Brian Meyette's USMC Boot Camp Diary

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

 

EDSON RANGE

 

 

 

FRI 10/24 T-17

It is after breakfast, all our seabags are packed and piled up on the parade deck, and we're just waiting to go to Camp Pendleton.  The air is heavy with excitement and the anticipation of starting Phase II. 

I found out why Kraling went home.  Sgt Groomes told us about it this morning because he was ticked off because Kraling hadn't come to him with his problem first.  The DIs insist that everyone bring their problems to them first. 

The story is that the worthless little mama's boy wimp wrote a letter to his mommy and told her how very terrible and mean everything here is.  He wrote her that it was so unbearable he was going to kill himself to get out of it.  That Kraling really pisses me off because it couldn't have been very hard at all for him. He was very smart and physically fit, so he did really well at everything, and I never even once saw him getting bent or yelled at.  He was such a sickening pussy he couldn't take it, even as easy as it had to have been for him.  Good riddance! 

Then the DIs let us make a PX call.  I really needed to get a bunch of stuff.  I spent too much there, and I didn't have enough chits left to get a haircut.  I had to borrow some from one of the other recruits.  I was worried about getting into trouble for it, but nothing came of it.  After the haircuts, we marched over to the parade deck bleachers to watch another platoon go through their graduation ceremonies.  It was very motivating. 

While we were sitting there waiting for the graduation, we heard most of the DIs from the other platoons in our series threatening their recruits with severe thrashings as soon as they can get us up to Camp Pendleton away from officers and their rules. They were warming their recruits up for Camp Pendleton by randomly pulling many recruits from the bleachers and thrashing them behind the bleachers.  It looks like the stories I heard about big time thrashings at Camp Pendleton are true.

Our platoon seemed to be rather well disciplined, with a few exceptions like Cook, Herman, etc.  But we received none of the threatening talks or thrashing that all the platoons around us were getting.  This morning, Herman and Anderson showed up at the washrack for morning cleanup.  Herman is supposed to be in 4th squad.  I didn’t even realize it, which proves he's never showed up before.  I have GOT to talk to Sgt Groomes ASAP about being guide or a squad leader. 

Right now, it's after lunch, and we're waiting on the parade deck with all our gear.  The buses are all lined up now, so we should be boarding them fairly soon.  Seeing graduation was really neat!  I was covered with goosebumps just from watching and thinking about it.  I want that guide billet so bad!  Mainly it's just so I can be the guide in dress blues at graduation for my family to see.  It will also get me a promotion to Lance Corporal upon graduation, and a better shot at Recon, if I'm the honor man. 

Another loser crybaby named Hernandez was shipped out yesterday with Kraling.  The poor lad said all the yelling and stress gave him nosebleeds and headaches.  Apparently we've retained all the ones who failed the prac tests, though.  It seems to me that when all the recruits see the ones who failed getting to stay with the platoon, it's likely to make them not worry so much about putting 100% effort into the next tests they give us. 

In the formation after lunch I got into a minor hassle with Johnson, AB, the squad leader.  He's a big, dumb "dark green Marine".  He was running his mouth constantly for about 5 minutes, loudly, so I yelled down at him to shut up and set a good example of not talking in formation.  He started ranting and raving loudly for several minutes for me to get off his back, "mo-fo" this, "mo-fo" that, and how I am just a tired old man.  I kept quiet for awhile, as we're supposed to do.  We're supposed to take orders from the squad leaders, not tell them what to do.  Then I got sick of hearing him running his mouth, so I started yelling for the guide, who can tell the squad leaders what to do.  Several of the other recruits in the platoon also began to say to him "Doesn't the rule about being quiet apply to squad leaders, too?".  Finally, he shut up.  He's sort of effective as a squad leader, in a crude way, but he has an overly loud and obnoxious manner, and he obviously doesn't grasp the concept of setting a good example.  I consider setting a good example to be a prime characteristic of being a good leader.

The second squad leader, also named Johnson (there are 5 Johnsons in this platoon), is the opposite of Johnson, AB, the third squad leader.  He acts and talks like a fairy.  He won't last long as a squad leader.  When we got on the bus, Johnson, AB and I locked horns again.  I was telling the recruits to fill in all the seats in the back, and he started screaming at me to "shut the fuck up".   I said "Fuck you, Johnson; I'm just doing your job for you while you're standing around chit-chatting", so he shut up. 

We had to ride all the way to Camp Pendleton with our heads in our laps, just so we didn't enjoy the ride too much.  Maybe it was also so that we couldn’t see where we were going; to make “escape” more difficult.  Ha ha!  When we first got to Camp Pendleton, it was the usual very hectic scene; frantically racing around being screamed at while trying to get racks made and footlockers packed. 

During free time, I talked to Sgt Groomes about being made guide or squad leader.  He was surprisingly receptive.  He said his current leaders are pretty weak, which I agree with. 

There's a big sandbox outside for us to "play" in.  The area seems like a nice new place.

 

SAT 10/25 T-18

We got up at 0500 and went to breakfast.  The DIs had told us the food here wasn't nearly as good or as plentiful as what we got at MCRD in San Diego.  They were right!  Breakfast was quite skimpy. The chocolate milk here tastes terrible.  The chow line has a very limited selection.  The juice isn't even real juice; it's just some flavored sugar water crap.  If everyone knows the food here is lousy, and it's openly acknowledged to be lousy, then why doesn't someone do something about it?

After breakfast, we had a 5 mile "nature walk" down to the beach, along it, and back at "forced march" speed, which was a very fast-paced walk.  When we got back, the DIs made us take off our boots and socks, and lay on our backs in the parking lot with our feet up in the air, like dead cockroaches.  Then the corpsmen went through our ranks, and inspected our feet for potential blisters forming. 

Then we did some new COD movements with the rifles.  I did OK, but lots of bozos didn't, so Sgt Groomes got pissed off and herded us back to the house.  I figured we'd all get severely thrashed for it, but all we did was put the rifles in the armory and go to chow.  I'm still uneasily awaiting all the major thrashings I had heard about.  Again, lunch was quite skimpy and not very good.

After lunch, we spent most of the afternoon cleaning and recleaning our rifles.  I got into another confrontation with Johnson, AB. Many of the recruits were talking while we cleaned our rifles (there isn't supposed to be any conversation anytime; we get thrashed for it), so I told several of them to shut up. Sommers, the guide, was down at the other end of the washrack, shooting the breeze with Dill and Steelman. After I put up with that for about 10 minutes, I yelled down to Sommers to stop talking and set a good example. Johnson started his ranting and raving again, telling me to shut up and mind my own business.  Then he threatened to take my name to the DIs if I said another word.  So I shut up and went to Sgt Morris and complained about both of them setting poor examples and using their jobs to flaunt the rules.  Sgt Morris basically told me it was tough and I had to do whatever they said.  He said if I thought I could do it better, and I wanted a job, I'd have to set a good example of doing what they say.  I told him I always set a good example, but he ignored that, and kept giving me a hard time about missing the Obstacle Course, and not being able to make it over the wall or up the rope, way back in the first couple days of boot camp.  I guess that’s the only negative thing he can come up with regarding my performance here.

