March 29, 2008

Oh here is another interesting thing that happened on Tuesday.  We marched 4 miles to the range.  It was at night so we got to fire some tracer rounds. They catch fire so they light up and you can see where they go.  Well we started a few fires on the range with them and they got too big so they had to call in a fire truck, and the last platoon didn’t get to go.  Then by the time we left it was almost midnight and we rod back on the back of trucks that are officially only supposed to hold 16 people, but we fit 34 people on, including rucksacks.  I was in the middle sitting on a 1-inch bar that was the top of my ruck, then on the first bump it was gone.  We were packed so tight that I didn’t fall.  I ended up on someone’s knees.  It was like a roller coaster because the DS was going SOOOOOOO fast.  It was a lot of fun for a bunch of us, but some people didn’t appreciate it.

Thursday was kind of slow.  We had a mission at 1200, we went out and cleared a city, the same one I played opfor at.  Then we didn’t have anything until 2300.  We got to sleep a lot though.  That is the nice thing about being in the field.  Normally we are not allowed to sleep during the day, but at VF they said if we get a chance to sleep we need to do it.  So we had to get up again at 2300 for our Rite of Passage ceremony.  The whole Battalion was there, the CSM and Commander made speeches about being soldiers.  We watched some “inspirational” slide shows set to Toby Keith songs, and drank “grog.”  They dump a bunch of stuff into a pot that’s supposed to represent different things, and then you have to drink it.  Like they put a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce n to represent a battle there, Missippi river Water, sand from Iraq and Afghanistan, German Beer (non-alcoholic for BCT), Victory Punch (it’s like Gaterade.)  And they said it had deisel fuel in it too.  I don’t know, you can’t believe everything they tell you here.  I was already feeling sick before this ceremony, then I took a swig of the stuff and almost threw up.  I was doubled over gaggin and a DS near me was like “That’s the way to do it!”  LOL  It was a fun time, and they said we graduated from Civilian to Soldier.  What was even better was that we packed up and left at 0700 the next morning.    And got a HOT shower when we got back.  Now it is Saturday and we have spent the past 2 days cleaning our gear to turn it in.  We finished most of it today, so we get a pizza party tomorrow.  Yay.  I just want Thursday to come.  You know what else is cool about tomorrow, it is pancake day!  Pancake day is good.  Because the waffles are totally gross and the french toast is half gross.  But the pancakes are made there, so they are yummy.

There’s 2 girls in the bay right now fighting over bananas.  something about being allergic to them.  It’s probably the stupidest argument I’ve ever heard.  “you are not allergic to bananas!  I saw you eat a banana!”  “I am too allergic to bananas!  I have an epi pen!”  At the top of their lungs. Very funny stuff.  Sometimes I like to just sit and watch everybody.  It’s like a reality TV show. LOL

Our DS came in for head count and said “don’t do anything stupid.”  One guy made him mad, so he gave him Staff Duty from 1-3 and fire guard from 3-5 with lights out at 9, he gets the minimum 4 hours of sleep they are required to give us.  Speaking of no sleep, once again I am on fire guard, and I am tired and bored.  “sigh”  Some DSs make us  wear full ACU’s for fireguard so we have to get up, go to the latrine and change clothes , put socks and boots on.  Some DSs let us wear the PTs we sleep in so all we have to do is put on our running shoes.  No such luck tonight.  Full ACUs.

Everybody is so ready to be out of here.  I have spent the last month planning in my head what we would to on Thursday and Friday and now  have to do it all over again since we get that extra overnight pass.

Editor’s note:  15 minutes before soldiers did their ceremony and met with the families, they found out that there was not an extra overnight pass after all–very disappointing.  Oh well, welcome to the military.

This will probably be the last time I write.  Nothing interesting is going to happen the next few days.  I’m just ready to leave.

I did find out what unit I will be in at AIT.  It’s not for sure until I get there, but my orders said

A Co, 232 Medical Battalion

San Antonio, TX 78234                           (I think that’s the zip.)

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