Brian Meyette's USMC Boot Camp Diary

To read the entire story in one file, go to main BOOT CAMP DIARY

 

 

PHASE III

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUN 11/23 T-47

It's been well over a week since I've been able to write a thing.  I'll try to recap as best I can.  I'm on gear guard now while the platoon is going to some religious show. 

 

A week ago last Friday, we arrived back at MCRD shortly before supper.  After eating,  we were taken  to the back of the chowhall.  We were told what our mess duties would consist of, then sent back to the barracks. We slept awhile, then reported at 0300 last Saturday to begin mess duty. 

 

I had a very sore throat.  Sunday was my worst day.  I had a very high fever, and often felt quite weak.  I felt like I could barely stand up.  But I had to stay up and put in an 18 hour day; run the place, and keep everyone else going, too.  By Tuesday or so, the fever was gone, so I started feeling stronger.  There was absolutely NO WAY I was going to go to sick bay and miss out on the one shot I had to be guide.  Looking back on it, it wasn't as bad as I had dreaded, even as sick as I was. 

 

By Friday night, I was getting accustomed to the routine, and I was actually somewhat reluctant to quit.  I had some problems during the week, but I solved them all.  I had all of Platoon 1109, except the guide and squad leaders, and parts of 1110, 1111, and 1112.  Most of my problems, especially challenges to my authority, came from the recruits from the other platoons.  I think the other platoons sent the bottoms of their respective barrels to mess duty, and rewarded their better recruits with maintenance duty.  Many of the recruits I got were quite hostile and hard to manage, but I took no crap at all.  Anyone who gave me a hard time went into the head for a bending session with the Duty DI.  I usually filled up a legal pad sheet each day with names for the DIs to bend, especially later in the week as they became better educated in how to avoid work.  The main problem with them avoiding work was getting them out of the head. 

 

On my last night there, the Chief Cook called me into his office.  He said I'd done a truly outstanding job there, and invited me to come see him after graduation.  The next time Sgt Groomes is in when we have free time, I'll tell him about that, and ask to be made permanent guide.  In retrospect, I should have suggested to the Chief Cook that he mention his opinion of my work to my Senior Drill Instructor.  It was a tough job, but kind of fun.  It was very long hours, aching legs and feet, and being very, very sick.  I was constantly on the move.  I got to meet all the DIs in the Depot, though.  Many of them stopped and talked with me.  They were all quite blown away by me and what I'm doing, especially going into the Infantry and Recon. 

 

I was talking to Funke tonight, and he said he wants to go for Recon, as do as Cline and Iverson.  Smith does too, so that's at least five of us trying for it.  Funke said he did a 290 PFT.  We had Second Phase PFT Saturday afternoon.  I did a 218, which sure isn't great, but isn't too bad, considering no exercise for a week, having just come off mess, having a bad cough, and very little exercise since the rifle range.  Anyway, I did 74 situps, 9 pullups, and ran a 20:24.  There's plenty of room for improvement there, but it IS a "first class PFT", which is a Recon requirement. 

 

It's back to the same old bit with the squad leaders.  They have no leadership at all.  They set no example.  They just use their billets to bully others around and improve their own position.  I don't even like or talk to Smith any more.  Regalado is the worst of the bunch.  I got into it last night with all five of them after Regalado started another incident. After mess week, we picked back up the 5 recruits we dropped at the range: Concha, Flores, Vanaman, Lagreco, and Abrams.  So I guess that by going UNQ at the range, they stayed there and missed RFTD and mess week.  It seems like missing RFTD (even our abbreviated version) was not good for their basic training as Marines.  The Marines seem SO reluctant to kick anyone out or even hold anyone back!

 

Anyway, Regalado was running his mouth as usual, and Lagreco said "fuck it" about something.  Regalado went berserk and started ranting and raving that Lagreco had said "fuck you" to a squad leader, and started writing his name down to turn in to the DIs.  So I went over and told Regalado that Lagreco had not said "fuck you", because I was standing right next to him.  So then Regalado went double berserk and started screaming "shut up", and all the other squad leaders ran over to me and were screaming at me to shut up. I stood there and gave all 5 of them the finger with both hands, and kept screaming "fuck you” over and over, right back at them.  Sgt Morris came flying out of the duty hut, broke it up and took me inside the duty hut.  He screamed at me very briefly, then sat down and told me if I didn't keep shut up, I wouldn't make it through boot camp.  I told him the squad leaders were completely out of control.  He said he was going to document the incident. I'll have to put more effort into saying nothing to the squad leaders, no matter how out of control they get. 

 

This morning, I did my laundry and got my footlocker squared away. This afternoon, we had COD and a lot of boot and brass polishing and rifle cleaning.  We have a big inspection next Saturday, so all our uniforms and rifles have to be very squared away.  We no longer use any lube in the rifle, so it's cleaner.  We're done shooting it.  On Monday, we get our service uniform issue, and Tuesday we spend the day in the swim tank for swim qualification. 

 

Mess duty wasn't too bad, except for the hours and being sick.  Most DIs are shorter than me, and many of them are quite a bit shorter.  I was constantly busy running around putting out fires.  I liked the challenge.  Every night, we were done with evening cleanup around 2000.  We would then have about 20 minutes for a shower, and get into the racks, with lights out at 2030.  It was hard to sleep, because my cough was so bad.  It's just starting to get better now.  By Fri, my voice was, and still is, very hoarse.  Then it was back in the chowhall by 0300. 

 

Tonight, I'm on firewatch.  My usual 0030-0130 hours came up again.  I'm very anxious for tomorrow night's mail call.  We didn't get any mail all week.  I figured on Saturday, or even Friday night, they'd give us the week's mail. Sgt Groomes told us our graduation is now officially set for the 19th.  I'll have to be sure to let my family know of the change. 

 

I have little or no writing time these days.  We're now in 3rd phase, and there's a lot of emphasis on appearance, so we have to keep our cammies and covers pressed.  We didn't have to concern ourselves with that before.  I was going to do the ironing this morning, but I never got time, after doing laundry and getting my other stuff squared away.  It's raining tonight.  It has been raining off and on all day.  Our laundry isn't doing very well in this weather.  The longer it stays outside, the more risk it runs of some of it coming up missing.  A couple recruits had me wake them up during my watch so they could press their uniforms. I really need to do that myself, but I also want to finish keeping up my diary.  I washed my cover, so the only one I have to wear now is the one mashed up in the bottom of my seabag.  I have to get that squared away ASAP because it's so noticeable.  We had a class yesterday on how to press our uniforms.

 

I didn't even get to write on firewatch tonight because it's linen survey night, so I had to fold linen.  I want to be sure and get this in the mail first thing in the morning.  Tomorrow night, I'll probably have to get the firewatch to get me up so I can answer my mail, and work on my uniform.  It's about 0200 now, or later, so I have got to crash.

 

MON 11/24 T-48

It rained rather hard all morning.  We spent the entire morning getting our service uniforms (greens and khakis).  We changed back into our cammies to march back to the chow hall at lunchtime, then we marched back to clothing issue for fitting and tailoring.  Everyone looks good!  We look like real Marines now.

 

TUE 11/25 T-49

Like I keep saying more and more often; there's precious little time to write any more.  And trying to do it on notebook paper instead of knowledge book paper makes it even harder to do it without getting caught.  I ran out of knowledge book paper quite a while ago.  About all we did yesterday was the clothing issue and an indoors COD (rifle drill) session at the end of the day.  Any time-holes during the day were spent polishing brass and boots.  Last night, Sgt Groomes was on duty, but I didn't get time to talk to him about being guide.

 

WED 11/26 T-50

We made a PX call this morning, so while I was there, I bought a couple packs of knowledge book paper.  That was getting to be a rare commodity.  There's still lots of standing around, but there's little opportunity to take notes.  Last night, we got our paychecks.  Then this morning, we took them to the PX and bought new chit books.  Most people were rather broke.  We got haircuts this morning.  Sgt Groomes knocked down a few beds during cleanup this morning.  Once again, I had planned to catch up on my notes last night after lights out, but I fell asleep right away.  I got a couple covers squared away during free time, so at least now that's OK, and I don't look like such a bum.  I spent $78 at the PX.  Herman spent $108 with a $100 chit book, so he got into trouble for that. Sgt Morris bent him awhile. 

 

When we returned from RFTD, we picked up a new DI, Sgt Henion, a big beefy red-faced guy.  All four of them are on duty today.  It's been a pretty casual day.  We had some COD and lots of rifle cleaning and brass and boots polishing to get ready for the big inspection Saturday.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so there should be plenty of free time to get things squared away. 

 

Yesterday was spent at the swim tank.  They lined us up on a 10" tower over the water, then  we moved forward and, one at a time, jumped into the pool, wearing our cammies.  Some of the recruits were rather scared of it.  We were brought to the edge and told to "look down, look up, step out".  Those who hesitated at that point were given a little boot in the ass to help them over the edge.  Then we had to swim across the pool a couple times, then tread water for the remainder of a 5 minute period.  They selected people from that test for 1st class swim qualification.  I wasn't selected for 1st class qual because my breast stroke didn't look good enough, so I was put into a group to test for 2nd class qual. Smith and Regalado were in the 1st class testing group.  I don't think either made it, but Smith goes back Friday for a second chance.  I was given a class on how to do the breast stroke.  I found out I was doing it ALL wrong, as I'm self-taught.  Then we went back out to the pool to try to qualify for 2nd class.  I could do the kick OK with a paddleboard, but I couldn't coordinate it the rest of the actions well enough.  I had about 3 or 4 passes across the pool, but I couldn't get it together well enough, so I was sent home with a 3rd class qual, which was VERY disappointing.  I guess I get to go back Friday and try again, so Thursday I'll lay on my belly across my footlocker and practice the stroke. I need to get it all down smoothly enough that I can do it without thinking about each move.  We have to have at least a 2nd class to be considered for Recon.  There were a lot of non-swimmers and about 25 who couldn't make the 3rd class qual, so they had to be hauled out of the pool. 

 

One interesting note I previously forgot: while on mess duty, Sgt Orlovsky invented a new way of bending, which he did to Herman, Sisoy, and Ooghe.  He calls it "The Blizzard".  He took them into the whiskey locker, sort of a walk-in closet, locked him and them inside, and made them start bending. The he took foot powder and shook it all over them while they were bending.  Herman came back from that and said he didn't EVER want to have to bend again.  He said they were all pretty scared when he locked them in, because they were afraid he was going to beat the shit out of them.  And to think I originally referred to him as a "nice, mellow guy".  He can be very inventive and very vicious.

 

THUR 11/27 T-51 Thanksgiving Day!

We got up, went to morning chow, then had free time/square-away time for the rest of the day.  I got several pieces of mail last night, but no mail from Chris.  I got 2 letters from Brenda, and letters from Mom, Dad, and Jeff Lynn.  Chris sent me some knowledge book paper.  I bought twice as much at the PX as I'll probably ever use, so now I have a lifetime supply.  There's lots to do today, though.  I need to answer a couple letters, straighten out my footlocker, and move some of my gear into my seabag.  Chris sent some cookies, which were packed unpadded in a light box, so it was just crumbs, but they still got wolfed down in a hurry.  I'm so anxious to see Chris on Visitor's Day, but I try not to think about it.  I got 3 letters from Chris Monday night.  Too bad I've missed so many interesting details in my notes lately!  I will try to stay up on them. 

 

While on mess duty, it was was interesting to see how the food was prepared.  Food to be baked was put on 6' high racks, and rolled into huge walk-in ovens.  Cooked things that were not baked (like vegetables) were cooked in huge kettles with built-in heat, and big drain valves on the bottom.  Jello was mixed in a huge tub on wheels.  Mess people and DIs were always stopping me and talking with me and asking me questions about who I am, where I've been, why I'm here, etc.  The Chief Cook said I'd done an outstanding job of running the recruits.  He invited me to stop by and say hi after I graduate. Since I'm still a recruit, there isn't too much he can say to me now without fraternizing.  I have to tell Sgt Groomes about it, and make a final pitch to be guide.  Lots of people, like at the swim tank, ask me if I'm a guide or squad leader.  When I say I'm not, they say "why not?", which really rubs in what is already a very sore point.  One of the instructors at the pool was a Recon Marine. He said I'll have to considerably improve my PFT score to be considered for Recon.  We actually get so little exercise here!  We haven't had PT all week, except for Friday.  I'll bet there have been more days without PT than there have been with it.  Whenever I ask a DI if I can join a bending session, they tell me to get the fuck away from them.  The Recon Marine at the pool took me into his locker room, and let me have 2 seconds free look at his uniform with the gold wings and silver scuba awards on it.  I drooled appropriately. 

 

Last night before supper, we went to a class on savings bonds.  I signed up for $50 per month for them.  Later, Sgt Orlovsky told us we should ignore all the pleas for allotments they are obligated to present (or allow to be presented) to us until we get settled at our permanent station.  He and Sgt Groomes also warned us yesterday at Photos not to buy the rings they pitch there, because after we graduate, we can get them for about 1/4 as much at the PX.  Yesterday, we all got a fresh shave out at the washrack, then went over to the Photo concession to get our pictures taken, and to place our orders.  I ordered their medium set and a cameo picture on a chain for Chris.  In just a couple days, it'll be only 2 weeks until I see Chris on Visitor's Sunday. Sgt Groomes said we will get marched to the Visitor's Center, where we'll be turned loose for x amount of time, until we have to back at the house.  The only weird thing at Photo was that they wouldn't let the pictures be taken with civilian glasses, so I went without them, rather than wear a set of the funky black issue ones.  My GI glasses still haven't come in, for some reason.  Most of the other glasses-wearers, with only about 1 or 2 exceptions, like me, got their GI glasses weeks ago, in 1st Phase.  Maybe it's because of the strength of my prescription.  Sgt Orlovsky asked me about it again the other day.  It suits me just fine if I never get them.  I also tend to forget that mine turn dark in the sun, which often really gets the DIs wound up, especially in a formation. 

 

Lunch sucked today.  It was chicken and fish sandwiches.  I hope they do something better for supper.  After lunch, we went out for some COD and to make a phone call.  I'm in line for that now.  We were only allowed 5 minutes total, and I wasted about 3 or 4 minutes spazzing out dialing the wrong number.  When I tried it collect, and the operator said it was disconnected, I realized I must be dialing the wrong number.  So when I got thru to the right number, no one was home, so I left a brief message.  I imagine that'll be the last phone call we get to make.  I tried calling Mom & Dad, but friendly Sgt Groomes was standing outside the phone booth scowling at me while it was ringing, so I hung up and got out.  I've been feeling sleepy and lazy all afternoon. 

 

After the phone calls, we came back to the house and worked on our boots awhile; then we had more rifle cleaning.  My back aches from always having to sit cross-legged.  So do my knees, especially the left one.  In the Air Force, we sat on couches in the dayroom (with a TV) while we did our polishing, etc.  I had a very aching tendon in my left foot from the end of the arch support in my boots while on mess duty.  That's been bothering me all week.  At the PX yesterday, I bought some good boot inserts, and they seem to help a lot. Right now, I have a very achy upper right back that I can't seem to get rid of.  It came up during rifle maintenance, but now it's at least as bad as it was then. Bending at the waist and letting my upper body hang down relaxed seems to help. 

 

We're doing prac stations now.  I did a few and got all of them right. There was very little knowledge used during 2nd Phase, but now hopefully there'll be more chances to keep notes on my life here.  When we got back from phone calls, the guide and squad leaders got bent for not doing well enough on some special moves during COD.  After that, they took it out on the rest of us by running around screaming at us to not have our backs up against our footlockers as we worked on our boots.  They spent the entire morning with their backs up against their footlockers.  I didn't bother saying anything to them, either this morning or this afternoon, when they suddenly decided it was no longer OK, since they were no longer doing it. Anyway, that's part of my current major effort to keep my mouth shut about them and their gross abuses of their positions. 

 

It was a decent sunset, and it's getting dark now.  Tonight, everyone's going to a religious Thanksgiving ceremony after supper.  As usual, I'll be the official gear guard.  By now, I'm simply accepted as an avowed agnostic, and no one gives me a hard time about it.  Sgt Groomes is on duty tonight, I believe, so Priority #1 is to go in to his office and politely demand to be made guide.  I feel kind of achey and feverish.  I pray I'm not getting sick again.  I never even got over the one I had during mess.  Most of the platoon has coughs and colds.  Hanley had pneumonia last week.  

 

Hey, supper wasn't bad at all.  Roast beef, turkey, ham, regular and sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie with whipped cream, cranberry sauce, etc.  I got a huge plate, and since 4th squad went in first for a change, I had enough time to eat it all. 