I think I may talk to Sgt Groomes about the leaders setting such poor examples, although I'd prefer that some of the other privates do it, so it doesn't look like the only reason I'm complaining about it is because I want the job.  I do want the job, but I think it's very wrong to be setting poor examples and flaunting misuse of the leadership billet.  This morning, we had a Combined Federal Campaign briefing, in which the leaders were being more aggressive than they usually are, keeping everyone's head and eyes straight to the front, no moving, no nothing.  Then Johnson, AB got up and went off to the head just because he felt like it.  We're always supposed to get permission to go to the head.  A couple of the other recruits complained about it when he returned, so then he went to the DI and asked permission for the platoon to make a head call.  I hope to get one of the other recruits who has complained about the "leaders", especially Johnson, to complain to Sgt Groomes about it.  If I have to, I'll do it, but I'm reluctant to just because it looks like I'm only doing it to screw him out of his job.  I wouldn't complain if he'd just do his job in a reasonably correct manner.  Actually, I don't even want Johnson's job - I want Sommers' job, but I think Johnson is a very poor leader. 

We're standing outside the chow hall now, waiting to get in for more of that wonderful chow. There's a terrible burning chemical smell in the air.  I don't know what it is or where it's coming from.  The chow hall lines here are much longer than they were at MCRD, and the food is very limited once we get inside.  I guess they do it because we get less exercise here.  I also told Sgt Groomes I want to volunteer for remedial PT and for thrashings.  A couple times, when other privates were getting thrashed, I've gone up to the DI doing the thrashing and requested permission to join the thrashing, just to get more exercise, but they always just scream at me to get away from them. They have pullup bars here, just outside the hatch, so I've been using them and doing situps every night, which barely leaves me enough time to take a shower. 

Well, I managed to get into it with Johnson, AB again, even though I'm trying to avoid it.  I'm getting sick of all the hassles, and I'm getting tired of telling the other recruits to get some self-discipline. After doing my situps tonight, I only had a very short time left to take a shower before hygiene inspection and lights out.  I went into the showers and started to turn on an unused shower.  Johnson was in there, and he started screaming at me that I was taking away his hot water, so he wanted me to turn my shower back off.  I didn't even understand what he was yelling about, so I ignored him.  Then someone else exited and left his shower on, so I went over and used that one instead of hassling with Gorilla Man.  Then Holliday came in and the same thing happened again.  He turned on a shower, and Johnson started screaming again.  We were running out of time to take showers, so Holliday ignored him and turned the shower on anyway.  Johnson came running over, running his big mouth, and in his usual belligerent manner, shoved Holliday away from the shower.  I went over to him and told him I'd had it with him and his attitude and behavior.  I told him I was going to go to the Senior DI and make a complaint about him. 

I dried off from the shower and went to Sgt Morris and requested permission to speak.  Permission was granted, so I told him about Johnson's activities and misuse of his authority in general, and what had happened in the shower in particular.  Sgt Morris called all three of us up in front of the platoon, which, by now,  was on line for hygiene inspection.  He asked what had happened.  After we told him, he said both Johnson and Holliday had to be in the classroom first thing in the morning for some thrashing, because there wasn't enough time left before lights out to thrash them now.  I protested that Holliday hadn't done anything wrong, but Sgt Morris told me to shut up.  I told him I wanted the tell the Senior about what Johnson was doing.  He told me the situation was taken care of, but I said I still wanted to talk to Sgt Groomes about it.  Then I told him I wanted to take Holliday's place in the classroom tomorrow morning because Holliday hadn't done anything wrong.  So he said all three of us had to be there!

The Catholic sermon after lights out was about helping your brother Marine, and Hanley's Protestant speech was about teamwork versus bickering.  I felt bad about being a public rat anyway, so I felt pretty down when I hit the rack.  This is being written on the 0130-0230 firewatch.  I feel like I'm right and doing the right thing, so I'll continue. I just want to do what's right, but I don't want to be a divisive factor in the platoon.  Johnson now complains loudly to anyone who'll listen that I'm just after his job.  No one said anything to me after the hygiene inspection, so I'm not sure what the overall mood of the platoon currently is.  Sgt Morris said Sgt Groomes won't be in until Monday. 

Tonight, we turn the clock back an hour, so we get an extra hour of sleep, although reveille is at 0600. Since there's so little to do, I can't imagine why we get up earlier here.  Sgt Morris said we'll be getting up at 0500 for the next two weeks (on Sundays, we get up an hour later).  My right ankle and left knee ache some, but not too bad.  The knee is from the cross- legged sitting position we have to use. I was wearing my ankle brace to bed, but I took it off tonight for better circulation.  The ankle feels tight, and is often painful.

 

SUN 10/26 T-19

Well I sure got woke up quickly this morning!  The first thing that happened today after reveille was Johnson, Holliday and I got bent for about 10 minutes.  Toward the end of it, I was getting warmed up, and started doing them faster, while Johnson was slowing down.  It was good exercise.  During the thrashing, I told Sgt Morris that Johnson was constantly misusing his position. Sgt Morris screamed at us while we bent that he didn't want any more hassles and that we had to do what the squad leaders said, no matter what it was.  He said he wanted us to start using teamwork.  I replied (Sgt Morris hates my replies, but I'm still right) that true teamwork in this case would have been for Johnson to just shut up, not misuse his position for personal gain and convenience, not be such a wimp about the water, let the water get a little colder, and nothing would have happened.  Since I was right, Sgt Morris said nothing. 

After breakfast consisting of fairly decent French Toast, I washed my clothes, then did some situps and pullups.  I went through the weekly game of harassment and name calling from the DIs in front of the platoon and other DIs because I won't go to church. 

