 7 minutes to shower, dress and get back to your position along with 40 other females using 10 shower heads. Well it’s chaos and you’re moving so fast you don’t even think about being naked packed in a shower with 40 other chicks.

We don’t have many clothes so we’ve been wearing the same sweatsuits since we arrived and it has not been washed yet.

So far it’s just been intense, choas but I’m doing fine and I’m still very glad I chose to do it.

0400: Wake up

0430-0500: Breakfast at Doubletree

0500-0530: Bus ride to MEPS

0600-1400: Final MEPS processing

1415-1530: Charter bus ride to MEPS

1530-1845: Tooling around ATL-Hartsfield getting to know other shippers

1845: Boarded plane to Chicago O’Hare

2100: Arrived in Chicago

2100-2230: Group visited USO & ate dinner at Chicago O’Hare

2230-2350: Meet up with petty officers at O’Hare & sat “Indian Style” studying until busses arrived to transport us to Great Lakes.

2345: Pulled into Naval Training Facility

2400: Took urinalysis with 8 other females.

2400-0800 (04/08/2009) Heigh/Weight check, shoe fitting, to receive box of issues (clothes/sweats), clothes fitting, packing seabag, sending home things from home (what a mess sorry Mom!), still awake, received NEX recruit card, and Fed-Exed box home. At least I’ve changed clothes at this point.

0830-0900: After a killer long quiet wait in the processing room, begging one another to stay awake (it’s been 30 hours with no sleep) we are off to our new home. Division 209 in Ship 12 I think (USS Pearl Harbor). A big room with lots of metal bunks. We were here just long enough to get conflicting orders from our RTC’s whom I was made to take out and throw away my contacts this morning. I can’t recognize them very well.

1000-1100: Moment of Truth Ceremony

1100-1140: A small class on building. A ____ *can’t read this* stamp all in an attempt stamp on our recruit CAPS…. (Ya’ll got me on this one, my girl was TIRED at this point!)

1150: Chow. Fish sandwiches

1210: Time for some shots I think…. NOPE!

1220-1530: T.B. test. Oops, she stuck me 3 times before it took. 36 hours, no sleep now. OMG what a long sit. The enlisted service guys are chewing butt every 5 minutes for people falling asleep and talking or not sitting correctly.

1600: Stenciling our gear some more.

1830: Dinner - Salisbury Steak

1900: Fire drill

1930: Cleaning compartment and hygiene. First attempt for 40 women to share 10 shower heads in 8 minutes. Complete chaos but I got myself clean.