 

Now I'm on gear guard with Vanaman.  I'm dying to sit down and rest, but I shouldn't; it’s against the rules. I have major aches, chills, and ringing in my ears from the fever.  I took a couple Tylenol pills I found.  Maybe that'll help.  I've got my Wooly Pully (USMC sweater) on, too.  I just sat down on a footlocker.  Damn!  That sure feels good!  I've got to stay on my feet, though.  I don't think Sgt Groomes is going to be on tonight.  That's too bad.  They take the platoon group photo next week, and I want ME to be in front as the guide. Mount Mother is on tonight. That's the nickname everyone has given Sgt Henion.  He isn't super big, but he has pretty big shoulders and upper arms.  He's probably about 6' tall.  He isn't too scary.  Sgt Orlovsky is the one who scares people, because he's so violent and unpredictable.  He seems mellowed out since he hit Hill and Kovacs in the chow hall.  The mess Staff Sergeant there said he'd turn him in if he ever struck another recruit again. 

 

My back seems OK now.  I think it was just a cramped muscle.  I've got to do more polishing work on my boots and shoes tonight, and iron and de-Irish-pennant my cammies, especially the inspection ones.  Now I'm hot, so I just took the sweater off.  There's a nice big fall harvest moon tonight.  It's lovely.  I just went in & sat on the shitter for a few minutes.  It really felt incredibly wonderful to sit down for a minute.  Overall, I feel terrible.  I just want to go to bed, but that's still a few hours away.  The rest of the platoon will come back, then we'll have free time, then cleanup, then TAPS, my favorite song these days.  Usually I'm up putting my socks on and whatever else I can before reveille.  I usually get woken up by the DI wakeup calls, which commence an hour before reveille.  This morning, I outfoxed myself.  When reveille went off, I was already completely dressed on top. But we hadn't officially worn the Wooly Pully (it goes under the cammy shirt), so I had it on over my cammies, planning to just pull it off and be ready to go.  So I had to remove BOTH & reverse them to get dressed, when they informed us we were going to wear the Wooly Pully under the cammy blouse. The most time-consuming part of getting dressed is lacing and tying the boots.  It was convenient when we were in First Phase, because out trousers were not bloused.  The pants legs came down over the boots, so I could get away with just wrapping the boot laces around the boot, and I didn't have to thread all the boot lace holes.   Now that our trousers are (usually, unless we're being punished) bloused, I can't get away with that any more.  Sometimes I have dreams about reveille happening, and getting up super-fast, so if I wake up in the night, I'm in a semi-panic; planning every move, then trying to decide if it's all just a dream, or the lights are really about to come on.  Well, the platoon is coming back from the service now.

 

FRI 11/28 T-52

Last night, after the platoon came back, the squad leaders were real loud rude assholes to everyone.  It was hard to bite my tongue, but I did.  They were calling everyone stupid assholes, making fun of many of them.  I hate those bastards, especially Regalado, the worst of the bunch.  Moreaux, the platoon secretary, was also being his usual rude asshole self to everyone while collecting $1.40 from everyone for more Q-tips.  Even Smith said he was an asshole, and even mellow recruits like Jackson and Steelman were grumbling about what total assholes the squad leaders were being. 

 

It was raining this morning when we got up, so after breakfast, we cleaned up the house and stayed inside, doing rifle maintenance.  More missed training, but I don't know what we missed.  Sgt Orlovsky had us clean the rifle and leave everything clean and dry, as we won't be firing it again, and it's cleaner that way for turn-in.  Yesterday, Sgt Groomes told us to put CLP on the upper receivers.  I thought it was a mistake, but I wasn't about to say anything. Plus, we were told to tape up all the holes to keep dirt out, which was really stupid, since it wasn't all that clean inside yet, and the CLP on the outside wouldn't let the tape stick, anyway.  So I spent about an hour this morning getting that CLP and tape residue back off.  Dumb shits!

 

Sgt Morris came in this morning with a very bad cold.  He could barely croak out a few words. 

 

Right now, I'm sitting on the shitter, pretending to shit while taking a break from cleaning my rifle. I've scrubbed and scrubbed on the compensator, but I still keep getting carbon.  After rifle maintenance, we went to practice prac stations.  It seems like that's about all we've done for a week since mess duty. 

 

Now I'm waiting in line for another BS interview with 2LT Johnson. They just ask if we're getting our mail, enough chow & sleep, no harassment, etc.  It's a rainy, windy, cold, miserable day outside. 

 

I just got bent awhile by Sgt Morris for not coming to attention when he asked me a question.  Well, now it's almost time for supper.  After lunch, those needing further work on swim qualifications went over to the pool. I qualified 2nd class!  Before I went over, I was really kicking my ass for not practicing the breast stroke on free time last night, as I had planned. It was a short free time, and I only had time for a shave and a shower.  After several passes across the pool on practice runs, we made a screening run.  I thought I was kind of spazzing it, but I got pulled for further screening and testing.  Then we had brief classes on the side and back strokes, then went back out to do them.  By then, it was down from about 90 to about 45 privates.  By the end, there were only about 25 left, many from 1109. Doing the side stroke was a little awkward at first, but then I stopped thinking about all the moves so much, and just did it.  Then we put on cammies and jumped off a 10' tower and swam underwater to the edge of the pool, then back and forth using breast, side, and back strokes.  Then we tread water for the remainder of a 10 minute period.  One recruit in my group, a very muscular guide from 1110, pussied out toward the end of it.  Once he started pussying out and panicking, I hoped he'd be a quitter, because I'd hate to see a pussy barely make it.  So, with only about 20 seconds remaining, he splashed and gasped and moaned his way to the edge of the pool and grabbed it, so he was out.  What a wimp!  I wasn't even tired. 

 

I just finished guard duty.  I don't write on guard duty because you're not supposed to, but I wait & stay up even later & write after I go off duty.  I'm thinking of turning Miller in.  He was 10 minutes late coming on duty with me, and he always spends the entire time writing letters.  I never start writing in my diary until my watch is over.  He even asked me to cover for him so he could go make a phone call.  I told him to forget it.  He's such a worm!

 

I had another bad incident this evening, which has left me pretty bummed out. After supper, we were doing shoe polishing.  Regalado got called up to bend for doing his boots instead of his shoes like everyone else, which is typical of his behavior; he and the other squad leaders had been screaming at everyone else to do shoe polishing only, not boots, while they did as they pleased. So, I thought that was great. After awhile, Sgt Morris called me up to bend for watching, which I was explicitly making a point of not doing.  I just went up anyway and bent without a word, though.  At one point in the bending, Sgt Morris said something to me I didn't quite hear, so I paused in my bending, came to attention, and said "Sir?" Regalado started screaming at me to bend, so I screamed at him to shut his fucking mouth.  Sgt Morris came unglued at that, and said he was going to write me up for losing my bearing.  I was really pissed off, and tired of fighting a losing battle, so I said "Fine, Sir!", which pissed him off twice as much.  He immediately took me into the duty hut and started writing, saying I had just given him another documented case of my bad attitude.  He said I was going to end up recycled back in training to another platoon.  He made me sign the complaint form, which I signed "signed under protest". That pissed him off twice as much again, because then he said he would have to go to the trouble of writing it up all over again on a clean form.  I told him I had been consciously making a point of not watching Regalado bend, and I told him of some of the cases of Regalado's flagrant misuse of his position. Like right now as I write this; he's over there grinning and laughing and talking.  Rules are only for him to enforce, not for him to obey.  Few things piss me off more than such blatant abuse of authority. 

 

Anyway, all the stuff I told Sgt Morris went in one ear and out the other. Then he took me out of the duty hut and bent me some more.  When everyone else bends, they grunt and moan and groan and huff and puff.  I always make a point of doing it silently.  

 

If I can ever think of a great way to fuck Regalado over, I'll do it.  I thought about throwing away one of his boots, or taking a shit in one of them. We'll see.  

 

Sgt Morris also said he was going to complain to the Senior DI about me.  If he does, this certainly blows any slim chance I might have had at being the guide.  I was going to talk to Sgt Groomes during rifle maintenance, because Smith went up to him and said he had a personal problem, and he just said OK; no yelling at his guide for wanting to talk "on the Senior's Time". So I figured it would be OK if I asked to speak to him, and I wouldn't get jumped on, like usual, for asking to talk to him on "his time", instead of "my time", as he usually does. But then he left right after talking to Smith, and then he was in and out, and 2LT Johnson was using the hut for interviews, so that blew that.  I have got to quit being so hesitant and waiting for the perfect opportunity, and just DO IT, or else it will be too late.  Of course, it probably already is, especially if Sgt Morris tells him what went down tonight; in which case, forget it. 

 

After the incident, we had cleanup.  I thought most recruits who spoke to me afterward thought I was wrong, which left me even more bummed out.  After cleanup, we had mail call.  I was hoping for something from Chris, but nothing.  During mail call, Regalado was sitting up front smirking and grinning at us. I was thinking about his flagrant abuses & wanting to say something.  Then DeCluette started screaming like a maniac at us that nothing was funny, and he'd take down the name of anyone smiling.  A typical situation.  I just sat there and put these assholes out of my mind. 

 

After mail call, I didn't bother with a shower, and I spent the whole free time period pressing out a fresh cammie blouse.  I barely got it and a quick shave done.  Showers can occasionally be skipped to steal some time; shaves can't.  My current uniform is pretty crumpled because of the bad weather. 

 

Smith and Johnson AP made 1st class swim qual.  They said it was real tough, including going off the 10' tower with hands and legs tied, wearing full gear, including ALICE pack and rifle, and treading water for an entire hour.  I'll try for it later on, after I practice my strokes more, especially the breast stroke.

 

When we hit the racks tonight, we continued a new thing we started last night, singing the Marine Corps Hymn.  After that, somehow I ended up with my hands behind my head, not at attention, waiting for the command to "ADJUST!".  Maybe it was from having all the hassles on my mind.   Anyway, of course Sgt Morris saw it (lights were out), and bitched about it.  He came over, asking who it was.  When he found out, his reaction was no surprise; I said "Private Meyette, Sir!", and he started screaming that he should have known it was me, and that I had no discipline, and that people like me had absolutely no chance of making it to graduation.  Then I said "Yes, Sir!", instead of snapping my fingers.  We're supposed to snap fingers instead of speaking if we're spoken to by a DI after lights out.  So, he said it yet again showed I had no discipline, and that I'd pay for it big time tomorrow.  It seems that sometimes my discipline does slip.  I try as hard as I can to keep it, and my motivation, pumped up as high as I can, despite all the frustrations.  I don't think my motivation and discipline are as high as they were in 1st phase and Receiving, but I try hard to keep them up there. Oh well, I just have to force myself to keep my cool a couple more weeks (actually it's still almost 3 weeks) around Regalado, and it'll all be over.  We do the S&E (Strength and Endurance) course tomorrow.  It sounds interesting.  It's a 4 1/2 mile run, and we stop every 1/4 mile and do 25 repetitions of an exercise.  Well, I gotta crash; it's probably 0130.

 

SAT 11/29 T-53

Shit!  What a fucking day!  I'm on maximum effort to stay motivated and get out of here.  This morning after breakfast, we had rifle cleaning and inspection.  All 4 DIs were on duty.  I thought last night had blown over.  I was never called up to bend for moving before "ADJUST!".  Then Sgt Groomes called me into the duty hut, and I knew the fun was about to begin. 

 

Sgt Groomes, Sgt Orlovsky, Sgt Henion, and Sgt Morris were all in there waiting for me when I pounded on the hatch.  When I entered and came to attention 6" in front of his desk, they all swarmed over me.  One was screaming in my face, one was screaming in each ear, and one was screaming behind me.  I stayed totally cool and kept my bearing and screamed back answers to their questions until they told me to shut up.  Sgt Groomes was screaming that one more incident from me, and I'd be history.  Sgt Orlovsky was screaming something about anyone 33 years old who would join the Marine Corps must be either crazy or stupid.  I decided to forego the opportunity to respond that my opinion of the Corps was apparently higher than his was.  Sgt Morris was just screaming madly in my face.  Sgt Orlovsky was screaming something about how he'd like to smash me.  I didn't get much chance to offer any defenses.  Then Sgt Groomes screamed at me to get out before he smashed me.  I kept my cool and did my facing movements to leave. As I did my about-face, he was screaming "GET OUT!  GET OUT!  GET OUT!!" over and over.  He picked up something hefty off his desk, and whizzed it by my head, and it smashed into the wall locker beside me with a huge crash.  I stayed cool, and just marched out.  No, I didn't ask him if I could be guide! 

 

Then we went back to rifle maintenance, but I was feeling very pissed off and depressed.  Then my turn to be interviewed came up.  2LT Johnson and 1LT Sagimoto were in there.  I didn't know if they knew of the incident, but they asked me at least twice if I was having any sort of problems or difficulties.  I said “No, Sir!”.  They asked if I was sure everything was OK.  I said “Yes, Sir!”.  They also asked about why I came in the Corps, etc.  I was tempted to complain about "the incident", but knew better than to bother. 

 

I did ask about the screwing I got on my rifle score, however.  I was basically told "tough shit", in typical officer bullshit doubletalk.  They said it would have had to have been settled right there on the spot, which is when and where I spoke to Sgt Groomes about it, and was told to shut up.  Thank you, Sgt Groomes, you prick bastard!  I can thank my friendly Senior DI for fucking me out of that. So, in one morning, I can forget ever being guide, Honor Man, or High Shooter.  The first two were bad enough, but they involved someone else picking me.  The High Shooter (my true score would have also been High Shooter for the entire Company) was different, though.  I worked really hard for that, and I earned it. I'm very bitter about the whole thing. The Company CDI GySgt spoke to me later about the rifle score part.  He's always real nice to me.  He told me to hang in there, stay tough and motivated, and don't let him down; he's counting on me.  That kind of talk sure motivates me a hell of a lot more than those piss-poor hired mouths, the squad leaders.  The more they scream at me, the slower I move.  The Gunny said he's been keeping a close eye on me and my progress. 

 

Apparently, McNeil has a couple Sgt brothers at Camp Pendleton.  As a joke, one of them sent McNeil a postcard that said something to the effect of "give my love to your Senior DI, and give him a big kiss and a pat on the ass for me, and tell him you have AIDS".  Let me tell you, the DIs really came totally unglued over that.  Sgt Morris saw it last night and bent McNeil a long, long, long time.  This morning, all 4 DIs read it, and they were totally freaking out.  They were calling McNeil and his brothers a bunch of scummy faggots.  They made him bend after yelling at him and ridiculing him.  Then he said he didn't want to bend any more, so they loved that.  They made the whole platoon bend for him in groups of 10 while they made him read the card over and over to us as we were bent.  We've been bending off and on all day for it. 

 

After lunch, we had the S&E course, which was a real ballbuster.  I've had a sore muscle in the top of my right shoulder all day.  It must be from how I slept on it.  I thought the S&E course would fix it, but it didn't.  Man, I swear I didn't think that course would EVER end!  It was the toughest workout I can ever remember having.  They say it was 4.2 miles, but it sure seemed like 10.  I don't know if it was this bad cold, or the lack of exercise, or both, but it sure was tough.  There were a few drops, the usual; like Brown, Strom, McDaniel, etc.  I'm not sure if McNeil was considered a drop or not.  McDaniel, Mr. Muscle Man, faded back.  He has big muscles, but no guts or character.  I was just staying with the back of the main pack at the end.  It was a faster pace than usual, too.  Then we did 2 sets of max pullups and 2 sets of max situps. 

 

I was coughing a lot at the end of the run as we were marching along cooling down.  After about 3 recruits yelled at me to stop coughing (the Senior DI had said "stop coughing" a few minutes earlier), I got pissed and said, "Hey fuck you, assholes.  You think I'm coughing because I WANT to?" Sgt Groomes stopped the platoon, and I thought I was really in deep shit. All he did, though, was make everyone say "Thank you, Private Meyette", and then march along heel-to-toe for awhile.  Afterward, several recruits said I'd better cool my temper and watch my mouth, or I won't make it to the end.  They're right.  After having been more locked and cocked than all of them since Day 1, it's annoying when one of them jumps on my shit for some little thing, after I've been observing them being so flaky for so long (most still are).  Anyway, I know I've said it before, but my #1 priority here now MUST be to keep my mouth shut to the other recruits, no matter what.  I don't have any problem taking shit from the DIs, but I consider recruits to be my peers, at best, and no better than me. 

 

Now it's after supper, and we're having prac stations again.  We had them after PT also.  Also, after supper, we polished shoes and brass awhile before starting prac.  My right back cramp is bothering me again.  I feel like I'm getting more and more tired and worn out as this goes on.  Of course, I'd crawl to the finish if I had to. The pain in my top right shoulder muscle is gone.  I'm feeling very stiff, though.