I'm pretty burned out on all the harassment I'm getting just for striving for excellence.  I feel kind of depressed, and I feel like never opening my mouth again and just coasting through.  I already no longer say anything when other privates talk. Originally, the idea was that the leadership recruits were supposed to help keep the others in line, but I'm getting zero support and lots of hard times from everyone involved; recruits, squad leaders, and the DIs.  I feel very alone.  Screw 'em all!  I'm stronger than all of them.  Sgt Morris even said he was going to put a write-up in MY service record about the Johnson/Holliday altercation.  He's mad about it because I said I still want to talk to Sgt Groomes about it, but that only ENSURES that I will do it. Obviously, I'm right about it if Sgt Morris doesn't want Sgt Groomes to find out about it.  All I did in this case was REPORT the altercation.  Sgt Morris was probably bluffing anyway, but I still want to talk to Sgt Groomes about it.  I can't believe they're still keeping Johnson in as squad leader.  Sgt Morris is apparently striving both to  keep Johnson in as squad leader and to prevent me from getting one of the billets. When Sgt Morris called me into the duty hut after the bending session to scream at me some more, I told him of more cases of Johnson misusing his authority.  Yesterday, he and Sommers, the guide, crowded up to the head of the line to secure our rifles, then laughed about it.  This morning at chow, I saw platoon 1110's guide give his only syrup to another private, saying he looks out for his people.  With leadership like that, while we have leaders who use the billets as their personal ticket to flaunt the rules, it's no wonder 1110 took all three of the Phase I events, while we came in last on everything.  During my personalized screaming session from Sgt Morris, he told me I wouldn't make it through RFTD, and how he's sick of my replies, etc. 

As that was being written, Sgt Morris was leaving for the day, and Sgt Orlovsky was coming on duty, so my feeling down soon passed.  Sgt Orlovsky took us out to the parking lot and taught us some new drill movements. So the matter of Johnson, et al was soon forgotten.  We had PT contests and games in the afternoon.  This is written Monday night, so I don't remember many more details.

 

MON 10/27 T-20

This was an interesting day.  We're off daylight savings time, but we still keep the same daylight-based schedule, so now we hit the rack and get up an hour earlier by the clock; taps is at 2030 and reveille is at 0430.  It's been much harder to find time to write since we came to WTB, Weapons Training Battalion, at Camp Pendleton. Often, we're told to leave our knowledge behind.  I do all of my writing in my knowledge book, mostly as I'm pretending to be studying it. There are longer waits in the chow line, but there's no opportunity to write there.  I have to squeeze a few minutes here and there to write.  Plus I have to squeeze in remedial PT time during what little free time there is, as well as square my things away and get ready for the next day.  It's a constant battle to stay ahead of the game.  I often do it after taps under the covers by the light of my flashlight held in my mouth. It cuts into my sleep, but I have to make time somewhere. 

Last night, I skipped my shower, but I had to iron my cover, so I still had no time to write. Tonight, we had remedial PT, plus I definitely needed a shower, so after all that and some minor squaring away of gear, it was time for inspection.  So right now, I'm writing this under the covers with my flashlight.  I can't do it in the head, because we're not allowed to be out of the rack one hour after tapes or one hour before reveille.  I guess that's to force us to go sleep, because no one is going to wait an hour just to go to the head to take care of things there weren't time for during the day.  I've often meant to do some writing under the covers after taps, but many times I fall asleep before I get a chance to write anything.  So, rather than write things down at various times during the day, I have to recap it all after taps, or on firewatch.  So this is a recap of all the details of the day that my tired mind and body can recall. 

We had our first rifle class this morning, and we met our PMI, Primary Marksmanship Instructor, SSgt Engstrom.  He seems like a pretty cool guy. We had classes in the bleachers, then we were herded to lunch and back to the bleachers.  Each movement to and from the classes requires frantic changing in and out of our uniforms, shooting jacket, war belt, and PT gear. 

After lunch, we had another class on the prone position, followed by our first snapping in session. Snapping in consists of laying on a paved circle simulating the firing line, then we take aim at a 55 gallon drum with little targets painted on it, and practice dry firing at the targets. I had wondered how we could possibly spend an entire week doing only that, but now I know.  The positions are very solid if done right, but rather painful. It felt like my left shoulder was going to dislocate.  Hanley claims he used to shoot on a .22 rifle team.  He said he thought he might shoot a 250.  The DIs said no one's ever done it.  I'd sure like to be the first, and I will be making every humanly possible effort to do so. 

We had PT after the snapping in session.  At least they PT us on the grass here, instead of the dirt, dust, and runway noise of MCRD.  We had a 3.5 mile run, which was a breeze for me.  We had about 7 run drops, including the guide, Sommers.  He fell back, and Johnson carried his guidon for him awhile. They kept running us up and down a small hill to let the stragglers catch up.  There was lots of bickering in the ranks as we did it.  Sgt Morris called cadence for awhile, but he soon quit, claiming we weren't sounding off.  Just like on the "nature walk", we were the only silent platoon. Personally, I'll bet they just don't know any cadence calls to sing out.  The other platoons sounded motivating, and singing cadence sure makes the running more interesting. 

After chow tonight, we had yet another rifle cleaning session, just to kill time, really.  The rifles have never even been fired yet. I didn't go see Sgt Groomes about Johnson.  I was undecided about letting it drop.  There was a beautiful sunset followed by a full moon tonight. 

Here at WTB, I'm racking with Jackson, the Indian from Arizona.  I'm on top here.  I don't like it nearly as well as the bottom.  I had the bottom rack here first, but Jackson's pretty short, so I let him have it. Another problem with this platoon may be the high percentage of reservists, who generally aren't as good or as serious as active duty recruits.  Most platoons have 10-15 reservists.  We have 33.  Well, I'm very tired, and 0430 comes early!

 

TUE 10/28 T-21

It was a chilly morning. We went to breakfast, then to a PMI class.  I had a sore throat last night and this morning.  No wonder, with so many people always coughing, sneezing, spitting, etc. Hopefully, it will go away like the last one did.  I've been feeling sleepy all morning, probably due to staying up late last night. Johnson spent the entire kneeling position practice session talking, laughing, and singing.  I must talk to the Senior about him.  We did sitting, kneeling, and standing position practice until lunch.  The positions we have to get into are exact, with very little room for individual preference.  They are very difficult and painful to get into. I feel like my left shoulder is being dislocated.  ç Little did I know then how prophetic that statement was, as it turned out that once I got to ITS, I started having chronic left shoulder separations, which kept me out of a lot of stuff in the Corps, until I finally had an operation in early 1988.

After lunch, we snapped in using the sitting position.  I have the most problem getting a good sitting position.  So far, I just can't seem to get it to be comfortable or solid. It's a nice afternoon.  The WTB training area is right beside the I5 freeway. There's some construction going on over on the other side, with a large metal building of some sort. 

I sure hope we get mail call tonight!  We haven't had mail call since Thursday night.  Our mail still goes to MCRD, and the DIs only bring the mail up here a couple times a week.  Mail call is such an important part of the day.  It's so good to hear from loved ones on the outside.  There's all the anticipation of waiting for my name to be called as the DIs go through the stack of mail, calling out names and tossing the mail in the direction of the "Yes sir!".  There's the joy of hearing my name being called, and then there's the big disappointment when the DI reads the name off the last piece of mail and my name hasn't been called. 