 

SUN 11/30 T-54

We secured up our prac stations last night, then hit the racks.  I did laundry this morning after morning chow. My thoughts this morning are on seeing Chris in just 2 more weeks.  It sure will be great!  Jackson just suggested I ask Chris to bring some cookies to Visitor's Day for those who won't have a visitor (and for me).  I said I would.  I was talking with Foster at the washrack.  During mess duty, he and one of the belligerents from one of the other platoons got into it.  Foster decked him, and laid him open above his eye with one punch.  He and I (as guide) got screamed at by the Senior for it. I figured he'd get Office Hours for it. He told me that the next day Sgt Orlovsky said to him, "Did you hurt him, Foster? Did you make him bleed?", and Foster said "Yes Sir!", and Sgt Orlovsky said "Good!  Get Away!".  Apparently, nothing more was ever said about it.  The other guy had to go to emergency sickbay and get the wound taped up.  That sure is different from the Air Force!  There would be hell to pay there for punching someone. 

 

I forgot to mention it before, but dealing with the belligerents, especially the ones from the other platoons, was a major part of my job as acting guide for mess duty.  1109 sent the entire platoon, except the guide and squad leaders, and the other platoons just sent a few from each.  Since mess duty is tough, they apparently sent all their shitbirds, and let their better recruits have the much easier maintenance duty.  So I spent lots of time babysitting the problem children. I had clashes with several of them, but after awhile, they mostly figured out that I would tolerate no shit from any of them, and they did what they were supposed to.  I spent lots of time rousting them out of the head, where they'd go to hide.  I started off with an "assistant guide", some loser from another platoon, but he was a useless piece of shit who just misused the position so he could fuck off himself, so I got him fired after a day or 2.  Then I told the Chief Cook I didn't need a replacement for him, and I ran the whole show myself the rest of the time.  

 

I thought we'd be doing the S&E course every day from now on, but the rumor from the T-card private (the recruit who manages the daily training cards) is that we never do it again, and we only have 5 more PT sessions.  Too bad.  If we did the S&E course every day, the first few days would be rough, but then we'd be in great shape after that. 

 

I started a letter to Mom & Dad, but then we had to go to lunch. 4th squad was the last one in, so I barely had time to wolf part of it down before Smith ran me out.  Going into the chowhall, Sgt Groomes nailed slippery old Brown on something.  He then asked Brown which squad he was in.  Brown said he was in the 4th squad, which was news to me, so Regalado was called up for questioning by Sgt Groomes.  After lunch, I went up to Regalado and said "If Brown is in 4th squad, when is the last time you saw him working with 4th squad on cleanup?" Regalado called Brown up and asked him where he's been during cleanup all this time.  Sprandel said he's usually hanging out in the rain room (shower) during cleanups. So we'll be keeping a much closer eye on Brown from now on.  It was hard to be civil to Regalado, but I managed to do it, at least for a short period.

 

After lunch, we had prac stations, then COD, then series competitions. After that, Smith selected 8 "squared away" privates to go be a color detail for evening colors (lowering of the flag), of which I was one of the honored.  All late afternoon, a beautiful sunset was developing, with streaky and light billowy clouds all over.  So I went and did the color detail, and kept one eye on the sunset. Basically, all I did was watch the MPs take the flag down (there were 30 of us in all), and my squad squatted under the flag and held it up so it wouldn't touch the ground.  That is how they handle the huge "holiday" flag. When we went back to the house, a full scale field day was in progress, so I helped on that until supper. 

 

After supper, we had more prac stations practice, then a 50 question written prac test.  There are still some areas I need to study, but I do quite well at the prac. Usually, the only questions I get wrong are the weird or screwed up ones.  In the background, there's lots of bending and screaming going on, with the squad leaders being loud-mouthed assholes.  Not a word out of me, though.  I just do my job and keep my head down, my mouth shut and my nose clean. The squad leaders are now starting to turn in names for bending like I would have way back in 1st phase.  Also, there are lots of new infractions to bend for, such as leaving a footlocker unlocked or leaving a rifle unlocked or not on safe.  Regalado, Moran, and Smith got bent for not having their footlockers locked; Moran for the second time. God, I loved it!  I made a point of not watching or even glancing up, but I sure enjoyed the sounds. 

 

We have linen survey (exchange) tonight.  They started doing it with the first watch, instead of waiting for the second watch.  Toward the end of the first watch, an officer came in and asked lots of questions, like why the firewatches were folding linen instead of guarding, and what the privates were sleeping on.  I was sitting up in the rack putting on my socks for tomorrow when he came in, so I dove for the mattress fast when I saw him coming.  We're not supposed to start doing the linen until after midnight.  I imagine that's because we're probably not supposed to be doing it during the night at all.  I saw a couple cases of that sort of rule-breaking during rifle maintenance. We're not supposed to use anything but CLP and a General Purpose brush on the rifle, but the DIs let us sneak them into the head to wash the sand and grit out of them in the deep sink.  One day, Sgt Orlovsky had solvent he was surreptitiously spraying on our compensators to help loosen the carbon, while being on a close lookout for officers.  Great example.  I suppose I can't argue with the results, though.  It was a cool sunny day.

 

MON 12/1 T-55

We had breakfast, then COD, then PT.  PT was pretty hard (in some ways).  The run was none too easy again, although definitely easier than yesterday. First, we did the Obstacle Course twice.  When I did it at the start of Phase 1, I couldn't get over the bar, the wall, or up the rope at all. This time, I went through them all with no problem, although by the end of the rope climb, I was exhausted and could barely touch the top bar.  I slid down slowly instead of climbing down.  Sgt Groomes went bonkers when he saw that, and started screaming at me to do it again, but my arms were like spaghetti and I couldn't go up at all. That's why I slid down in the first place; it took all I had just to get to the top.  Finally, they got tired of yelling at me to go back up the rope, and they let me go around to do the whole course again.  Sgt Morris and Sgt Orlovsky were at the wall and Sgt Morris made me do it twice, just for their general amusement.  By the time I got to the rope at the end again, I hadn't regained much arm strength.  I made it about halfway up.  I kept retrying, but once you run out of steam on something like that, you're done for. Finally, Sgt Groomes let me go away, but he said I'd pay for it later.  Jackson, Brown, Labrie, Johnson K, and a few others were struggling to make it up the rope at the end, but they couldn't do it at all. 

 

Then we did the run.  It was about 4 miles, and it seemed faster than the runs used to be.  I certainly wasn't tempted to quit, but it wasn't very easy, either.  One thing is that I don't like running too close to the person in front of me, so I either get yelled at to move up, or the idiots behind me try to go around me and elbow in and/or they keep stepping on my heels.  I get that on both runs and humps.  Anyway, after about 4 or 5 of them went by me and elbowed into my little space, I got tired of that shit and went around all of them and elbowed my own way back into my space.  We didn't sing at all during the run, supposedly because of all the "O Course drops", like me.  Sgt Groomes made all the "O Course drops" hold up our arms prior to the run, so everyone else could see and admire us.  So I said before I felt like I was getting tired, but actually I did a lot better on the O Course than the last time.  Oh, I've improved; just not enough yet.  Then we did 2 sets each of situps and pullups.  Saturday, I did 71 situps on the first set; today was 61 and 8 pullups.

 

Then we went back to the house and got showers.  After the shower, all the O Course and run drops were bent for awhile.  Our names were taken for more fun later.  Bending is fine with me.  I keep asking to bend for remedial PT, and they won't let me.  Oh, I also brought that up in my interview with the Series Commander.  During the interview, I had mentioned that I had been disappointed that the training wasn't as tough as I had expected.  Later, I found out that Sgt Groomes was standing right behind me the whole time I was saying it.   So, when I was trying to go up the rope the second time, Sgt Groomes kept yelling at me and ridiculing me because I'd said the training was "too easy", and here I couldn't even make it up the rope. 

 

Then we had lunch, followed by brass polishing, then a long class on terrorism.  During brass polishing, I told Sgt Orlovsky I wanted to go to sick call to get some medicine for my cough. I've had it for a couple weeks now. He said OK, but then Sepulveda brought me up some cough syrup he'd been given, and he said it had gotten rid of his cough quickly.  There was a lot of shit and name-calling this morning about sickbay commandos, because 15 recruits went to sickbay this morning.  Right now, I'm in a class on Recruiters' Assistants and the Command Recruiting Program.  Somehow, I don't think any of the people in my wide circle of thirty-something friends and associates would be too interested in following in my footsteps.

 

After that, we came back to the house and worked on shoes.  The first 15 minutes of that was spent fixing all the dings from our cleanups.  Sgt Morris called up a list of names to bend for disciplinary reasons.  I went up and asked him in front of Sgt Orlovsky if I could bend because I didn't make the rope climb.  He said "BEND!!" Whenever we speak to the DIs, we have to ask permission first, using all the prescribed terminology.  In response, they are usually very hostile and scream in your face, "What do you WANT?!?" Sgt Orlovsky likes to get right in the face of anyone who speaks to him in other than very strong, firm, loud terms and scream "Why are you WHISPERING?!?".  He never has any reason to do it to me, but he does it to many of the others.  Sgt Orlovsky told me to come see him when Sgt Morris was done with me.  So, Sgt Morris bent me quite awhile, while I was wearing my wooly pully, then Sgt Orlovsky called me to the back to bend with a fun little group he had going.  It was hot as hell in the wooly pully.  Finally, he got tired, and I went back to polishing shoes.  They called up another group of screwups after that, but I decided I'd had enough fun for one day, especially while wearing the wooly pully, so I didn’t volunteer to join that group. 

 

Then we went out to a "class" and pitch on the Leatherneck magazine.  They were having people sign up for it using their home address.  It seemed to me it would be a lot smarter to just wait until we know our address at our first duty station, so I didn't sign up for it.  This morning, at the start of PT, there were lots of pretty clouds, but they built up and it's been raining ever since the end of PT.  I'm now writing this in the rack.  It's still raining.  

 

I had been eagerly awaiting tonight's mail call, since I didn't get anything Friday night. We didn't get any mail call tonight at all!  Great!!!  Well, I guess that means twice as much mail tomorrow night, right?  Moreaux just got caught writing in his rack by Sgt Morris, who said he'll bend him big time in the morning.  With all the Boot Camp rules and restrictions in place these days, the DIs can't do anything to us at night except let us get our 8 hours sleep. Well, he didn't catch me, so I continue to write.  

 

We have the Confidence Course tomorrow, which should be fun.  Moran and Jalomo were in a fight before supper, then after supper Moran kept trying to provoke Jalomo to restart the fight.  Another fine example by our outstanding squad leaders. I despise them, especially Regalado and DeCluette, beyond description.  They exhibit zero leadership.  They blatantly use their position as nothing more than a personal perk.  

 

Earlier tonight, Jackson bummed some of my cough medicine off me. He said he's got a cold.  It sure can't be too bad; I didn't even know he has one.  I grumbled a bit, and asked if he was really sick, but I gave him some.  Later on, Gebhart said he had some left over from his cold that he'd give me, so my supply isn't as critical as it was. 

 

After supper, we did some more shoe and brass polishing.  We had to spend the first part of our precious free time making racks with fresh linen.  Jackson and I make some good tight racks.  Ours are never torn down or criticized.  Some people's racks look like shit.  Oh, I got my military glasses, finally, this afternoon.  Sgt Orlovsky said he didn't EVER want to see my civilian piece of shit glasses again.  The other recruits say I look a lot different in these new (heavy black) glasses.  I didn't really think so. Smith said I looked weird as hell in them, but I don't know if he was serious or not.  I can see fine with them.  I was concerned about that.  I knew they don't bother actually checking your eyes.  They just take your old glasses and some bored, disinterested clerk takes a quick reading off them in a machine and determines "approximately" what the prescription is.  But they seem fine.  This afternoon, at lunch, with my old glasses, right after PT and bending, I was getting some odd visual effects, but they went away after lunch.  It was kind of a hard-to-define blurriness around the edges, but nothing was blurry when I focused on something.

 

TUE 12/2 T-56

It's still raining this morning.  So far, all we've done is change clothes.  We got dressed in regular cammies, and did cleanup.  Then we put on the wooly pullies.  Then we went to morning chow.  Then we switched to boots and utes (cammie uniform with jockstrap added and the cammie blouse removed).  It seems to me that better planning would have dictated cammie tops over boots and utes for chow, then just remove the blouses.  Anyway, now we're in boots and utes having prac station practice, before we go out for PT.  It's raining lightly outside.  Laying on the ground doing our stretching exercises should be LOTS of fun. 

 

Well, the Marine Corps has pussied out again!  I wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but I was certainly willing to go out and lay in the cold mud to do stretching exercises prior to doing the Confidence Course.  Actually, we could have even done them in the house prior to going over there. After doing prac stations for awhile, they told us to change uniform AGAIN, out of boots and utes, back to regular cammies. 

 

So, now we're doing more prac stations.  I could do these things in my sleep, which is the idea.  Some of these clowns can't even do the simplest, most basic things right.  It's scary to think that my life could depend on such incompetent bozos.  The DIs bent some recruits for awhile, so I went up and joined them.  Then they called more recruits up for not taking off their red shorts under the cammie pants.  I joined that group too, but Sgt Morris pulled me out, and wouldn't let me bend.  Funny, but it hasn't rained since breakfast.  The sky is getting lighter all the time.  

 

Boy, we've sure missed a lot of training. Plus everything we've done has been overly hurried and crowded because each series in this company has 4 platoons of about 80, instead of the usual 3 platoons with about 65 recruits by this time. I believe they packed this company up because they didn't take in any new recruits for a couple weeks after we came, so that the next class graduating after us wouldn’t graduate until after the holidays. 

 

The DIs just called up everyone who didn't fill out a subscription to "Leatherneck" to the classroom, and made us fill one out.  Sgt Henion asked me why I hadn't filled one out. He said he wanted to know if I was some kind of subversive or pervert.  He said I probably subscribed to some faggy thing like Air Force Times or some shit like that.  So, rather than try to reason with him about it, I went through the motions for him, even though I thought it was dumb to do so before I knew where I'd be stationed. 

 

Earlier today, they took names of experienced boxers and a few inexperienced boxers who wanted to volunteer for the "smokers", a series versus series boxing competition.  I was one of the first inexperienced ones up in the classroom, so my name, weight, and experience were taken down.  Later on, Sgt Groomes sent the experienced ones down to see the CDI, and told the inexperienced ones to stand by, in case we were to be used.  Sgt Henion was razzing me about being one of the boxers.  He says I analyze everything, because yesterday I went up to him and told him that one of the prac stations was all wrong, and explained why it was wrong.  But he said just remember what they're looking for, and don't analyze it.  So, since then, he razzes me about analyzing everything.  He said I'd get into the ring and stand there analyzing the situation while my head got punched in. I think it'll be interesting, win or lose.  I'll just go in and do my best and give 'em hell. 

 

I did a prac station Christianson was running.  He's turning into a pretty good Marine.  He sounds off more, acts less timid and more rugged.  Velasquez has improved a lot, too.  He isn't very bright, but he's become well motivated and disciplined.  We had a COD session after lunch, which went fairly well with no major screwups.  We had rifle maintenance after COD, then a class in the theater about pay and earnings, then a class on leadership. Another thing we missed this morning was the Close Combat Course (probably hand-to-hand combat).  Another cool part of training missed due to rain. It's been clear and sunny all afternoon.  There was a very nice pink sunset.

 

WED 12/3 T57

We had shoe and brass polishing after evening chow last night, then mail call. I got 3 from Chris, 1 from Mom, and 1 from Aunt Bobbie.  I had armory guard duty from 2400 to 0200.  I had a hell of a time getting up this morning.  My glasses hooked on the bedpost, then I decided not to put on the jock and red shorts because they hadn't been mentioned at all.  I was prepared to get them on last night, but I fell asleep first.  So, I was the last one out of the rack, then I decided to go for skivvie shorts instead of PT stuff.  I had to do my footlocker combination about 3 times before it would take.  I guess my brain was a little fuzzy.  So there I am, standing there with my balls hanging down while everyone else is nearly dressed.  Sgt Orlovsky saw that and made everyone strip down, then start getting dressed all over again.  That let me catch up with the others, and that time I made it fully dressed (or nearly so) with the others.  At least I had all the major stuff on.  I can tie up the bootlaces, etc later.  I may have to PAY for that, but I haven't yet, and haven’t received any threats of punishment. 

 

At morning chow, Sgt Orlovsky said we have a fast run this morning, so eat light.  I appreciated the warning. Then we marched back to the house to change into boots and utes.  I shouldn't have backed out of what I had planned to wear, because that’s what we ended up with.  Right now, we're just waiting to head out to PT.  We have the platoon group photo in cammies right after PT.  Last night, I ironed a fresh set of cammies for the picture. Well, actually all I had time for was the top part; blouse and cover.  I didn't get time to do the bottoms.  I asked Jackson to iron them for me on his firewatch, and I said I'd iron his for him on my next firewatch.  He didn't do it, so I'll just go with the ones I've been wearing all week. 

 

The week's half gone!  Just a couple more weeks of boot camp!  Guard duty at the armory last night was quite boring.  I had it figured pretty close in my mind when the 2 hours was up, and then the relief showed up.  I just marched back and forth in front of the armory with an empty rifle.  We were told there were 2 MP guards inside with loaded rifles. 

 

Looks like it'll be a nice clear sunny day.  I feel anxious about the run.  I guess it's from thinking about how tough the last 2 were for me. Hopefully, my lungs will be working a little better this time.  The cough is better now.  I don't know what else we'll be doing.  I just realized I didn't mail Chris' letter this morning, either.  The only chance to mail something is when exiting the chow hall, so if it's forgotten at that moment, usually with the guide chasing me out, then the chance is gone until the next meal. 

 

We had PT this morning.  It was a warm day, with a hot sun, typical California day.  PT was the usual warmup, then 2 passes through the obstacle course.  I made the rope climb BOTH times, and made a point of making sure Sgt Groomes saw and heard me sounding off at the top.  I figured out why the previous runs were harder than expected.  One reason is that after 2 passes through the Obstacle Course, I'm usually so exhausted I can hardly tie my shoes.  Today's run was supposed to be a FAST 5.5 miles.  I wasn't looking forward to it at all.  We stood around awhile first, though, which let me recover a bit from the O course.  The run started off pretty fast, then slowed slightly at the 1.5 mile point. After we turned around, it was a little slower and slowing up a lot sometimes.  Then I knew it was no sweat.  Another reason is that we weren't wearing our sweatshirts today, as on the previous 2 runs, so I didn't get so overheated. A third reason was they had the "car washes" on today, which also helped keep me from getting too hot. Running in the sweatshirts was hot and uncomfortable.

 

Right now, I'm in a class on alcohol abuse.  Most of these guys could use it, but most will ignore it.  I've heard many of them brag about all the drinking (and/or screwing) they are going to do when they get out of here. Anyway, the run was much easier than I expected.  Also, it ended unexpectedly.  I don't believe it was more than 4 miles.  After the run, we did the usual max sets of pullups and situps.  My first set was 9 pullups and 71 situps.  After the pullups, LT Johnson stopped me and asked how many I did.  He said I'd better get moving if I plan to do 20 by the time I get out of here, as I had told him during the interview that I would do.  I didn't recall saying that, but I told him I would sure work on being able to do 20.  He asked what I thought of the run, and I told him it was too slow and easy.  He said maybe he'd take me out for a more challenging run sometime.  Great!! He'll probably run me into the ground.

 

The run wasn't too bad at all.  We sang most of the way.  Sgt Groomes was really sounding off his songs.  Smith, S. was doing his usual bitching and moaning behind me.  He and Means passed me once, but I passed them back, elbowed back in, and told them to cut the shit.  They stayed in line after that.  This platoon has no unity; every man for himself.  Rather than help each other make the run and stay in formation, people are so eager to pass others that they try to squeeze by me if I leave more than a foot between me and the person in front of me.   That lack of unity is one of the reasons we lose every competition.  Brown was a run drop, as well as a double O Course failure.  I don't know if there were any other run drops.   McNeil faded back past me, but I don't know if he fell back all the way past the end of the platoon or not.  I had a sore left calf muscle after the run.  Jackson said he also made both rope climbs, which is a good improvement for him, too.  He’s a good guy.  He’s been my bunk mate all through boot camp.  Just as I'm getting over my cold, he's picking his up.  I'll shit if I get his cold back again.  Hopefully, I've got plenty of antibodies built up by now. 

 

After the run and shower, we went over for the platoon group photo.  I wore my pressed cammies.  I got jumped on by Sgt Henion for not wearing my spit shined boots.  I didn't know we were supposed to wear them.  In fact, I had thought of it, and decided I shouldn't.  They had the guide and high shooter in the front, with the DIs. So, it was just Smith and the DIs in front.  That's sure a sore point with me.  I had to depend on them to give me the guide billet, but I earned the High Shooter.  Then we had lunch with strawberry shortcake for dessert. After the photo session I got bent quite awhile for not having spit-shined boots on.  They said they'll get me again later for it, too. 

 

Last night, I weighed myself, and it was the same 180 it was in First Phase. Amazing!  I've never weighed so much!  I weighed 166 at MEPS when I came here.  More muscle, probably, and I am not used to eating 3 full meals every day. LT Johnson was the one who did the nightly hygiene inspection last night.  He had a brief conversation with each Private.  He asked me how everything was going.  I said "Fine, Sir!", and he said "Are you sure?", and I said "Yes, Sir!"

 

After the alcohol abuse class, we went over to clothing issue to get our tailored greens.  I'm waiting in line for that now.  We got our tailored greens and returned to the house.  All the series officers and Senior DIs and the CDI came by, and we set up footlockers in a "modeling stand" in the classroom.  We took turns lining up to stand on the footlockers and be inspected for fit in each of the uniform combinations.  Nearly everyone has at least one article of clothing to go back for more alterations. I have both poly and wool jackets to take back in the morning.  I'll make sure tomorrow morning's wakeup is swifter than this morning's. 

 

After the inspection, we had chow, with strawberry shortcake for dessert again.  They gave us huge helpings!  They said they had a bunch of it they needed to get rid of.  I was glad to do my part to help them out.  Gruell and Brown didn't want any.  I tried to get Gruell to get some anyway & give it to me, but he didn't want to bother.  Usually, he will if I ask him. 4th squad was the last one in, so I didn't get to eat everything, and I was the last one out.  We had shoe polishing after chow.  We had mail call, but there wasn't much mail.  Cline got candy again (kisses), and gave me one.  I didn't get any mail, so I reread the mail from the other night. 

 

Our official rifle scores and our MOSs (the job we'll be assigned) were posted last night. Regalado said Smith had also been chosen as Series Honor Man.  I am quite jealous, because it could/should have been me, but he has done quite well. He made 1st class swimmer, high PFT, and high shooter.  He's going to be a 2621, manual Morse interceptor, so at least I won't have him competing against me for Recon.  He would have made it easily.  So that's one more possible slot for me.  But if I don't improve my PFT, especially the pullups, I can forget it anyway. 

 

On the shooting scores, I was quite curious to see how Hanley shot, because at the start of boot camp he was saying he used to shoot on a .22 rifle team, and so he expected to shoot 250, or at least be the high shooter.  I had initially considered him to be my main competition for high shooter, but I wondered if he was just talk.  When we completed the rifle range, I had asked him how he shot.  He said he didn't know his score, which I took to mean he didn't do jack shit.  And he didn't; he only shot a 202!  many recruits were listed on the MOS board as 0300, infantry; Anderson AL, Gruell, McNeil, Means, Burke, Funke, Johnson MA and AB, to name a few.  Well, infantry is the backbone of the Corps! 

 

THUR 12/4 T-58

It's right after lunch. 

 

Now, it's right after supper.  I didn't get to write anything all day. 

 

Now it's after taps, my only chance to write.  It's been a very busy day.  First, we had our green service uniforms refitted.  Then we had a PT session, consisting of a practice PFT and a short run to and from the PT area.  I didn't do very well; 9 pullups, 75 situps, and a run time of 20:30.  My mile time was 6:30 and my 1.5 mile time was about 10.  I was disappointed.  I think I pushed it about as hard as I could, though.  Jackson passed me at 2 miles. I kept up with him for another 1/4 mile, but I couldn't hold it.  I turned it on and passed Hill and someone else in the last half mile, but I couldn't hold it, and they got me back in the last 1/8 mile.  Pullups were especially disappointing.  I really need to practice the kip.  Lytle says he can double his count by using the kip, which is making the pullup into sort of a swinging motion.  I tried without any success.  It feels like it'll tear my arms out of the sockets, though.  If I can get it down, I can make a marked improvement in my score, and in my Recon chances.  (Later, I found out that, when you go for Recon Indoctrination, the kip is prohibited, anyway.  All they allow is a steady down and up motion; no swinging.)

 

Tonight, McNeil got a letter from his brother in the infantry at Camp Pendleton, which said civil war is imminent in the Philippines and, thus, so is our presence.  I told Smith and Anderson that was fine with me; that's what I came in for.  They, especially Smith, seemed quite stunned.  I asked them what the hell they thought we were really here for; just kiddie games and college money?  He just said "You mean you want to kill someone?" a couple times. Later, he sat staring off into space, shocked about all of it.  Earlier in training, possibly at the range, the Philippines was mentioned as a growing hot spot.  I hear that McNeil's brother (the infantry Sergeant at Camp Pendleton) says we'll go there directly from ITS (Infantry Training School). 

 

I was talking to Regalado this morning.  It takes quite an effort, but I try to maintain some basic cordiality. He came in to be an MP (it sure figures, the way he loves to misuse his position and bully people around), but he couldn't get that MOS, due to losing his license for the second time just before coming to boot camp.  Anyway, he said I ought to do the Recruiter's Assistant program, because it would get me rank faster (I get a promotion to LCpl if I get 2 people to sign up), and my age should make it easier to show young people that it isn't too hard, and that it's a viable alternative for anyone, not just those with no other place to turn to. It was a good point.  Maybe I'll write to Rod, my recruiter, about it. Except, of course, now he’s GySgt McNeil, not “Rod”! 

 

So after PT, we had lunch, then a couple classes on drug abuse and on clothing; then we had some COD.  Enroute to the first class, we paused awhile and did some lively exercises in the dirt because some of the recruits weren't trying hard enough.  The DIs spotted some rust on Moran's rifle, then bent him, then fired him.  The first thing I knew about it was when Sgt Orlovsky came up to me while I was bending with the others, and said I was the new first squad leader.  So, I've been doing that all day.  It's been very difficult.  I'm not used to squad leader COD moves, nor 1st squad moves, and that position puts me even further from the DI, so I have to listen very carefully to his commands.  The column of twos and the files moves were especially foreign to me, but the DIs were pretty tolerant of me, and Kizzia was helping me a lot.  He’s a good guy; the only squad leader I can stand. Grezenia is the second one back in the first squad.  He started screaming at me when I first came up to take over 1st squad, and I told him to shut the fuck up.  Later, he made a few critical comments, too.  I told him he'd better keep his shit REAL straight, or he's going to start getting bent a lot.  I'm not going to take any crap from him.  I've already heard people are betting I won't last long.  It wouldn't surprise me at all, either.  Sgt Morris' reaction was typical for him, and I expected it. As soon as he saw me at the head of the platoon, he scurried over to Sgt Orlovsky and asked why I was there.  I expect he'll soon find an excuse to fire me. If he can't find an excuse soon enough, he'll just fire me for the hell of it.  Oh well.  Tonight, during cleanup, he called Moran up and said Moran should "stand by; if he's good, he may get his job back".  What a surprise!  Later, I asked Sgt Morris if I could switch racks with Moran into the squad leader rack area, and he said "hell, no!", a pretty clear indication he doesn't expect me to be in the billet very long.  The toughest part is COD, especially all the new movements.

 

The DIs were really hot this morning.  Brown was a run drop/last again.  When we got back to the house, Sgt Orlovsky started in on him, sounding really viscous.  He bent Brown a very long time, and kept making him stop bending long enough to guzzle full canteens of water.  Sgt Orlovsky took Brown to the back of the squadbay.  He said he was going to bend Brown until he puked, and he did.  Things are definitely not slacked off here for the last couple weeks of boot camp.  In fact, expectations are much higher than ever before.  Anyone slacking off now, thinking it's just about over, is in for a rude awakening.  

 

Walker got some fudge last night, but he said he would not share it with anyone because everyone is so mean to him because he's such a worthless, spineless pussy.  He's the one who threw a temper tantrum during mess duty, punched the dish washing machine, and broke his hand.  When he did that, I wouldn't let him go to sickbay for it until the next day, because he did it to himself.  The Chief Messman had backed me up on that.  Later, I was questioned by the DIs and the officers about why I wouldn't let him go, and they seemed to understand the logic, although they felt obligated to say I should have let him go.  He's one of the pussies who's been on light duty throughout most of boot camp.  A few days ago, he was getting bent and told the Senior DI he wanted a discharge.  The Senior just said "BEND!!".  No wait, I think that was McNeil, another last-placer on the runs.  I must say though, McNeil's gone from 2 to 17 pullups while he's been here, which isn't too bad.  Anyway, poor little Walker wants out now.  I sure hope they drop him. 

 

Brown is a contract PFC!  If there was a rank below E-1, that's what Brown should be.  When he told us he is a contract PFC, in response to Sgt Groomes asking us who’s a contract PFC, Sgt Groomes asked him outright if he took knee pads with him when he went to his recruiter.  I hope they drop him, or at least pull his PFC promotion.  He's worthless, always sloughing off at everything he does.  I also pray they drop Mr. Lost; Cook.  We'll see. They make lots of threats, but my experience has shown them to be extremely reluctant to drop anyone.  If they wouldn't drop someone as completely worthless as Cook after he failed everything in First Phase so miserably, then I doubt they will drop him now after putting a couple more months of training into him.  Well, I would like to write more, but I've already stayed up all the way thru the entire firewatch shift after standing my own watch.  Plus, any free time I have now will be spent learning the extra stuff I have to know as a squad leader, and making sure all my shit is always totally squared away.

 

FRI 12/5 T-59

This morning, after morning chow, we had more cleanup, then prac stations. Sgt Morris called DeCluette up to bend because the scuttlebutt (drinking fountain) hadn't been polished, so I joined him because it's partly my area of responsibility, too.  It was a long, tough bending session.  My muscles, especially my arms, felt like mush.  Mr. Teamwork, total piece of shit DeCluette, actually started screaming at me a couple times while we were bending because Sgt Morris was yelling at me to do it faster, even though I was doing it at the same pace as DeCluette.  When I get a chance, I'll tell DeCluette what I think of that.  As a squad leader, I can tell him off without getting into a bunch of shit for being disrespectful to their lofty rank.  I didn't even have to be there bending with him. I volunteered to be there, because it was my responsibility, something his kind seems incapable of comprehending. I asked him later what the hell his problem was.  He claimed he did it because he was expected to.  What a sorry little worm he is!  Most of the squad leaders, but especially DeCluette and Regalado, blatantly just use their positions for their own personal advancement and to bully others needlessly.  I keep reminding myself that I suppose it's the DI's technique of stressing us in ways they are no longer allowed to.  I can take anything from the DIs, but it's very difficult to put up with the squad leaders abuses.  Oh well, maybe it's preparation for further abuses of rank and billet I'll probably encounter all over the Marine Corps, anyway. 

 

Guess what!!  I'm fired already!  What a surprise!  It was the same deal as when I was fired as guide the last time.  I didn't do anything wrong; Sgt Morris just said I was fired, and he put Moran back in. I guess he got tired of waiting for an excuse.  As I finished writing the first entry for today, Sgt Groomes sent the squad leaders outside to practice the column movements.  He also sent Moran along "to help me", and to practice himself, no doubt. After about 15 minutes of that, they secured prac, and the platoon came out to join us.  We squad leaders were sent into the house to change into wooly pullies to match the rest of the platoon.  When we came down, Sgt Morris told me to get in the formation in my old spot, and he put Moran back in the front.  When we got to the class we were marching to, I asked Sgt Morris why I was in the back and not in front, and if it meant I was fired.  He said it did mean I was fired.  I asked what reason I was fired, and he said it was because I didn't bend fast enough, and because they didn't want anyone new up front with Third Phase drill inspection coming up so soon.  Actually, I was quite concerned about that aspect myself. That's one reason I stayed up late last night working on learning the moves.  Then Sgt Morris started screaming more and more about how I couldn't bend for shit, then Sgt Henion joined in screaming at me, and then they started screaming about my shave.  Then they made me get over in the dirt and start bending.  Then about 3 other DIs from other platoons joined in, and they were all standing there screaming at me about being a bad squad leader, and wanting to be guide, and being a bad example because I couldn't bend, and being an Air Force pussy.  I just kept my bearing, and kept bending and stopping periodically to yell a reply back at them.  After awhile of that, they got bored, and told me to get into the classroom. 

 

Right now, I'm in classes.  We've had 2 on uniform wear and maintenance, and now it's one on information security. It's only a week more until Visitor's Sunday.  I am so eager for it to get here!  I don't know the details yet, but I do know we get marched to the Visitor's Center to see our visitors. They haven't told us much at all about it, and it's not a wise subject to inquire into, for obvious reasons. Final prac is Tuesday!  There's an inspection tomorrow.  Final drill is next week!  One week to parade practice!  Final PFT is a week from Tuesday, I think.  Sweet anticipation!  It's a cool, sunny day. 