I can hear artillery practice coming from other parts of the base every afternoon.  Our PMI is a very earthy guy who relates points of marksmanship to various aspects of sex and sexual organs.  Here's one of my favorite quotes from him: "If grasshoppers had machine guns, birds wouldn't fuck with them". 

After rifle class and snapping in, we had COD, then dinner.  Many of the other recruits are now heavily into stealing crackers out of the chowhall at every meal.  Personally, I don't know what anyone sees in them, but I hear lots of cracker wrapper rustling after lights out. 

Here's an amusing aside: the other day, Johnson, AB saw me writing these notes, and accused me of taking notes on him.  Jackson just saw me writing this, and seriously asked me if I am here as a spy. I burst out laughing. 

After dinner, we had yet another time-killing rifle cleaning and re-re-cleaning session.  Then we killed some more time with a preview of some 3rd phase knowledge.  Last night, we had another rifle re-cleaning session before remedial PT. 

I heard in the chowhall that several recruits got caught last night using the payphone by the PX across the street.  The idea had occurred to me, but the area is well lit, and I wouldn't risk it.  Plus, even trying to do it is indicative of poor self discipline.  Sommers, the guide, has gotten quite rude to everyone lately.  I think the stress is getting to him.  We had mail call tonight.  I got a card and some nice mail from Chris.  After so many days without a mail call, I was hoping for more mail. Sgt Morris was in an unusually good mood during mail call.  During "free time", I went to the office, beat on the hatch, and requested permission to speak.  He told me to get in there, and I told him I hadn't talked to the Senior DI.  I asked him what he had put in my record.  I don't care how much they thrash me, in fact I need the exercise, but anything that gets written into my SRB, Service Record Book, concerns me greatly.  Sgt Morris claimed that he had only put in a notation that I had only turned the incident in, and that I had not participated in it.  Then he started yelling and screaming at me to get out of his office.  I tried to tell him about Johnson's abuse of his position today, but he just kept screaming that my big problem was my mouth, and to shut up and get out, so I left. 

I'll tell Sgt Groomes tomorrow about all the things that have been going on.  I wish they'd make me guide.  There's so much I could do to improve this platoon.  The cleanups are so disorganized!  All the guide and squad leaders can do is stand around and yell at people.  They never do anything intelligent and they never organize anything. 

This afternoon, while we were marching back from rifle class, Sgt Morris sang to us very briefly. It was neat!  We all loved it.  Some of the other platoons do it a lot.  It sounds really motivating, and it's fun, but we never do it, except for a few minutes today. 

Our PMI said today that last Sunday night's 60 Minutes show had a story on Nicaragua.  He said it was about how they really think we're going to invade, and how they are getting ready for it.  SSgt Engstrom, the PMI, said we'd have to train more seriously than the Nicaraguans.  That's the only world news we've heard since coming here.  Motivation is the number one word here.  At all classes, and especially PT sessions, the DIs ask how motivated we are, and we roar back how motivated we are.  Well, it's at least an hour past lights out as I do this recap of the day, so I have to crash.

 

WED 10/29 T-22

It's the middle of the week already.  I need to get to the PX or have someone mail me some more knowledge book paper.  I do all my diary writing in my knowledge book, and I'm running out of paper.  Maybe I can borrow some.  Most of these recruits don't take very many notes in the classes, so they have plenty of paper. 

It just starts getting light as we get out of breakfast chow.  The racks are made and the house is all cleaned up before we go to chow. So, as soon as we get out of the chowhall, we go to the rifle range class.  Sgt Groomes told us the other day that we will go directly from WTB to RFTD, Recruit Field Training Detachment, on the other side of Camp Pendleton, then we have Mess and Maintenance week, then 3rd Phase.  That makes a lot more sense than the previously described scenario where we went from WTB (the range) back to MCRD for Mess and Maintenance, then back to Pendleton for RFTD (field training: hiking ,camping, and field tactics). 

So after morning chow, we went to our PMI class.  We watched a safety movie, then they showed us a marksmanship movie TWICE, then they told us the positions the PMI showed us were the correct ones, not the ones demonstrated in the movie.  So what the hell was the point of showing us the movie, especially twice?  I have no idea. 

We get to fire 10 familiarization rounds tomorrow in the prone position.  It's a chilly, hazy morning.  The sun has been coming out of the haze in the late morning.  Sgt Morris sang briefly to us again while enroute to the PMI class.  To me, it's apparent that he just doesn't know many cadence calls or marching songs, so he usually blames it on us and says we're not doing them because of our screwups.  So it looks like he's learning a few and gaining some confidence in handling us. 

The first thing that happened this morning was that I got bent a long time, along with several others, for the crime of coming up to Sgt Morris and Sgt Groomes with a button unbuttoned. 

Every day at our chow break from the marksmanship classes, its a mad dash, more like race walking than marching, as the platoons "march" as fast as they possibly can to beat the other platoons to the chow hall and be first in line.  We go to our gear staging area and make a frantic change from shooting gear to uniforms for chow.  Then, after chow, it's another frantic quick change from uniforms into the PT gear we're wearing under our shooting gear. 

We took our rifles through LTI, Limited Technical Inspection, after lunch to make a basic check of the rifles and to ensure that they appear to be basically safe to fire. Then we had another class about range operations.  Marksmanship is SO VERY important in the Marine Corps.  That's why we spend a full week learning how to do it, then another full week practicing it before shooting for qualification. 

During the range operations class, we watched some Harriers and helicopters carrying cargo in a net land several times near us.  The sun is out now, but there's a nice cool breeze.  That's one reason we have to get the day started so early; the wind comes up around noon, so they start us shooting at first light.  Then, all the relays are done shooting before the wind gets too strong.  I'm really looking forward to shooting tomorrow; it should be lots of fun (under the conditions).  We will fire 10 rounds in 4 magazines at 15 yards to zero the weapon.  I think we have a 4 mile run this afternoon. 

Well, now we're getting ready for dinner.  We had PT after the PMI class.  It was a good run.  I believe it was about 3 or 4 miles.  It was rather cool weather for it, which was good.  It was overcast, with a cool breeze.  The guide fell out of this run, too.  I never realized it before, but he's another Reserve recruit.  So are the 2nd and the 3rd squad leaders.  We did calisthenics on the grass, then the run, then several sets of situp and pullup maxouts.  I don't know how many run drops we had.  We only went up and down the hill a couple times waiting for the stragglers to catch up, instead of about 6 times like the other day.  It was a much nicer run.  We did singing, clapping, and cadence calls most of the way.  There was also much less bitching in the group today than there was the last time we made that run. 