 

We had PT this afternoon.  We're doing prac stations now.  Doing prac gives me a good chance to write.  I run through the prac stations quickly, to refresh the details in my mind, then I spend the rest of the prac time helping others out and writing these notes.  We had a fast lunch, with 4th squad being the last one in again.  Now, we're getting ready to go out for COD.  Shit, half the platoon's on light duty and/or going to sickbay for something this afternoon.  I forgot to mail my letter after lunch, as usual, so I snuck out the back door during prac, and ran back over there and mailed it, so it'll get out today. 

 

It turns out I was right about the light duty privates; 33 of them!! The Senior was livid!  He threw a major temper tantrum.  He was slinging footlockers all around the classroom and screaming like a maniac.  Then everyone not on light duty had to bend in sessions of 10 to pay for all the light duty privates.  I just finished one of my turns at it, so I can write a little while the attention is focused in the classrooms. I have to be very careful about it, however, as the DIs are always looking around for someone to nail for something, like writing or watching the bending.  I still can't do pushups worth a damn, so I sure need the extra exercise.

 

Now it's after PT.  We had a nice easy slow 5 mile run.  It was more like the old runs.  We ran fast from about 4.5 to 4.75 miles.  Brown and McNeil fell back to the end of the platoon, but I don't think McNeil actually dropped, and I heard Brown didn't.  You can drop to the end of the platoon group without being considered a drop, but if an appreciable gap opens up, you're considered a run drop.  I was surprised Brown wasn't a run drop, because he started falling back at about 3 or 4 miles.  Once someone of his little drive starts falling back, that's usually the end of him.  I figured we'd surely lose him in the fast part, but I guess he put out a little extra for a change.  Maybe he's actually becoming a Marine!  How nice! It feels great now after a shower.

 

We had more prac stations after PT, then chow, then a prac test.  During PT, Senior DI SSgt Luna from another platoon was talking to me.  He's 33. He always calls me "old man". He's always nice and friendly to me. I've always wished he was my Senior. He was right ahead of me on the PFT run, running with “Fat Albert”, Wesson, trying to motivate  him to run faster.  I came in ahead of Wesson, of course, but lost SSgt Luna between 1 mile and 1.5 mile. Anyway, while I was doing stretching exercises prior to the run, he was talking to me, asking me questions about how I was doing in boot camp and asking about my tattoo.  Sgt Groomes was standing there, making lots of sneering remarks about me and everything I said to SSgt Luna.  I just ignored the asshole.  SSgt Luna said he'd have had me as guide, or at least a squad leader. He asked me if I was hard charging, and I said "Yes, Sir!".  Sgt Groomes sneered that I used to be a squad leader, but obviously wasn't hard charging enough, because I no longer was a squad leader.  SSgt Luna's always so relaxed and friendly, and Sgt Groomes is always so viscous and pissed off, and never, ever nice or friendly. 

 

At the start of the run, I couldn't believe what Sgt Orlovsky did. He came up to Brown and smiled real big, and said in a very friendly way, "You aren't going to drop out of the run today, are you, Brown?".  I've never seen him do anything so friendly.  During the run, when Brown started fading, we were trying to encourage him to keep up, and Sgt Orlovsky told him to be sure to keep up. Later, when Brown's shoelace came untied, the real Sgt Orlovsky came back out.  Sgt Orlovsky started snarling at Brown and screaming at him that he deliberately tied his shoelaces poorly, so he'd have to stop to tie them.  So he told Brown he'd have to continue the rest of the run like that.  On one of the tough runs, the one after the S&E run, my shoelace came undone because they weren't double-tied because I was last off the O course, and didn't have time to do it.  I ran at least a mile like that before I decided to stop and tie them.  I stopped real quick and tied them.  Sgt Orlovsky said as he went by to hurry up and catch up. I sprinted by him a few seconds later like he was standing still.  He never gives me a hard time about anything.  Sgt Morris, on the other hand, has an entire separate rulebook for me to follow. 

 

After the PT run, we did the circuit course, which was a good workout, then we double-timed back to the house.  I got a letter from Brenda at mail call.

 

SAT 12/6 T-60

Shit, what a day so far!  We're doing prac stations now, so I have a chance to write.  Everything is "hushed".  Everyone is walking on eggshells, fearful of more fun to come. We got up and made our racks OK, and started to do the cleanup this morning.  Then Sgt Orlovsky saw dumb shit Miller moving too slow, so he made everyone tear apart the racks and stand on line holding the sheets and blankets overhead. Of course, that wasn't done fast enough, so then we had to stack our mattresses by the portholes (windows). Then we had 5 minutes to put it all back together in perfect condition.  When we were done, something else pissed him off; either someone not done or someone moving too slow, so then ALL sheets, blankets, and pillows went into a stack in the rear classroom.  Then all towel displays were heaped in the rear.  He threatened to add footlocker contents to the pile next if anyone screwed up in any way.  Then we went to the chowhall for a VERY brief meal, and came back to remake the mess. Naturally, everyone's gear was all mixed up , so we just grabbed anything and started remaking racks frantically.  I really just LOVE getting to sleep in the sheets someone else has been jerking off in for a week! I've had about 3 changes of fitted sheet, blanket, and pillow this way.  Sometimes I end up with shitty stuff, and sometimes I get decent stuff. One time at the range, I got a fitted sheet that was all torn to shreds and a blanket with several tears in it.

 

We're taking and retaking practice prac tests now, so I'm getting a break to write.  I got 100% on my test, so Sgt Orlovsky has me giving the tests to everyone else. That piece of shit, Cook, Mr. Phase One Double Prac Failure, just got 9 wrong out of 25 very easy and obvious multiple choice questions.  I really hope they drop his dumb worthless ass, but they probably won't.  Also after chow, during cleanup, nearly everyone in the platoon was bent.  First, everyone whose rack wasn't tight or who had sloppy displays got bent. Naturally, Jackson and I didn’t get called out for that, as our gear is always done right.  Then lots of others got bent for various reasons.  When there are so many light duty commandos, a lot of privates can't be bent.  Therefore, the DIs, especially Sgt Orlovsky, will bend about 4 innocent bystanders for someone who can't bend. 

 

Wow!  I just did a prac station run by Strom.  I thought he looked pretty down, and his face looked puffy.  I asked him what was wrong, and he said that after chow, Smith, Regalado, and DeCluette each came up to him on 3 separate occasions and punched him in the face because part of this morning's shit was because Sgt Orlovsky said Strom wasn't sounding off.  Also, awhile ago, during prac stations, Squad Leader Moran had started a fight with Vanaman.  They wrestled on the deck awhile with a couple swings, then Moran got up first and kicked Vanaman in the head with his combat boots.  The psycho squad leaders are really getting out of hand. I've told them before that if they ever gang up on me, they'd better not ever go to sleep again in this squadbay. There are plenty of weapons all around us for those who can recognize them.  In the Air Force, a commonly available one was the iron pipes that hold the top rack up off the bottom one.  I’ve told all the squad leaders repeatedly and publicly that if they ever gang up on me like they have with some of the others here, there will be some SERIOUS injuries to deal with.  Fortunately for all concerned, they believe me. This morning or last night, I saw Sgt Orlovsky punch Herrera in the chest. 

 

My triceps and shoulders are a little stiff and sore.  Good!  That means I must have given them a good workout yesterday.  Now I just need to keep it up every day.  We were supposed to have an inspection today, but we had prac stations instead.  We were also supposed to have an inspection last Saturday, but it was canceled. Supposedly, it was because we weren't ready for it.  It's after lunch now.  The squad leaders are being total assholes, screaming constantly at everyone and putting everyone down.  We're going to a class, then the Confidence Course.  It sure isn't a downhill coast to the finish.  I'm just keeping my nose clean and my mouth shut, and concentrating on whatever's at hand. 

 

Now, it's after the Confidence Course and before chow, and we're doing more prac stations.  There's more turmoil going on all around me.  Anderson is being bent heavily with both Sgt Morris and Sgt Henion screaming in his ears.  It's bedlam; all the DIs are screaming at most of the recruits, and all of us recruits are trying to look as busy as possible and inconspicuous.  After lunch, I missed a couple classes because SDI SSgt Luna and Sgt Groomes had me do some typing for them.  It was mentally difficult because the work consisted of typing up the nominations for meritorious promotions for the squad leaders and Smith, commendations for Smith for being honor man, for Smith for being the high shooter, for Smith for being the series honor man, and for the series high shooter, who shot a 236, the same as me.

 

The Confidence Course was fun.  The CDI spoke to me a couple times while I was going through it.  He asked me at one point what I thought of the course. I said I thought it was "interesting and fun, but not difficult".  He said it wasn't meant to be difficult, just to present mental challenges that the recruits could learn they could overcome.  At the slide for life, everyone was watching me (I arrived last after completing the typing).  Sgt Morris was having fun yelling at me, and I was just having fun. They got me half way down the slide for life, and made me stop and hang there until I couldn’t hang any longer, and dropped into the water below.  Many of the recruits were afraid of the obstacles, but I enjoyed them and thought they were fun.  Their fear was infectious, and I had to remind myself not to let their fear influence my knowledge that I could easily do them all. 

 

While doing the typing, I told Sgt Groomes about the squad leaders being so out of control.  I told him about them ganging up on Strom and about kicking Vanaman in the head. I saw Sgt Groomes questioning the squad leaders about something when we were at chow.  Hopefully, he'll get them somewhat back into line. 

 

After chow, the platoon went to some kind of a show.  We've been unbloused all day.  Sgt Groomes said he didn't think we deserved to go to the show, but apparently the series commander thought we did, so they've all gone to that.  I have 2000-2200 guard duty at the armory again, so I'm waiting to go to that, instead of going to the show.  The last time we had guard duty, Sgt Groomes got compliments from the Battalion Commander about how well we did it.  

 

After I got dunked at the Confidence Course, Sgt DeMarco was razzing me about being "all wet", because I'd said it was easy, then I got dunked.  Sgt Groomes is concerned about prac failures, so now he's set aside about 20 of the ones having the most trouble with prac, and they're to study it at every opportunity, including during each cleanup.  They're doing it now.

 

SUN 12/7 T-61

It's nearly suppertime now.  We are doing yet MORE prac stations.  If we spent half as much time improving people's PFT as we do working on their prac, I'd be about a 300 PFT by now. 

 

This morning started off pretty bad.  After morning chow, we came back to the house, and all the racks were turned over by Sgt Henion.  Then we had to pile up all our shoes and boots in the classroom.  Then we had to dump our footlockers.  Then we had a couple minutes to put it all back together.  It seems Sgt Henion saw Herman, Miller (again), Nombrana, and Kruzinsky coming out of the Chow Hall, chewing food and laughing and goofing around.  Also, I guess some of them gave a Corporal of the Guard some shit last night.  Last night's guard duty was long and boring. I heard the show they went to was pretty good. 

 

After we cleaned up the house, Sgt Groomes had a powwow, in which he said we could give 100% for the next 11 days, and things could be smooth.  Or we could try to coast, and the DIs would make sure things were quite unpleasant for us every day.  I got into a confrontation with Smith and the squad leaders about them jumping people.  I heard them making some comments about someone else needing a pounding.  I just couldn't hold my tongue any longer.  I told them they had no right to be attacking people, and that if they ever tried anything like that with me, they'd quickly find out they'd bitten off more than they could chew, because I'd go totally apeshit on them, and people would be going to the hospital over it.  Of course, Regalado had to puff out his chest and talk big, but I invited him to just go right ahead and give me a try if he was dumb enough, and he backed down.  Of course, I suppose that's a big part of the difference between me and some of the pussies the squad leaders like to bully.  I would never take the shit they do.  Strom has been on light duty most of the time here.  So have Walker and Gebhart. 

 

Anyway, we cleaned the place up this morning and had free time.  We had sent some of our new uniforms out to the cleaners for pressing and application of the PFC stripe for those who will be PFC when we graduate.  My shirts really look great with the PFC stripe on them.  I worked on Irish pennants (loose hanging strings) on them.  I did my laundry and ironed my cammie blouse.  Then it was lunch time.  I had no time at all to write. 

 

We had lunch, then a COD session with the CDI grading it.  There were several major screwups.  Then we had the series versus series boxing matches. Holliday, Cline, and Clements were the ones from 1109.  Our series lost the boxing match; six fights to three.  Many of our boxers, especially Holliday, bled a lot.  I had signed up to box as an inexperienced boxer, but they only took a few experienced boxers from each platoon. Watching the boxing was fun. There was a lot of spirit in it. We were doing many chants, especially ones related to things we've said during training, like "Deck private, spill!" whenever someone started bleeding.  Some of the off duty DIs and their families were there watching.  It was party cloudy today, with a chilly breeze. I was glad to get back to the house from the boxing matches.  It’s only one more week to Visitor's Sunday.  Great!  I can hardly wait!  There are still no details on it. 

 

After evening chow, we did yet more prac stations.  It's been continuous alternating between doing oral stations and going to the classroom to take another written test.  I use this time to catch up on my diary, as I know all this stuff cold by now.  Smith is up front screaming about something in his squeaky little voice.  I have to admit, though, he does put out a lot of effort.  That was another thing that sucked about the platoon group photo and my rifle score.  I should have been up front with Smith, as High Shooter. At the graduation ceremony, I'll miss the honor of being publicly recognized for that.  That really burns. 

 

MON 12/8 T-62

Right now, I'm waiting in line at the sickbay clinic to give blood.  It's a standard part of boot camp.  In Air Force basic, I passed out afterward. Here, they didn't send everyone over; only about 20% of us.  Of course there isn't a war on, as there was when I went into the Air Force.  The Navy personnel are so casual and nice with us, it seems very unusual.  In First Phase, the Navy medical people were real pricks.  Their hair seems so long!  And they stand around with their hands in their pockets, etc; no bearing, compared to Marines.  It's been a standard morning.  There was a nice sunrise, with the sky covered with pink streaks. 

 

I got into another confrontation last night with Regalado.  He was doing his usual mindless screaming, and I gave him a dirty look, because I'm so utterly sick of hearing his voice.  He flipped out, and ranted and raved for awhile about how he was tired of my looks, and how I was going to get it.  I just told him to fuck off, and we faced off for awhile.  I'm going to try to fix his ass somehow before I leave this place. 

 

Well, giving blood wasn't too bad.  I never felt sick or weak or queasy at all.  Smith passed out.  When I saw him afterward, he was all sweaty and weak.  After giving blood, we all got granola bars and a wide variety of drinks. In the Air Force, as I recall, we just got crackers and a tiny cup of juice.  When we got back to the house, Sgt Morris said the platoon had been "playing some games" while we were giving blood.  When I asked him why, he just told me to get the fuck away from him. 

 

We're getting more shots now.  I've had just about enough needles in me for one day!  The shots weren't too bad.  The first one was for yellow fever, and it was more painful than the second one.  It's cool and partly cloudy today.  After the shots, we picked up a new SSgt.  I think he's someone in DI school.  There were a bunch of them around at chow.  They are Sgts and SSgts, but they have no Smokey Bear hats.  The one we have doesn't yell; he just points out areas for us to correct.  Of course, Sgt Orlovsky and Sgt Henion didn't yell at first, either.  We had prac stations after lunch.  Sgt Morris called me up front, and had me tell the new SSgt about my age, what I did in the Air Force and as a civilian, and show them my tattoo.  Then they yelled at me a couple times, and told me to get away.  Standard amusement fare for the DIs.

 

After that, we went to a class where we went through each page of our SRB, Service Record Book, and made sure each page was OK.  That class rolled over into one where we got our raw ID cards, and we checked them over, signed them, and returned them for laminating. We should get our pictures taken for them soon.  In the Air Force, we had the pictures for the IDs taken in the first few days of basic, while we were still completely shaved bald.  So at least the picture on my USMC ID card will look a little swifter. 

 

Regalado just got caught by Sgt Groomes for goofing around behind me and looking at some pictures he had stashed in his knowledge.  Then he was laughing and grinning about it on the way back to his seat.  I didn't think of it at first (because I'm not an asshole like him), but I should have jumped up and screamed at him "It's not funny, Regalado!", and gotten him in more trouble.  That's exactly the sort of thing he'd love to do to someone.  We're supposed to be silent (as always), but he's been sitting behind me talking throughout the class. 

 

Last night, I wrote a letter to Rod McNeill about being his recruiter's assistant.  We'll see what he says.  I believe we're lining up for the ID photos now. Now it's after the photos, and we're doing more waiting.  It's the "usual" Southern California day; warm sun with a cool breeze.

 

After we came back from the photos, "the house came down"! I think it was because we weren't marching well enough on the way back.  All the foot gear went into a pile in the classroom.  Some of these dumb shits still don't have their names on their gear.  All mine is well marked.  By the end of free time, I got all my gear back.  Some people ended up with 2 running shoes of different sizes.  We had mail call, but there was nothing for me. I got nothing from Chris.  I look forward so much to hearing from her, but maybe she doesn't have as much to write about as I do?  I had earned a couple medals while I was in the Air Force, so I asked Sgt Groomes about getting my Air Force medals, and he said I could pick them up at the PX on Visitor's Sunday. 

 

TUE 12/9 T-63

We're getting ready for the Third Phase prac test.  Captain Kelly came by last night, and told us that passing it is a graduation requirement.  Yeah, right!  I'll bet!  If some of the bozos fail it, they'll retest them and retest them until they manage to pass it.  I really don't know about some of these clowns. I've been doing a lot of extra work, trying to help the others, but it's a herculean task.  The losers have two things going against them; first, they're dumber than dog shit and second, they don't put out maximum effort.  I gave a 50 question test last night.  Many of the other recruits missed over 15 and 20. Boots missed 28!  What morons!  This isn't rocket science we're being tested on, either; it's just simple basic stuff we've had drilled into us all through boot camp, and each of these questions has been given to us, along with the correct answer, hundreds of times by now. 

 

Well, prac is over!  I aced the oral.  I made a few minor slipups, but the graders were being VERY liberal.  Most recruits came through with few failures.  I watched Herman totally muff the immediate action for the M-16 over and over, while the grader kept giving him hints.  Well, I knew that, if passing prac was a "graduation requirement", then something would have to give, in order to get some of these clowns through it.  I guess I missed one question on the written test, but Smith says they're going to throw it out anyway, because everyone missed it because they never gave us the information.  The test wanted the maximum effective range of the M16A2 at a POINT target, which I guess is 550 meters. We were never told that; only that 800 meters is the maximum effective range.  Apparently, that range is the for AREA targets.  It's a chilly, partly cloudy day.  I hear we have our last PT session later today. 

 

25 oral prac stations:

Navy rank structure (shoulder boards)

* mouth-to-mouth resuscitation

general orders

types of fire (oblique, frontal, trajectory)

* awards and medals (pick 5 cards & identify picture)

complete disassembly & reassembly of M16 in 9 minutes

UCMJ articles (86, 91, 90, 121, 128)

* offensive combat (5 stages - assembly area)

* deadly force (4 cases out of 8)

flag etiquette (in uniform, in civvies, in auto)

* arm & hand signals (private demonstrates)

types of wounds

M16 function check

M16 immediate action

M16 safety check

M16 applications of CLP

 

fire team members (identify symbols)

* main guard personnel (tell duties)

* WWII battles (tell significance)

types of flags

types of emplacements (hasty, permanent)

M16 cycle of operation

 

WED 12/10 T-64

I didn't get to write any more yesterday.  The PT session was good.  It was a 4 mile run.  The pace was a little faster than usual.  At the end, we did 1/4 mile sprints, but we only did 2 because it started raining, and we went back to the house.  After the shower, there was a lot of screaming and thrashing going on. We got our wool blouse belts and buckles squared away and checked out.  All the run drops, 4 of them, were bent a long time, as was Lytle. 

 

We finally found out about Visitor's Sunday.  It starts at 1400.  The Commanding General's house, Obstacle Course, Close Combat Course, Confidence Course, and the barracks are all off limits.  There are to be NO public displays of affection.  It secures at 1620.  The Visitor's Center is over by the dental area.  After doing our wool blouses yesterday, we did shoe polishing, then chow, then more polishing, then mail call.  Shoe polishing consisted mainly of fixing all the scratches and dings acquired from the DI games. 

 

There was no mail for me again at mail call.  This morning, it's cold and rainy.  After a brief breakfast, we had parade practice in a light rain. Friday, we'll be in the parade for this week's graduating class.  During one of yesterday's big bending sessions, Sgt Orlovsky made everyone put on their ponchos, then bend in them.  He said, "Do you all know what you are?" We all said, "Yes, Sir!", but no one could say what we were when he asked.  He said, "Christmas trees!  BEND!!!".  He sure has quite the sense of humor. 

 

It's after lunch now, and all the diet privates and Strom and a couple others are being bent now.  The bending sessions are a lot longer these days, with a couple new ones thrown in, like diamond pushups and short man side straddle hops.  Lunch was good, although 4th squad was the last one in again.  We had turkey and lots of cranberry sauce. I guess the scullery was broken down, because it was served on paper plates, styrofoam cups, and plastic silverware.  We marched over to Alterations after doing rifle maintenance awhile, but the stuff wasn't ready, so we double-timed back to the house.  It seems to me that a phone call to Alterations to see if our gear was ready might have been a prudent move.  No, I didn’t mention it.  On the way back, Sgt Morris sang a neat song; something about 9 more days and then not having to take any more shit.  I don't think our DIs know nearly as many cool songs as some of the other DIs, because we rarely get to do it, even though they always blame it on us.

 

So we're back at the house now, cleaning rifles.  Sgt Orlovsky is bending the diet privates for amusement. He and Sgt Morris and Sgt Henion are on duty now.  The sun is out now!  It was cold and rainy all morning. 

 

It's getting close to the end of free time now.  I took this to bed with me for the last 2 nights to write more things down, but I was so exhausted, I fell asleep immediately instead.  We got our haircuts today on the way back from Alterations.  We made a PX call, but I had no money.  The refund I got from the excess laundry/tailoring charge was not to be found. 

 

Smith went before a series board yesterday, and won Series Honor Man.  I knew he had it in the bag.  Today, he went to a Company Honor Man board. He'll probably get that, too.  I sure wish it had been me; I certainly tried for it hard enough.  He has done very well here, though. 

 

Tonight, after supper, we had a class on how to tie our ties.  Then we all tied and marked them.  Most of the recruits were having problems tying the ties. I went around helping as many of them as I could.  No mail call tonight.  I sure hope I get something from Chris tomorrow night!  Jackson and I are hoping I'll get some more cookies this week. We have a new Sgt from DI school helping out.  He's very aggressive.  We had COD this afternoon before supper. It was getting quite cold around sundown, even in the wooly pullies.  4th squad has been last in the chow hall about 4 out of the last 5 meals. I shovel it in as fast as I can, with both hands, and usually get about 3/4 of it gone before I have to leave. I've been yelled at by the DIs a couple times for eating with both hands and for picking up a bowl of soup and draining it directly into my mouth.  I think they even kicked me out of the chow hall once for it at Edson Range. 

 

Sgt Orlovsky bent Strom a long time this afternoon.  Strom's been screwing up a lot lately.  He got the house torn down a couple times because of stuff he'd done.  He got caught the other day with 4 sets of mess whites in his footlocker.  He got caught not securing his footlocker.  He was a run drop the other day.  Sgt Orlovsky bent him quite awhile, then took him to the back of the house and bent him some more.  Then he started tipping over racks, and made Strom put them all back together.  This place is DEFINITELY not a relaxing place for one's "wah", especially when about 3 DIs all get wound up on a person or group.  Supposedly, we have a big day tomorrow, including the Company Commander's inspection.

 

THUR 12/11 T-65

It's a cold morning, but it's clear, so it warmed up as the sun came up. It's still cool now at noon in the shade, though.  First, we had parade practice, then COD, then we went back to Alterations to pick up some of our remaining clothing.  Then we marched back to the house to prep our uniforms for the inspection. We put our emblems, etc on our uniforms.  It's been a mellow day so far. No screaming or bending yet. Then we went back to Alterations again to pick up more of our uniforms they've completed. 

 

4th squad was last in AGAIN for breakfast.  It used to be split up more evenly.  The DI taking us to chow decides the squad order when we arrive at the chow hall.  He hollers out, "Two, One, Three, Four, Attack the chow hall!", and we yell back, "Sir, Two, One, Three, Four, Attack the chow hall!  Aye aye, Sir!".  They push us through the lines and make us eat even faster than ever.  The entire time we're in the food line, they are screaming at us to hurry up.  We never dare actually stop at any point; we just keep moving, and grab what we can as we go by, side-stepping. 

 

We went to lunch after working on squaring away the uniforms some more. 4th squad was last in again!  I almost got bent because I left my lock unlocked after Sgt Groomes called for volunteers in the classroom, then he sent us outside and directly to chow from there. 

 

After chow, we had more COD, then a class.  I heard it was on what to expect in the FMF (Fleet Marine Force, or "The Fleet"), the "real" Marine Corps.  I didn't get to attend, though.  We marched to the building where the class was to be held. As we filed in, Sgt Groomes pulled me aside to guard the rifles outside.  I didn't fully hear him, so I said, "Sir?".  He just screamed viciously in my face, so I just screamed back, "Yes, Sir!".  Later, he came by and screamed at me for standing smartly at attention, and he told me to stand at parade rest.  What a dick he is!  Then we marched back to the house for more shoe shining and uniform prep. 

 

It's a very nice, slightly cool day.  We're having mail call now.  The incoming mail is much less these days.  We got 2 days' worth, and it's only one small stack.  I got nothing from Chris.  I can't believe it!  That makes it over a week with nothing from her!  Every day, mail call is one of the big high points, and I've gotten relatively little mail from Chris.  I got a nice Christmas card from Brenda and Barry, though, so at least it wasn't a nothing night.  I owe Mom & Dad and several others a letter, but there's absolutely no time for it.  Just keeping my diary even slightly up to date requires staying up well past taps.  This is being written in the rack under the blanket, with a flashlight.  I also have some things I need to work on before morning to get ready for tomorrow's parade and inspection. 

 

After the last shoe shining and uniform prep session today, we went back out for more COD.  It didn't go well.  There were lots of screwups, then Sgt Groomes got pissed and said, "Pack it up!", and he walked away.  We knew the shit was going to hit the fan.  We were marched back to the house and put the rifles away.  Then we were herded out to the pit for some fun.  After a relatively short bending session in the dirt, we were unbloused and given the full First Phase treatment with trousers unbloused, top button buttoned, covers pulled down over our heads, hands in pockets, and no marching; just shuffling along.  Actually, the worst part was how everyone immediately started turning on each other, and were at each other's throats.  The guide and squad leaders were especially bad; acting like total assholes and screaming at us about screwing up, and pretending they never screw up.  Often, one of our marching screwups is due to a wrong move by a squad leader, which screws up the entire squad, if not the entire platoon. 

 

We went to evening chow.  4th squad was last in again!  I couldn't believe it.  It didn't seem like the time to complain about it, though.  Regalado was especially being a complete asshole.  He wolfed down his chow in a couple minutes, then started screaming at the rest of us that we were done eating, and to get out of the chow hall.  He really enjoys the opportunity to be an asshole.  No wonder he wanted to be an MP.  This afternoon, Kruzinski was on bed rest.  Apparently, he went to chow by himself without checking out with a DI. Once it was determined that he was at the chow hall, Regalado offered THREE times to the DIs to go over to the show hall and drag him back here immediately. 

 

After supper tonight, it was more uniform, parade, and inspection prep. Some of the other recruits aren't nearly as far along as me.  I help some of them the best I can, but my time is extremely limited, too.  I helped Moran with his tie, and Jackson with sewing on a button.  We also did some rifle maintenance after chow.  Sgt Orlovsky brought out some cans of lighter fluid to stealthily use to get the carbon traces off.  We had to put it into little plastic caps and keep a lookout for officers coming through.  It did work well, though. It seemed to get a lot of that carbon we've been chasing since the range and RFTD. 

 

One surprising thing I found out at the MOS class yesterday is that ITS (Infantry Training School) is very little humping (hiking) and little or no overnight bivouac (camping out).  I wasn't exactly looking forward to camping out in the Camp Pendleton mud during the cold and rainy winter season, but I was ready to do it.  It all sounds very interesting.  I am eager to go there and do the training.  I think I'll put down machine gunner as my first choice (after Recon and Scout/Sniper).  It'll be nice to get back to semi-normal living.  ITS will last about 6-8 weeks, then I'll move on to the FMF and life of a real Marine.  I am recalling what it was like to go from Lackland AFB to Sheppard AFB.  It was still restricted, but nothing at all like all the bullshit and games and zero free time of boot camp.  I hope I get Recruiter's Assistant first.  Regalado is one of the 03s.  That figures.  If I end up going to ITS a month after he does, due to 30 days as Recruiter's Assistant, then hopefully I'll never see the bastard again.  “Never” will be none too soon.  The group going to the 03 briefing was by far the largest one. Sgt Orlovsky briefed a communications group, so I assume that's the field he came from.  Our Sgt helper wasn't around after this morning.  He was very aggressive, doing all sorts of yelling at recruits.

 

FRI 12/12 T-66

Well, now it's about the end of the day.  There's a lot to try to catch up on here.  We had late supper chow, and now we're doing brass polishing.  I got tired of doing that, so I requested permission to make a "sit down head call", so I'm sitting on the shitter writing this while pretending to be shitting. 

 

4th squad was last in for morning chow AGAIN.  After chow, we had parade practice, then we came in and literally got dressed by the numbers; one button at a time, as called out by the DIs.  Then we had the parade, then it was back into cammies for lunch, then back into the Alpha uniform for the big inspection.  I think the inspection went OK.  We didn't take the parade.  We can't take anything.  We didn't take 3rd Phase prac, either.  Probably due in no small part to our outstanding leadership within the platoon. 

 

After the inspection, it was back into cammies, and we went back outside to the parade deck for a practice final drill review.  We didn't do too bad on that.  Tomorrow is the final PFT.  I don't know what they'll find for us to do all next week.  We've done the prac test, so no more knowledge.  No more PT after tomorrow's PFT.  After final drill on Mon or Tue, there will be no more COD. I'm sure they'll find something interesting to keep us occupied, though.  Oh, I think we do the Confidence Course at least one more time, and we do rappelling once.  We may do the pugil sticks sometime also.  Those things sound like fun.  We’ve missed a lot of that cool stuff, due to the Corps pussying out on the weather. Well, it’s probably more like the Corps taking into account what pussies some of these losers are.  So, today was mainly spent doing final prep and checks on uniforms, changing in and out of uniforms, and marching.  4th squad was FIRST in for lunch and dinner, so it was very nice to have a clean tray at the end of the meal, for a change. 

 

The Senior's in a pretty good mood tonight, for some reason.  As he said today, we are now the senior recruits on the Depot.  Around sundown, we marched over to the General's building for Christmas tree lighting ceremonies and Christmas carol singing.  Well, it beats bending, I suppose.  The Senior yelled at me in a half serious manner that I was singing too loud and I had a lousy voice.  It ran on so long, I was afraid we'd miss chow, but we got back just in time for late chow.  Sgt Groomes even let us eat pop sickles for dessert, which I didn't care about, anyway. 

 

Now I'm mainly waiting for mail call and praying I get something from Chris. Well, after writing that, we got lists of inspection discrepancies and things to check for, then more shoe polishing, then uniform maintenance.  It looked like there'd be no mail call, which was a super bummer, because that meant there would be no more mail call until Monday night; 3 days away.  But, at the last minute, Sgt Groomes had it, I got some chocolates, but no note, from Chris, a card from Rusty, and a letter from Mom.  I'll have to be sure to see Rusty when I am home on leave. 

 

Sgt Groomes was in a pretty good mood this evening, too.  Mighty unusual.  He asked me if I was a contract 0300.  I proudly said I was.  He shook his head and said it was the weirdest thing he'd ever heard of; a 33 year old PFC grunt.  I was talking with some of the others about their MOSs.  Both Moreaux and Regalado were whining about theirs, asking the Senior over and over if he could help them get it changed.  The Senior was also kidding around about promoting all his criminals.  I guess he happened to check people's records in their SRB, and apparently Regalado, Moran, and Kizzia all have records and/or drug involvement.  He was razzing Foster, who apparently had a charge of "watching TV while driving" on his record.  The parade this morning was very moving and exciting. The one next Thur will be even better! Graduation parades are usually every Friday, but we're getting out a little early because of Christmas.  I need to tell my family what I think is the best place to sit to see me.  While Sgt Groomes was telling us about our inspection discrepancies, he mentioned that Visitor's Day will commence at 1300, not 1400, as previously stated.  I asked him later if I could call Chris tomorrow and tell her to come earlier than planned.  He just said “OK”, and he didn't even scream at me about it. Amazing.  We have one of the biggies; the final PFT first thing in the morning, so I can't be staying up late tonight writing.  The Christmas tree thing was neat.  There were lots of high ranking officers and their young, expensively dressed wives there.  Major General Lukeman was there, too. 