It was starting to get dark around suppertime.  I just asked Sgt Orlovsky if we could get some additional snap-in practice, because I feel I really need it.  He said "not until next week".  That worries me somewhat.  I don't think my sitting position is anywhere near right.  It was a rather nice sunset, considering the fact that there was no sun out all day.  The sky was covered with pink streaks.  I've been having frequent heartburn for the last couple days. 

We're all getting considerably more hair on top now.  Now that we're in 2nd phase, we can blouse our trousers and unbutton the top button of our cammy blouse.  Each stage of boot camp has its recognizable signs.  At first, we got herded around in civilian clothes.  Then we were allowed to wear our cammy trousers with green T-shirts and running shoes.  Then we got cammy blouses and boots just before entering first phase.  Sometimes, when the DIs are angry at us, they make us unblouse our trousers, button our cammy blouse top button, and herd around heel to toe.  Actually, this platoon has less harsh discipline than some of the other platoons.  I think that is part of this platoon's problem.  I haven't seen any of the terror conditions we were warned and threatened about here.  In fact, here it's harder for the DIs to thrash the whole platoon in the dirt because the sand pit here is too small for more than a few recruits at a time. I've seen some recruits from other platoons face down in the sand pit, but, other than the first day, all 1109's thrashing here has been a few individual recruits in the classroom. 

After dinner, we put a liberal coat of CLP (rifle cleaner and lubricant) on our rifles in preparation for firing the rifles on the range tomorrow.  I'm looking forward to finally getting to shoot.  Then we had mail call, which I wasn't expecting.  I didn't get anything from Chris, but I got a letter from Brenda.  She sent me a clipping of Brad's Grannie in the Valley News. 

After remedial PT tonight, Johnson was running his mouth, but I didn't want to say anything, because of all the hassles in the past.  Lytle told him he should stop talking, so I backed him up and told Johnson to shut up and set a good example.  Johnson ranted and raved for about 5 minutes non-stop over that one.  Later, Kizzia, the third squad leader, came up and asked if I'd gone to Sgt Groomes about Johnson yet.  He said he and Smith, the other squad leader, were behind me on it. He said that, in addition to his abuse of his position, he also can't march worth a damn.  In marching, the squad leaders set the pace for their respective squad.  If they screw up, it usually gets passed down the whole squad, or it can screw up turns.  He said he also thought it was only Sgt Morris' backing that was keeping him in his position.  I WILL go to Sgt Groomes.  I should have done it this morning, but I put it off until a better time, then he left after only a couple hours.  It's difficult to find an appropriate time to talk to one of the DIs. Most of the time we're in the middle of doing something or we're scurrying on our way to do something else. So I can only request permission to speak to the DI when we're not doing anything else, which is rather rare. 

My ankle was aching after the run today.  I hope it will be OK.  It's very marginal, because I went back on it sooner than I probably should have. So I'm treading a thin line between keeping up with the platoon on everything, and not injuring it any further in its weakened state.  The weak ankle also makes my kneeling shooting position very difficult, because I can't sit on it like I'm supposed to. 

After mail call, Sgt Orlovsky told us of some problems they've been having with regular Marines from elsewhere on the base coming into recruit squadbays at night and harassing privates sleeping or on firewatch.  He said, in his usual terse manner, that if anyone came in here, we were to turn on all the lights, get everyone up, and beat the hell out of whoever it was. When he said "Do you understand?", he got the loudest "Yes sir!" I've ever heard the platoon come up with.  He's a pretty tough character.  When he first came here, I thought he was so mellow, but he's proven himself to be the most vicious when he wants to be.  I think he gets more so all the time.  But I respect his ideals.

 

THUR 10/30 T-23

We got up at "zero dark thirty", as they say, and went to chow, then the familiarization range. The sun came out of the haze earlier today than it has recently.  My shooting went fairly well today.  My first group of three shots made one hole in the target.  My second group was quarter- sized, and my third group was dime-sized.  Like the prac, even though I've shot a lot, the Marine Corps approach to it and all the anticipation made me somewhat nervous.  I wasn't as steady as I should have been.  I was surprised my first group was as good as it was.  I just tried hard to concentrate on the fundamentals, which is what they taught us to do.  I felt like there was a lot of pressure to hurry up, so I didn't take as much time getting my natural point of aim as I should have.  I was in the first group to shoot, so now I'm waiting in formation for the rest of the platoon.  I also didn't use my eye patch, because of the rushing, so by the time I finished squeezing off the last round, my left eye muscles were quivering. Next time, I'll force myself to take my time getting ready and refuse to be rushed. 

I just got called over for an interview with the assistant series commander.  It was just a BS interview, where he asked me if I was getting my mail OK, getting enough chow and sleep, and not getting any harassment or physical abuse. 

The series commander said they submit something like 300 names to Recon at the end of boot camp. He said they make up a list of recruits with above average intelligence and PFT scores.  As I told Lt Perdue, I really need to work hard on my pullups. I did 61 situps in last night's remedial PT, which is at least getting into a marginally acceptable range.  I still need a lot of physical improvement. I still can't do more than 6 pullups. I'll need to do AT LEAST double that by the end of boot camp.  I really need to triple it.  It seems strange, but it's HARD to get into shape here in boot camp because there's so little time to work on it.  The back of my legs are a little bit sore from situps, which is a good sign I'm working the muscles.  My sore throat was worse this morning, and I had nasal and lung congestion.  Right now, I don't feel too bad at all.  Most of the other recruits are always coughing and sneezing all over everything and everyone.  No wonder I'm getting sick. 

Harriers keep landing and taking off right behind the hill at the range.  They're exciting to watch.  I think they're very valuable to Marine-type operations in particular, because of their maneuverability and versatility.  I think we're doing the range again tomorrow. 

We found out our graduation day is Friday, December 20, so I need to let people who will be coming to the graduation know that.  The Sunday before graduation is Visitor's Sunday, so I'll certainly be looking forward to a visit from Chris.  I'm hoping the next couple weeks will go by quickly because we do the range, then RFTD.

The military, and especially boot camp, is set up so that we're shown something once, then we get to try it once, then we're graded on our performance of it.  So if you pick up something quickly and easily, you're all set.  Otherwise, if you're not a natural at it, but you could get good at it with some extra work and practice, that's just tough.  We never get the chance to work extra on anything.  I was a little surprised at how small the M16 cartridge is.  I have never shot a .223 before.