 

The chocolates I got from Chris were Reeses cups.  Regalado is such a total asshole.  I swear somehow I'm going to fix his ass good before I leave here. I think I'll take his dress shoes the night before graduation and shitcan them or fuck them up good.  When I got the Reeses cups, and later when I was handing them out to some of the other recruits, he kept screaming that I should be forced to shitcan them.  Iverson got some chocolate chip cookies that Regalado was also screaming about.  In fact, I believe he and Smith did make Iverson throw them in the shitcan.  Then everyone grabbed them out of the shitcan and ate them.  That's one thing I hate about getting goodies in the mail; the other recruits are so greedy, and suddenly everyone is your friend.  Regalado didn't have the audacity to come up and ask me for some, but all the other squad leaders did.  In fact Moran and Smith kept bugging me several times during free time about how many I had left, and whining that they wanted some MORE.  I just kept telling them they were all gone, while Jackson and I kept slipping more out from where I was hiding them, and munching on them. Well, I gotta crash.  Big day tomorrow!

 

SAT 12/13 T-67

It's late morning now.  A truly beautiful day!  It's warm, clear, and sunny.  The PFT was all fucked up!  They did the run first, and everyone really put out 100% for it, but some dumb bastard routed us wrong, and we were headed out the wrong way.  Finally, someone figured it out and got us turned around and running back the right way.  I had been wondering about it, as I was sure we'd gone over 1.5 miles and we were still heading away from the starting point.  Then I was thinking maybe it was a point to point run instead of the usual "out and back".  We all kept running hard and giving it 100% right to the end.  I was hoping they'd take our run times and just extrapolate what it would have been if it had been the proper 3 miles.  Actually, I don't think anyone here even knows what "extrapolate" means, much less knows how to do it.  I think it ended up being about 4 miles.  But they didn't log any run times, and just told us to get back in line.  As we were running back, I was passing LT Sagimoto as someone else was.  Whoever it was yelled at the LT as we passed, "Good going; thanks a lot, Sir!".  I figured he'd burn for it, but I guess even the LT realized what a major screwup he or his people had made with us, and I never heard anything about that.  We then did the rest of the PFT, although I was wondering why, since it all has to be done together.  I was still hoping they'd let our run scores stand somehow. We all really put out on that run! I did 9 pullups and 80 situps. The DIs gave us some honey for energy just before we went out for the run.  Now they say we'll have to rerun just the run later on. 

 

Then we had rifle maintenance.  First, when Smith was gone doing something, Regalado and the other squad leaders were going around pitching all of us to donate $1 to buy Smith some anodized brass for the dress blues he was given for being honor man, and for some corfam (patent leather) shoes to go with it, also.  I said (to myself, to avoid conflicts) "fuck that".  Then later on, Smith was going around giving us a big pitch to do everything for the Senior (fuck that, too; I do the very best I can, but it's for me, not for him).  Then Smith was pitching all of us for $4 each for a gift for the Senior.  Fuck that, too!  I'm trying hard to avoid any conflicts for the next few days, and I still need pro and con (proficiency and conduct) marks from Sgt Groomes, so I'm just keeping my mouth shut, but if push comes to shove, I will refuse to give anything to any of them.  So far, I'm just avoiding giving anything while also avoiding making any clear stand.  Of course Smith wants to do a lot for Sgt Groomes; look at all Sgt Groomes has done for him.  All he's done for me is screw me out of series high shooter.  Johnson AB asked me what they were collecting money for, and I told him.  He said "fuck that", and we just smiled at each other.  In retrospect, I know they did end up collecting a bunch of money from a lot of easily intimidated fools.  To the best of my knowledge, neither the money nor any gift were ever given to Sgt Groomes.  I don't know who ended up with the money collected.  Smith did get his brass and corfam shoes, though..

 

SUN 12/14 T-68

It's a positively beautiful morning!  There was a gold sunrise with pink streaks and colored clouds all over. After writing during yesterday's rifle cleaning session, we went out for COD.  Things did not go well at all!  Sgt Groomes finally got really pissed and terminated the session, and “took us to the dirt”, meaning a funzo thrashing session in the sandbox.  Then we went to the washrack for more rifle cleaning, while groups of 10 bent upstairs.  Sgt Orlovsky was in a savage mood, and so was Sgt Groomes.  Then we went back to the dirt, then back to the parade deck for another COD session.  During that session, Johnson, MA got kicked out of the formation for about the 50th instance of his stupid shit, and sent to the house.  He started off walking toward the house.  Then Sgt Orlovsky started walking after him.  Johnson started walking faster and faster, with Sgt Orlovsky right behind him, walking faster and faster, until Johnson was sprinting and so was Sgt Orlovsky.  The next COD session didn't go very well, either.  Half of these dumb bastards have their head up their ass; they just aren't paying attention, and they aren't giving it 100%.  So, about half an hour later, that COD session was terminated, and we went back to the house.  When we got there, Sgt Orlovsky was STILL bending Johnson, and he continued bending him. We were told to get in the classroom with our dress shoes and shoeshine kits.  Then we had to bounce the shoes off the ceiling and let them rain down on our heads while we stood at attention.  I tried to make it look like I was throwing my shoes up hard, but I was really trying to avoid actually hitting the ceiling, to minimize the damage to the hours of polishing I've put into them. 

 

While all this fun was going on, Sgt Orlovsky took Johnson into the whiskey locker (cleaning supplies closet), and started bending him in there, while smashing the hell out of everything in the place and knocking all the cleaning gear off the shelves and onto Johnson while he was bending.  Finally, Sgt Groomes saved Johnson's tired (in more ways than one!) ass by coming out of the office and telling him to get his stupid ass out of the whiskey locker, and for everyone to get on line.  I managed to hang onto my shoes in the sprint to our places on line.  Most of the other recruits didn't.  Then we had to tear up the racks and stand on line with our sheets and blankets over our heads.  Then we played "stack the mattresses in the back".  Then we played "shove all the empty racks against the starboard side". Then we had 5 minutes to put it all back in perfect order. 

 

Right after we started rebuilding the house, Sgt Orlovsky asked who wanted to make a head call.  Naturally, no one wanted to be on the skyline and draw any attention at a time like this.  He kept insisting and yelling that he wanted to know who had to piss.  I was very studiously rebuilding my rack, and developing a sudden hearing problem.  Finally, poor old buddy Jackson gave in and said he had to piss.  So, Sgt Orlovsky told him to get in the classroom.  We were all wondering what wild and crazy thing was coming next. Sgt Orlovsky went over to Smith's rack, got the platoon guidon, threw it on the floor in the classroom, and told Jackson to piss on it.  He said we had no unit integrity, and that, as a platoon, we were shit, so we might as well just piss on the guidon, the symbol of our unit.  Jackson refused to piss on it, and Sgt Orlovsky kept screaming for Jackson and/or someone else to get up in the classroom and piss on the flag. We all were VERY busy making our racks, and no one was glancing up.  Then Sgt Orlovsky said he wanted someone to come up in the classroom and take a shit on the guidon.  Naturally, no one would, so he said we were all a bunch of pigs, and he knew he could go in the head and find a shitter that one of us pigs had not flushed.  He took the guidon in, then came back and said sure enough, he had found a shitter with shit in it, and that's where our guidon was.  We also got unbloused again.

 

The Senior came out and told us all to get in the classroom, and he gave us a lecture on trying hard, so these next few days aren't hell.  He also gave us many warnings and threats of dire consequences if anyone screwed up in any way on Visitor's Day or the Battalion Commander's inspection.  He said we should all cut Visitor's Day short after an hour or so and get back to the house to work on uniforms.  I don't think so, Sir.  I won't be back late, but I sure as hell won't be back within the hour, either. 

 

After chow, Sgt Morris told us to put CLP on all metal on our rifles.  I told Smith that doing that would screw up all our cleaning work for the last several days, but he just jumped all over me, and said "instant response to orders", so I did it.  Later, we found out that we shouldn't have, and that Sgt Morris had only really wanted the front sight and compensator done. Real fucking smart, boys. 

 

Now it's after lights out on Sunday night.  Here's a recap of the day's events.  After breakfast, we had a long cleanup, then square away time.  I used up most of my time taking the platoon laundry to the Battalion laundromat.  I got to polish my good boots some, and did a very hurried pressing of my inspection cammies before we had another cleanup, then chow.  Also, last night, after lights out, I was up from 0230 to about 0400 polishing my boots and talking some with Hill and Jackson. I couldn't remember Smith before the time Sgt Orlovsky brought him out and said he was the next squad leader. Hill said he remembered him, that he was platoon treasurer, and he used to yell at people often to shut up. Hill is another one of the good recruits here.

 

So after lunch, we had our Alpha uniform inspection, cammie inspection, boot inspection, and lots of threats and conditions laid down before we were finally marched over to the Visitor's Center.  The DIs stopped us three times on the way for more threats.  Finally, we made it, and I got to see Chris.  It was great.  She brought some cookies, which disappeared within minutes of my arrival back at the house at 1600.  We walked around, and went to the PX for my ribbons.  We went to the bowing alley.  I saw numerous people I knew.  We went around the O Course and the Confidence Course, then it was back to the house for me.  It was a brief visit, and no touching, but it was nice. 

 

After Visitor's Day was over, we got ready for COD.  I should have had Chris wait and watch us.  COD went very well, with no real screwups at all. Then we went back to the house, with everyone in good spirits, then to evening chow.  There was a very beautiful sunset happening all during COD. There were lovely colors all over the sky.  After chow, we took turns doing brass polishing, shoe polishing, rifle cleaning, and Alpha uniform maintenance. I went to put my ribbons on my uniform, and found out that I needed to buy a bracket to mount them on.  The whole time I was in the Air Force, I never once wore any uniform that ribbons were used with, so I didn't realize what it took to mount them.  Was I ever bummed! 

 

Sgt Morris bent me again for working on my boots last night.  When he got tired of that, I asked him if he had an old mounting bracket I could buy from him, to put my ribbons on.  Both he and Sgt Orlovsky really came unglued at that. They were jumping up and down and screaming hysterically at me for wanting to screw up a good Marine Corps uniform by putting Air Force trash on it.  Then Sgt Henion got in on it, too, but it was mainly Sgt Orlovsky.  I stuck to my guns, and said they were medals issued by the US government, and they didn’t detract at all from the uniform. I said I’d earned them, and I had every right to wear them.  Finally, after lots of screaming and thrashing, I said I didn't want to do it, just so they'd go away and leave me alone.  Later on, I felt like a pussy for giving in, and wished I'd really stuck to my guns and steadfastly insisted on planning to put them on.  A couple recruits like Jackson and Moreaux were saying I should have just said right away that I didn't really want to do it. It was just a game, though, because a few minutes later, Sgt Orlovsky said I'd have to go without the ribbons for the inspection, but to be sure to remind them to let me got to the PX to get the bracket.  Well, I have to iron some cammies for tomorrow and maybe polish my shoes some more, and it's already about 2300.

 

MON 12/15 T-69

It's after lunch now.  The entire morning consisted of preparing for, and having, the Battalion Commander's inspection.  It went well, I think.  We got up fast at reveille, and rushed immediately over to the chow hall, and got dressed in line there, so we could beat the other platoons in and out of the chow hall.  Then we did rifle maintenance and shoe and brass polishing.  After that, we got dressed one step at a time, by the numbers, and went out to the parade deck for the inspection.  They had about 4 or 5 inspectors going through the ranks, but only 2 of them inspected me.  My bolt was already locked to the rear, so it faked me out during "inspection arms", but I maintained my bearing.  But then I stood there thinking about my mistake until the inspector reminded me to give my little speech with name and MOS.  Then the Lt Col came by, asking each recruit a couple simple questions. He asked me a few casual questions, then did a major double take when I told him how old I was.  So then he stayed there awhile, and asked me several more questions about myself, my history, my family, etc.  At the end, he said I looked really sharp.  After the inspection, we were filing off, and I heard him telling someone in his group that a 33 year old recruit was amazing. My shoes were killing me throughout the inspection. 

 

Then we had lunch, followed by rifle cleaning.  We're doing rifle cleaning now, so I'm sneaking a chance to write a little.  We have Final PFT, Attempt Number Two, soon.  It's a nice warm day, which is great, but not for doing a PFT.  I'm not looking forward to it.  I sure hope they let us keep our old pullup and situp scores, but I doubt it.  I went back to rifle cleaning, but it was boring, because the rifle was already clean.  I asked Sgt Groomes if I could go to the PX to get my bracket.  He said I could, but then my buddy Sgt Morris stopped me as I was leaving and said I couldn't go.  Then he and Sgt Henion bent me for "tricking the Senior into letting me go to the main PX".  They claimed Sgt Groomes thought I meant the little PX next door, not the main PX.  Sgt Groomes knew why I wanted to go, so he should have been able to figure out where I planned to go to do it.  When they were done bending me, Jackson said I should try to go with the flow more.  I gave him a big grin, but Sgt Morris saw it, and started screaming at me.  I looked at Sgt Morris with a very serious face to show him I wasn't laughing.  He and Sgt Henion got all pissed off about it, and bent me a very long time.  After awhile, I was getting very tired, and Sgt Morris was doing his usual bit, screaming that I wasn't even sweating yet, as the sweat dripped off my nose.  Finally, they let me quit, and said they were giving me a big break because of the upcoming PFT.  They said there would be more of it to come after the PFT. 

 

Smith has been acting real uppity lately.  I have no rapport with him at all any more.  A typical event; during rifle maintenance, I needed Q-tips.  I asked him if I could get some from him. Of course, he wouldn't just hand or toss them across the freeway to me, so I had to get up and walk over to get them. He wouldn't even raise his hand with the Q-tips to hand them to me.  He just held them in his hand down near the deck, so I had to bend way over to get them.  

 

We hit the road for class.  I was the first one down, as usual, and started yelling for others to hurry up.  I got into an altercation with Regalado over it, and even a couple other jerks were joining in and yelling at me to shut up.  So much for the very brief return to the super motivated me of first phase.

 

Now it's 0230 Tuesday morning.  The last few nights, there have been a lot of recruits up during the night, working on gear in the head.  There's just too much to do, and not enough time.  I compound that problem for myself by trying to write as much as I can, on top of all the other responsibilities.  Tonight, we were prepping for the final drill tomorrow.  After that, it's all over, except for a few final small details!!

 

We TOOK the inspection today.  Amazing!  Sgt Groomes was walking around all smiles this evening after we found out.  The class we went to was one on how to fill out forms for the hometown news release.  Then we went over to do the PFT.  At the last minute, they decided we had to repeat only the run, which was great.  It was late afternoon when we ran it, and there was a nice cool breeze, so conditions weren't too bad for it. I had no pains during the run.  I ran it pretty well.  I did a 20:20 overall, with a 10:05 or 10:10 at the halfway point.  I missed 20:10 by about 1 second.  I was kicking as hard as I possibly could as they kept calling 20:10, but it changed to 20:20 when I was about ten feet away.  They only score it in increments of ten seconds. 

 

Then we went back to the house for COD, which went very well, for the first time.  Then we had chow, then more COD, then boot polishing, then more COD.  There was no mail call.  Well, I've got to stop writing to work on polishing my boots.  Some asshole in the chowhall tonight stole my cover (hat).  When stepped outside after eating, I realized it was missing, so I went back in the chowhall.  I think it was the recruit who was sitting beside me during the meal.  I couldn't see any bulges in his pockets, so I don't know what he or whoever might have done with it. 

 

Moreaux just came into the head at the start of his firewatch, and was his usual asshole self, only even more so.  He nearly started a fight trying to loudly evict several of us working on our gear in the head.  He's always been such a jerk! It was a real treat when he and Regalado were the secretaries.  He was being very loud (it's almost 0400!), yelling that he doesn't give a shit if he wakes any of the other privates up.  That's typical for him; he usually wakes me up when he has firewatch, by being so carelessly noisy.  What a leader!  Anyway, Smith was one of the ones in the head working on gear, so that added some weight to all of us telling him to fuck off. 

 

Now it's 0410, and the DI calls have started, so I'm back in the rack, but I think I can forget about getting any sleep tonight.  I was tired, sleepy, and lethargic all day from the lack of sleep last night.  Missing all this sleep tonight on top of all the sleep deprivation I already have ought to make the day that's about to begin a tough one!  I've also been clearing my throat a lot tonight, and I feel a slight sore throat. I PRAY it's not another cold! Illnesses are spread constantly here. Some other bug went around, putting many recruits on bedrest with nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, etc., but luckily I've missed that one so far.  After the PFT run, I've felt very tired and drained physically, too.  I'm not sore, just dead tired.  

 

In the head earlier, Moreaux was running his mouth about how he doesn't give a shit about anyone else (I'll be sure to remember that, since he's an 03), and nobody gives a shit about him or me.  He was giving me a hard time, saying I was too dumb to say the right things to keep from getting bent, and that everyone just laughs at me when I get bent.  As a matter of fact, after I got bent so long this afternoon, several recruits came up to me, patted me on the back, and said "Hang in there!". 

 

Foster was selected to be the only recruit, besides the guide and squad leaders, to be meritoriously promoted to Private First Class.  There was no apparent reason that anyone knows of. Maybe it was for busting that idiot's head open when we were on mess duty!  There was also no mention of the "American Spirit Award", which I saw on one of the forms I typed out.  I had hoped that I might at least graduate with that, but apparently not. The Corps does not do "surprises", so if I haven't been told by now that I am to be a "stage private", one selected for some award, then it won't be me.  It's a major disappointment for me that I didn't get selected for any awards at all, although being honor man was the one I tried for so hard.  Earlier, in the head, Hill was telling me that DeCluette told him Regalado asked DeCluette to escort him to the airport after graduation, because he's afraid of getting jumped for all the shit he's given everyone.  Most of the recruits hate him, but I doubt if anyone would jump him somewhere.  It would be great if someone did, though. 

 

I'm hearing the Receiving Barracks recruits marching now. Reveille is only about an hour away. I've considered various ways of fixing Regalado's ass, including pouring edge dressing or shoe dye on his Alpha uniform the night before graduation.  I think I'll just take his shoes.  It's not such blatantly obvious sabotage, and it will sure mess him up good, especially since he's a stage private.  I just need to figure out the best place to get rid of them.  

 

Sgt Orlovsky told us tonight that this is Sgt Groomes' last platoon, so that's why Smith was saying we should "do it for the Senior, because we can really help him out".  Smith hits on that theme a lot.  I don't do anything "for him".  I do the very best I can, but for myself.  I'm sure a lot of that "do it for the Senior" is just put on by many others just to go along with the program.  This evening, Regalado called 4th squad over, and asked who had not yet contributed for Smith.  A couple others didn't seem too enthused.  In fact, most of the recruits I've talked to about it are not at all enthused about it (to themselves), but none have the balls to do anything but contribute and go along with the program.  I'm doing all I can to just skirt the issue and avoid a showdown about it, but if it comes to a head, I will flatly refuse to give any money to anyone.  After Regalado said why he called us over, Johnson, AB came up and asked what Regalado wanted.  I told him, and we both just said "fuck that", and walked away together.  Ever since he got fired as squad leader (I shouldn't have complained about him; Regalado is 100 times worse), I've liked him pretty well, and we get along fine.

 

MY PFT SCORES:

SITUPS           PULLUPS        RUN TIME      TOTAL

INITIAL          47                                5                      21:00   154

2nd Phase        74                                9                      20:24   218

3rd Ph prac      75                                9                      20:20   220

3rd Phase         80                                9                      20:20   231

 

TUE 12/16 T-70

Well, Final Drill is over.  The bending and screaming began as soon as we got back to the house.  Drill was a very nervous experience, with all the drillmasters swarming around us with clipboards, and the officers, DIs, and the CDI sitting in the reviewing stand.  I was tense and concentrating on deep breathing, relaxing, listening carefully to the commands, and thinking about exactly what to do.  I made a sloppy move in "prepare slings", but I don't think anyone noticed.  Boots and Johnson, AP had incredibly poor alignment.  Dill's stack fell over, and Hanley went to the wrong shoulder during "right shoulder arms".  At least Hanley had enough presence of mind to correct such a mistake as we've been taught to; by waiting until the person controlling the platoon sees it and calls out a command for the incorrect person to correct himself.  Dill and Hanley got thrashed immediately upon our return to the house.  The rest of us got it in groups of 10 just for the hell of it.  My boots looked great during Final Drill!  They were the best looking ones I saw out there. 

 

This morning, we turned in our 782 gear, and picked up our civvies from the warehouse.  It's a very warm day.  We still had on our wooly pullies when we were turning in our "deuce" gear, and it was very hot in them.  My dungarees and BC Cycle T-shirt looked funny after not seeing them or any other civilian clothes for three months.  They have stopped bending us for now.  Hell, we really didn't do that bad in drill.  We could still possibly take it.  Anyway, now we're polishing shoes while some recruits have to go back to Alterations.  It's all over but the rifle turn-in and some processing and graduation.  As Jackson said, "If we end up doing well on the Drill, it'll be easy and relaxed from now to graduation." Otherwise, we'll go "island hopping", which is marching to every thrashing pit on the base and trying it out for awhile. 

 

Now, it's after taps again!  I've got to quickly recap the afternoon and evening so I can crash.  I am dead tired.  I've bent a lot, did the PFT yesterday, and lost about 12 hours sleep in the last couple days.  I didn’t sleep at all last night.  We went over to the armory to turn in our rifles.  We had to clean them some more first (I later found out this is a Marine Corps tradition; your rifle never passes inspection the first time when you try to turn it in at the armory), then lubricate them.  I got in trouble with Sgt Henion there.  He came up and said that, due to how I was cleaning it, I'd probably get my cleaning rag stuck inside the buffer spring area.  I guess I was feeling a little loose from knowing it's all over, plus I think most of it was because I was a little punchy from the lack of sleep lately.  I just looked up at him and gave him a big grin and laughed.  He was not amused!  He started screaming at me, and Sgt Morris joined in, and I still couldn't stop grinning.  I got thrashed awhile for that.

 

Then the same thing happened again at 782 gear turn-in.  The DIs were getting down on some of the recruits for their boot heels not being worn down, indicating failure to set the heels in firmly when marching.  I was curious how mine looked, even though neither of the DIs had complained about mine. Naturally, when I looked at my boots, Sgt Henion saw me do it.  He pulled me out of the line, and made me pull up my heel in back and stand on one leg. It sounds easy, but after awhile, it gets harder and harder.  I had a hard time keeping a straight face there, too, because it seemed so funny. After doing it awhile, my leg muscles started getting tired, so I began hopping around trying to keep my balance. So, when we got back to the house, Sgt Henion and Sgt Morris called for "the laughers" and other bad guy types to come up to the classroom and bend.  When I came up, I was the first one up there, so Sgt Henion started yelling at me about it.  Again, for some odd reason, I just couldn't keep a straight face, no matter how hard I tried.  Sgt Henion grabbed my shirt and twisted it, and screamed at me.  Even that didn't phase me much.  Finally, I got pissed enough at myself for acting like such an undisciplined turd, and I locked it up.  They bent me and a bunch of others a fairly long time.  Sgt Henion was telling the squad leaders he wanted more recruits to bend, so they were calling off names of anyone who had crossed them recently. Finally, he let us go, with the threat that this was only Part 1 of much more to come later. 

 

He called for the squad leaders to get more names.  I started yelling that if he wanted names for laughing, he should get Regalado up there, because he's always flagrantly flaunting his position, and laughing and smirking at things.  At the armory, he was fooling around and talking in the line to turn in weapons.  Regalado freaked out, and came over and started screaming threats in my face.  Then he shoved me down on my footlocker.  With only one day to go, I was loathe to jeopardize myself or get into the trouble I got into the last time, although I really wanted to jump up and start smashing Regalado.  I looked over at Sgt Henion to see some sign from him that I could attack Regalado without getting into trouble.  He yelled "What the hell are you looking at me for?" I told him I wanted permission to hit Regalado back.  He said "Just break it up".  Later, a couple recruits told me I should have just decked him.  He's quite muscular and a little smaller than me. I really wanted badly to smash him. He'll get his tomorrow night. 

 

The Senior posted our final drill scores.  We got third out of four, so he was really pissed, and he threw his chalk against the wall and walked out.  The DIs made us all sit with our heads down in shame awhile, then we went over to the theater to practice the indoor part of graduation.  It's really quite a ceremony.  Naturally, I was pretty bummed that I wasn't in the ceremony at all. It lasted quite awhile.  I was afraid we'd miss chow.  They let us out, and we double-timed over to the chowhall. We used Hatch 1.  There was a platoon of super green recruits going in ahead of us.  This is their first night here. Half were freshly clipped with the gray sweatshirts on, and the other half still had long hair and civvies. You can't get any fresher than that!

 

After chow, Sgt Groomes had us in the classroom.  He was in a fairly decent mood.  He said it's all over, and he turned us loose to start packing. For some reason, I took my shirt off. I guess it was because we were packing, then it was time to start getting ready for the showers.  I don't know if anyone else did, or where I got the idea.  Maybe I was still punchy from the lack of sleep.  So anyway, I had my blouse off, working on packing.  Then dumb shit Cook went running by the Senior, with no "by your leave", and with nothing on but a towel wrapped around him, heading for the showers.  So Sgt Groomes nailed him for it, then my buddy Sgt Morris noticed I had my cammie blouse off, and it was bending time again.  Finally that ended, and I packed up my seabag. 

 

They ended up throwing out a huge pile of towels to be used as deck towels. I sure could use them in my garage, but there's absolutely no room at all in my seabag for anything more.  It was all I could do to get it closed just with my own gear.  Then Sgt Groomes had us back in the classroom again to write little critiques on all our DIs and officers.  He was in a pretty casual mood, and said something about "our own little gong show" tomorrow.  So, I guess tomorrow will be rather casual.  I hope some idiot doesn't take advantage of it and screw up the good mood.  Regalado got up and gave a teary speech about how sorry he was for screwing up final drill (the squad leaders screwed up a lot and cost us most of our points) and for being such a meanie in general.  He looked like he was going to cry.  Then they presented Smith with his set of anodized brass for his dress blues, and handed him a fistful of cash to buy his corfam shoes.  He seemed moved.  Then I finished packing all my gear into my seabag, and we had hygiene inspection.  Some Army Generals and Colonels came by to watch how we did hygiene, cleanup, and hitting the racks. 

 

Well, it's late, and I really need sleep badly.  We still don't have our official PFT scores.  I'm anxious to see my SRB (Service Record Book) and see what kind of pro and con (proficiency and conduct) scores I got from Sgt Groomes. I also heard something about a written evaluation from the DIs that goes into the SRB.  I'd like to see what they honestly thought, without all the hype. Tomorrow should go fast.  We have pictures, orders, and paychecks to get. I showed Jackson my BC Cycle Supply T-shirt, and he liked it, so I gave it to him.

 

WED 12/17 T-71

It's late afternoon now.  First thing this morning, after chow and cleanup, we had parade practice.  It was so-so.  Mager was constantly out of step.  Afterward no one was trying at all in marching back to the house.  Sgt Orlovsky was pissed.  Later on in the day, they were trying a little more, as some of us were getting on those who were not trying.  At lunch, Moran gave me a lot of mouth for telling people to try harder in marching.  What a complete asshole! 

 

After parade practice, we had a long class until lunch.  The class consisted of a review of each page in our SRBs, getting our orders and going over them, filling out postal forwarding forms, and getting our ID cards.  After lunch, we got our paychecks, and went over to SATO, Scheduled Airlines Ticket Office, to turn in our PX chits, pick up the photos we had ordered, cash our paychecks, get airline tickets home, and order our yearbooks.  It took all afternoon to get through the lines.  My paycheck was for $1425, and I didn't have to buy any airline tickets, so that was nice.  I ordered the yearbook.  The pictures I got were OK.  The group photo wasn't very good, because there was too much sunlight.  

 

Right now, it's after taps.  This is our last night here!  There's lots of excitement in the air, and there's a lot of horseplay going on. Reveille is at 0400 tomorrow.  At SATO, Sgt Henion was playing with me, asking me questions about my life, trying to make me laugh, and messing playfully with my glasses and Strom's glasses.  After SATO, we came back to the house in small groups on our own, and worked on our shoes for tomorrow's graduation.  Then we went back out for parade practice and to practice the indoor graduation ceremony.  The 20 minute film they're going to show at the beginning of the indoor ceremony looks pretty good.  After the practice, we had chow, then we went back to the house to finalize packing our seabags and cleaning out our footlockers. 

 

This afternoon, we put most of our trash (gear) in the seabags.  I had a hard time getting mine closed, especially after Sgt Groomes said he wanted it closed up in a certain way.  Finally, Jackson and I got it closed, after a lot of slamming it on the deck, kicking it, and punching it.  When we went to the indoor ceremony practice, Sgt Groomes was taking Smith to the PX to get his corfam shoes, so I asked if I could go along with them to get my ribbon bracket.  He said I could, but then when he left, he didn't take me.  I hoped he'd at least pick it up for me.  I asked him about it later, and he said he didn't have time.  Somehow, he managed to find the time for Smith's corfams, though, the fucker!  He should have let me go this afternoon or yesterday when I asked him.  There was plenty of spare time then.  He said he'd fix me up in the morning.  I'll bet, you dick!  We'll see. It's too bad I didn't have them on for the inspection, but I sure want to have them for the graduation.

 

THUR 12/18 T-72

Well, that's the end of my notes!  The rest is from memory.  There were too many people milling around during our last night there for me to get at Regalado's shoes then.  In fact, Regalado was so sure someone was going to get him on the last night, he stayed up all night.  I'd missed too much sleep recently to even try to stay up.  We got up at 0400, had chow, and began cleanup.  Then we took all of our seabags, suit bags, and war bags (gearbag) out and lined them up very neatly on the parade deck, and returned for the final big cleanup of the barracks.  During the hustle and bustle of cleanup, I snagged Regalado's shoes and took them down to the dumpster.  Trouble was, both pairs at his rack were unmarked, so I tried to figure out which pair were Regalado's, based on location.  It figured that his were unmarked, in violation of the requirement that they all be marked.  Later on, when we were getting dressed for graduation, they were missed.  When the shit hit the fan about the missing shoes, it turned out they belonged to Kizzia, who was the best and most rational squad leader of all of them.  I just about shit when I realized it was Kizzia who said his shoes were gone.  I always liked him.  Sgt Groomes was going ballistic about them being missing, and made all of us search the entire barracks for them. 

 

Then Smith reported his wallet missing.  I thought Sgt Groomes was going to have a stroke over the idea of someone messing with his precious guide.  I have no idea who might have taken Smith's wallet.  Sgt Groomes was positively livid.  He made everyone search everywhere, and threatened us that if Smith's wallet didn't turn up, we were all going to stay right there until it did, and to hell with graduation.  During the confusion and bedlam, I slipped out and got Kizzia's shoes out of the dumpster.  Good thing I didn't damage them at all.  I slipped back into the barracks and set the shoes down and let someone find them.  Someone made the suggestion that Smith go down to the parade deck, go through his bags one more time, and make sure the wallet wasn't in one of them.  He left to do that.  After awhile, he came back and said he had found the wallet in his seabag, after all.  I never knew what the real story was.  I suspected that Smith was smart enough to just say he found the wallet in order to get things moving again toward graduation.  I never heard either way, though, nor did I ever see or hear of Smith (or Regalado) again after graduation. 

 

We got the barracks all cleaned up nice, and turned in our bedding. We got dressed, by the numbers, into our Alpha uniforms.  Of course, Sgt Groomes didn't "hook me up in the morning" for my ribbons bracket, as he'd promised.  Then we went out and played "move the bags around and get them all perfectly lined up" awhile. Finally, we went to the theater for the indoor ceremony.  I knew my family was there somewhere, but the crowd was huge, and of course I couldn't be gawking, looking all around for them. 

 

Walker, who spent about 90% of boot camp on light duty, was sitting near me. One of the DIs, I think it might have been Sgt Orlovsky, came up to my row after we were seated and called Walker out of his seat.  He was taken away, and I never saw or heard of him again.  I know for sure he never came back for the ceremony, and he wasn't with the platoon when we marched in review for the final graduation parade. What a shock it must have been for him to think he'd managed to coast his way through boot camp, then to get pulled out during the graduation ceremony!  I was glad they did it.  They should have done it to more of them.  They probably just sent him back to the platoon graduating next, although that would have been one graduating AFTER Christmas, so his goldbricking probably got him to stay at MCRD over Christmas. 

 

I'm fairly sure we were the last ones graduating before Christmas.  In fact, they even moved our graduation up from the normal Friday to a Thursday to get us out of there a day early.  Both the indoor ceremony and the final parade were very thrilling and stirring moments.  The music gave me goose bumps all over.  Soon, it was over, and I got to see and hug and talk with my family. I think I saw Sgt Groomes and Sgt Morris briefly after the ceremony.  I never saw Sgt Orlovsky again, either.  I would have liked to have said goodbye to him.  I respected him and Sgt Henion the most.  We walked around some, but the family was eager to get going, so we left fairly soon.  Families were being offered the opportunity to take lunch at the chowhall with their new Marine, but, again, my family seemed like they wanted to get going.  I did make my trip to the PX to get my ribbon bracket.  After the graduation ceremony, of course.  Thank you again, Sgt Groomes!  I also went by the chowhall to see the SSgt Chief Cook who had asked me to stop by and say hi after I graduated.  Unfortunately, he was off that day.

 

 

Second row back, 5th from right = that's yours truly

 

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