Well, after the foregoing was written, everything went to hell.  We were marched up to the school area and told to remove our shooting jackets and 782 gear (canteens, magazine pouches, and cartridge belt).  Then Sgt Groomes and Sgt Orlovsky told us to get over into an area where the ground was loose dirt.  We knew what was coming, but no one knew why.  So we all got bent in the dirt for awhile.  The flying dirt and the dust were worse than the workout. Then we had a few games of  "on the gear, off the gear, in the bleachers, out of the bleachers, seat, feet", etc.  At one point, a couple recruits tripped over a barrel in a mad dash for the bleachers and they all fell down.  Johnson, K later looked like he had a bloody lip.  I think a couple others caught front sight ramps in the face during the mad rush for the bleachers.  We were told the thrashing was because everyone was talking in the formation at the range, and because some of the recruits were too casual in the way they approached and talked to Lt.  Perdue.  In fact, after I talked to him, I was wondering to myself if I had been too loose in my bearing with him. I think it may have been because he was acting so loose; like it was just a very casual conversation.

Then the games we played after the thrashing were because some idiot in the formation wasn't sounding off.  At supper chow, my line was very slow.  The guide was sitting down around the same time I did.  Then, before either of us had finished eating, Sgt Orlovsky came up to us screaming that we had been eating casually for 20 minutes, and he screamed for us to get the hell out.  The guide is always served last, and when he's done, the platoon is DONE.  So normally the guide eats like a pig; with a spoon in each hand, shoveling it in, hardly breathing, and everyone else has to hurry to beat him.  This evening, even he wasn't done when Sgt Orlovsky starting screaming at us to get out of the chow hall.  We had a great lunch, though; more food than usual.  I had cranberry sauce, salad, applesauce, beets, cottage cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, and a cookie.  There was a nice sunset when we entered the chow hall.  It is dusk now, and I'm waiting in the formation outside as I'm recapping the day.  It's also cooling off as the light fades. 

After lunch, we had a rifle class for an hour.  It mainly consisted of reviewing this morning's targets and the mistakes we made. Then we went over to the PX for our weekly haircuts and a PX call.  I had to borrow $1.60 from Jackson to pay for the haircut.  I didn't need anything in the PX, and I didn't have any money anyway. Then we cleaned our rifles.  We spent most of the time cleaning out the bore and lubing the bolt and carrier. 

After supper, we did a little drill practice; practicing column of files movements.  2nd squad leader Johnson, AB was a total zero at it, as the success of it depends entirely on the squad leader doing the right thing at the right time.  Sgt Groomes was Mr. Understanding about Johnson, though.  Johnson wasn't sounding off at all.  I was tempted to go up and tell Sgt Groomes I would do it right.  Then we came in to the house because it was dark and we had 3rd phase prac practice.  I asked Sgt Groomes if I could work on PT instead, as I don't need any extra work on prac, but I do need all the extra work I can get with the PT.  He said forget it - I would have to do it on my time, not his. 

Then we had mail call again tonight.  It was nice to get it two nights in a row.  Someone sent Cline a box of chocolate kisses, so he passed them around. I wrote to Chris and suggested that she send us some cookies or candy.  We love little treats like that, because they're so rare.  Sgt Groomes was in a rather good mood tonight. During free time, I spent so much time working on pullups and pulldowns, I barely had time to shave before hygiene inspection.  I never did get around to talking to Sgt Groomes about Johnson.  I'll try tomorrow morning.  I have firewatch tonight from 1130 to 1230.  During firewatch, I polished my boots and wrote in my diary. 

I'm starting to get a cough.  Starting tomorrow, we go to the winter uniform, which means we roll our sleeves down.  Someone just yelled out "Yes sir" in his sleep. Smith just yelled out "keep your mouth shut" in his sleep, and he yelled something about gear guards when I first came on duty tonight.  He's a pretty good squad leader.  All of them are afraid to take anyone's name to get thrashed for goofing off, though. First thing in the morning, we have LFT range again.  I'll make a special point of taking my time and getting a good position.

 

FRI 10/31 T-24

Well, this morning has started off great!  We woke up and got our gear staged, then we did the morning cleanup.  Then Sgt Orlovsky (I don't know what happened to Sgt Groomes - he was the DI on duty when I hit the rack) started running around like a madman, pulling down everyone's towel displays.  He skipped mine.  The he got even more agitated about the way the racks were made, so he started going up and down the rows of racks, tipping over racks that he didn't like the looks of.  Again, he skipped mine and Jackson's. 

Then, what happened after breakfast still has me really bummed out.  I didn't talk to Sgt Groomes last night, and I've passed up chances to talk to Sgt Orlovsky about wanting a leadership billet.  It had seemed to me that Sgt Morris and Sgt Groomes were the main ones deciding who the leaders would be.  After breakfast, Sgt Orlovsky changed the whole front line. He fired Johnson #2.  I believe he made Smith guide.  He's the one who made Smith a squad leader.  He really likes Smith.  The he pulled Moran and DeCluette from the ranks and made them squad leaders.  He didn't even know their names; he had to ask them what their names were. 

My shooting groups this morning weren't very impressive.  It wasn't from being rushed, but I think it was from changing my position (point of aim) while in the midst of a group..  It really sucks about being passed over.  I know I could do a better job than they're doing.  If Smith really is the guide, then he's really got it made now. 

Yeah, I just found out Smith is the new guide, and it's Abram, not DeCluette that's a new squad leader.  When we got our targets back, it wasn't as bad as I thought.  I shot 3 dime sized groups, but there's still plenty; of room for improvement. I had 6 holes from 10 rounds versus 7 holes from 9 rounds yesterday.  My goal is to put 10 rounds into one hole. 

Also, this morning, Sgt Orlovsky made us unblouse our trousers, button our top shirt button, and cram our covers down over our ears.  This morning, that was fine with me, because it was chilly, but now (after lunch), it's getting rather warm to be dressed like this.  Everyone has odd looking tans from the outdoor rifle classes. We're tanned below an inch above the ears, then there's a white band an inch wide where our covers cover the shaved skin, then the top is dark again from the hair that's grown in on top. Coming back from lunch, another platoon's DI yelled at squad leader #4, Johnson, AB, for talking, which embarrassed Sgt Morris, who was marching us.  So Sgt Morris screamed at Johnson for awhile, then he went into the house. It's so funny that, with all these military and nautical terms the USMC uses, they refer to the barracks as "the house".  Anyway, naturally, I went trotting right in behind him and told both him and Sgt Orlovsky in the duty hut that I was a good, highly motivated leader who always SETS A GOOD EXAMPLE.  Sgt Morris screamed at me "in who's opinion?", then screamed at me to get out.  I think he likes me!  I'm really disappointed that a couple relative nobodys got picked and I didn't.  I always march and do everything else with 100% effort, and I sound off louder than anyone.  In fact, last night, Johnson, AB was giving me a hard time from the other side of the squad bay, complaining and saying he didn't like hearing my voice above the rest of the platoon's when we're sounding off.  I told him to shove it, that it meant I was motivated, and that he might try getting a little motivation for a change and TRY SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE.  I'm always hitting him on that, because he sets such a poor example. 

Then we changed into PT gear and got into formation.  Sgt Orlovsky asked who was a great rifle shot, so I sprang forward, shouting "This private, sir!".  Guess what it got me - gear guard, while the platoon went back to the school range. The Catholics went off to some religious thing.  I guess today is some holy day for them.  We have a 4 or 5 mile beach run this afternoon when they return.  At chow now, because of so many recruits stealing crackers out of the chow hall and eating them at night, they now have a deck private handing out one cracker pack to each private.  I've heard guides and squad leaders from other platoons yelling at people for doing it, too, so I guess it's pretty prevalent.  I usually grab an apple if I don't have time to eat it in the chow hall.  I think right now, I've got one apple and one pear stashed away.  If I get caught with them, I'll burn.  I haven't been eating them lately because of my heartburn, which hasn't bothered me today.  At the rifle range, they search everyone leaving after shooting to make sure no one is taking a round back to ding the DI the next time he pisses them off. This morning, they found a private with some sugar packets in his pockets, so you KNOW he got severely thrashed. A couple recruits from 1109 got bent after shooting, but not the whole platoon. 

I worked some with the PMI on my sitting position, but I still think it isn't very good.  I tried lots of variations, including left-handed, but it just doesn't gel.  I also tried the kneeling position left-handed, so I could sit all the way down on my good ankle, but it didn't seem a lot steadier.  It was surprisingly UN-awkward, though. 

We will be going out for the PT run soon.  It gets harder all the time to find a chance to keep up with my diary.  I've got a painful tendon on the back of my right leg. This morning, it was considerably worse.  Now, it's not so bad. I'll have to try to get some good stretching before we run.  I wonder how Smith will do carrying the guidon.  He's only 5'3" or 5'4".  Sommers used to drop out on long or hot runs, and he's over 6' tall. Smith is a tough little character, though.  He's going for Recon for the same reasons as me.  Since he did 97 situps and 20 pullups the other night, and I know he scored high on the ASVAB, I'm sure he's got it made.  He told me the other night that he's trying to transfer to reserve status. He's the only one from this platoon who was called back for another interview regarding those top secret jobs. He really wanted the Presidential Support job, but the minimum height for that is 5'8".  He's considering the Signal Intelligence and intelligence fields now.  I like him.  Like I told him before lunch, after he was made squad leader, I figured he had the best chance of anyone besides me to end up as guide.  Now that he's in, I'm sure he'll stay in.  Well, if it can't or won't be me, then it SHOULD be him. 

Well, more shit has come down.  It's now after chow.  The run was great!  It was 4 or 5 miles down to the beach, along it, and back.  We sang all the way, and everyone was highly motivated.  There was no bickering at all. Then we did situps and pullups. I wasn't even breathing hard at the end of the run, and I felt great.  I did about 25 situps, then the DIs called a false start because they wanted the whole company to do them together at once.  When we restarted, I still did 65, so that's improving.  Then I did 7 pullups, so I am getting somewhere. I just need to keep working hard. It was very motivating to see all the recruits in today's run.  Both series in the company ran together, so it was a solid column 4 people wide and about 650 people long.  The front line of our platoon passed the guidon back and forth through the entire platoon. 

Then, after showers, we had cleanup.  During cleanup, DeCluette said he was the new 4th squad leader because Johnson, AB had to go to sickbay.  Earlier, at the range, he had claimed he was a squad leader, which is why I mentioned him earlier.  Then when we marched off, he was not at the head of the formation, so I knew he was lying.  I told Johnson, who didn't know anything about DeCluette getting his job, that DeCluette had earlier claimed he was the new 4th squad leader, and that I doubted if any DIs knew he was squad leader. I meant to ask Sgt Morris, but I didn't get around to it.  Then we had a rifle cleaning session before chow, and Sgt Morris asked Johnson why he wasn't at the front.  Johnson told him it was because DeCluette had told Johnson that Sgt Morris replaced Johnson with DeCluette.  That certainly raised Sgt Morris' eyebrows.  He questioned DeCluette about it, but, incredibly, did nothing about it, and left DeCluette in place as squad leader.  DeCluette is a little Hitler, constantly screaming insanely at everyone. He screamed at me for looking at him while Sgt Morris was questioning him.  Squad Leader #2, Johnson MA, was fired this morning.  He's already been screamed at a couple times for being a dodo with no bearing.  Around supper, I felt really bummed about yet another dildo being put in as squad leader, and me being bypassed again.  Plus I can't believe that DeCluette got away with such a dirty trick, even though I was opposed to Johnson, AB as a squad leader.  My first temptation was to just say to hell with trying so hard and just coast along through the rest of boot camp, just keeping my nose clean and maintaining a low profile.  But I refuse to allow myself to do that.  Like they say' "Stay motivated, private!"

Sommers, the ex-guide, has lost a lot of motivation.  He's just another 4th squad member now, and he spent the cleanup time just standing around and talking.  Johnson, AB, ex- 4th squad leader, took his screw-over very well.  He says he's confident he'll get it back.  Now that he's no longer a squad leader, I don't have a problem with him abusing his position, and we get along fine.  We had another mail call tonight.  As usual, it's the customary few who get most of the mail.  Christianson usually gets several each day, as do Davis, Smith, and several others.  Christianson is usually last at everything; walking around looking scared and bewildered.  I can just picture him and Cook together on the live grenade course!  I hope I'm nowhere around!

 

SAT 11/1 T-25

After breakfast, we went to Range B and got our target and relay assignments.  Then we went down to the butts (trenches under the targets where they raise, lower, and mark the targets) for a butts operation class. There's a long tunnel going down the firing line, then the butts is a big pit behind the targets.  The targets are run up on racks on one side of the pit and the bullets impact on the bank on the other side of the pit.  It's a beautiful, warm, sunny day, although it's kind of hot in sweatshirts and shooting jackets.  Each relay for next week's shooting will run the butts while another relay is shooting.  The only bozo on my target is Brown, but he's third relay, so I don't think he'll be putting up my targets.  Starting first thing Monday morning (we'll be getting up even earlier), we start firing all morning each day.  My knees, especially the left one, seem to be getting stiffer all the time from all the cross-legged sitting.  After I sit cross-legged (that's how we ALWAYS have to sit, with the left leg over the right), I can hardly straighten my leg. 

After lunch, we had rifle COD.  We worked on "stack arms".  Sgt Orlovsky was getting himself worked up over people's screwups.  Then Mr. Screw-up Herman decided to scratch his face right in front in 1st squad, and Sgt Orlovsky went off the deep end.  He immediately ended COD and herded us quickly back to the house. Everyone knew that what was coming next wasn't going to be fun.  We all got on line, then he made us do rifle thrusts for about 5 minutes.  I figured we'd get it a lot worse than that.  Some recruits were breathing quite hard, but not me.  My arms were starting to get rather tired, though.  Then he told us to sit down and do rifle cleanup, so I tore my rifle down and re-cleaned and re-lubed it.  Our PMI mentioned today that ITS (Infantry Training School, where the "grunts" go after boot camp for more training) is more physical and less mental than boot camp.  So I guess at ITS I'll be getting plenty of good exercise. 

After the butts class this morning, the PMI took us to the 200m, 300m, and 500 meter firing lines so we could see what the targets look like at that distance.  I liked what I saw.  I had been concerned about being barely able to see the targets, especially at 500 meters, but they're plenty big enough.  All I need to do is concentrate on the fundamentals.  Last Friday, I heard that someone at Parris Island set a new range record for recruits; a 245 out of 250.  That's 50 shots at 5 points each.  I'll be trying as hard as I possibly can for a 250. The PMI said he's give his DI hat and a night on the town to anyone who can do it.  We shall see.  It's really a very nice day out. 

After cleaning the rifles, we went out and did some snapping in.  I'm finally able to get the rifle pointed at the target and my head behind the sights in the sitting position, but it still isn't especially steady, I don't have much of a relaxed natural point of aim. 

When we went out to have COD, Sgt Orlovsky said we could blouse our trousers and unbutton our shirts, after 2 days of looking like first phase privates.  When he had gotten mad at us during COD, he made us dress up like we were still in first phase.  When we went dinner, he let us try getting it right one more time.  Then, right there in formation, Johnson MA was at attention with his arms hanging down in front like an ape.  Sgt Orlovsky screamed about that awhile, saying (rightfully so) that was what he was so mad about; stuff we learned in the first day of boot camp. 

There's much less chance to write in formation now because there's so much pressure to get everyone locked up (properly standing at attention in formation).  At least that has improved a lot.  The platoon is getting much better disciplined now. The guide and squad leaders have turned into high pressure screamers.  The level and intensity of the screaming has increased gradually. But it's still the same old problem: they scream a lot, but never DO anything about it.  If I was running it, I'd just tell them once what to do. Then, anyone talking or scratching would soon be bending. 

After chow, half the platoon went off to some gospel music thing, so I'm sitting back in the squad bay, catching up on this book and other stuff like shining boots and miscellaneous squaring away of my gear.

 

SUN 11/2 T-26

After everyone returned last night, we had some more square-away time, then free time.  I worked on pulldown weights with Velasquez and Gruell, so I didn't have time for a shower, just a quick shave.  After inspection, we had cleanup, then it happened. 

Smith started screaming like a maniac for us to secure (end) cleanup, and get into the racks.  This change in the routine was strange, because we always have a little "getting into the racks" ceremony. There was a lot of hubub, confusion, and talking.  Finally, everyone was in the racks.  Then Sgt Orlovsky came out and told us he was fed up with us thinking this is a big lark, and that we have no discipline and no interest in training or improvement. He said we were the most disgusting, undisciplined bunch of turds he had ever been stuck with.  He said he no longer had any interest in trying to train and improve us.  He said he didn't give a shit what we did or didn't do.  He said he'd herd us to and from chow, and that was all he'd bother to do. No one made a sound.  It was deathly still.  We all just laid on top of the racks at attention, awaiting the command to get under the covers.  The lights were secured (turned out), and Sgt Orlovsky went into the duty hut. Finally, Smith yelled out for everyone to get under the covers.  

This morning, it was eerie.  The Drill Instructor was given his wakeup call starting one hour before the recruits were to get up, as is customary.  Sgt Orlovsky wouldn't answer his call, so every 5 minutes from 0500 to 0600 (we got to sleep in late on Sun), the firewatch banged on his hatch and announced the time.  Then the lights came on at 0600, and still no sign of Sgt Orlovsky or any other DIs. Everyone was very quiet and well disciplined for a change.  We got dressed, made the racks, and got into formation for chow.  It was a beautiful morning.  After we were in formation, Sgt Orlovsky came out.  He wouldn't march us or give us any commands, so we just marched off by ourselves and back by ourselves, with him just strolling along beside us.  It was all so very eerie!  

However, the self-discipline being exercised is very nice for a change.  It won't last, though.  It never does.  We get a big pep talk & the recruits start acting rather motivated and disciplined for awhile, then it's back to the usual lack of personal discipline. Hopefully, this time it may have some residual effect.  In fact, I just walked down the squadbay to tell Herrera, Jalomo, and Bernal to stop talking.  I walked back to my rack, and they're back at it again already! 

Sgt Orlovsky stressed last night that this is serious stuff; it isn't some kiddie game.  All this leaves me feeling kind of down.  I want to be guide for my own selfish reasons, but also because I know I have a lot of experience and leadership to offer the platoon.  The platoon is losing out on some good leadership and guidance that I could provide.  I don't have to be told that this is serious business.  I understand it; I came here knowing it. A lot of these kids think this is fun & games.  I've fully understood since day 1 the seriousness of purpose of all this, but I haven't had much opportunity to convey that to the others.  I've wanted so much to help the others realize the seriousness of our mission, and to help them understand and achieve self-discipline, because that the only kind of discipline that means anything. "Discipline" that they pretend to exercise while they're being watched over or screamed at to behave is not discipline.  They have to learn to do it on their own.  I'm bummed because if I had been a squad leader, or especially the guide, I could have been stressing that sort of stuff weeks ago.  In my opinion, the platoon would now have a lot more self-discipline if I’d been guide.  A couple recruits have already come up to me and said what an empty feeling it is to be "dumped" by your DI.  I feel bad because I think the platoon would be a lot better and tighter and further along than the other platoons if I had been allowed to put what I have to work for the platoon.  Maybe part of it's my fault for not just pushing it out on them more aggressively, even though I don't have any authority or backing. 

Well, as I've been writing this, the noise level has been steadily rising.  I went back and told Walker and Clark to stop talking, and DeCluette told me to shut up and mind my own business.  Now DeCluette, Mr. Power Mad Hitler Squad Leader, is back there shooting the breeze with Steelman.  This is so very frustrating for me, because we must always obey whatever the squad leaders say.  Since I take pride in my self-discipline, I do it, period.  It's not quite as bad as when Johnson, AB was a squad leader, but it still sucks.  It really takes a lot of motivation and effort to keep caring and trying.  For myself, I can rather easily just continue to keep my own act straight and concentrate on doing well personally, and just tune it out when I get thrashed with the platoon for some other idiot's screwup.  It just bums me out knowing that I can help the platoon so much, especially in terms of setting a good example, self-discipline, and guidance, and I'm not allowed to.  I'm so over-qualified for the job!  If they're just "testing" me, how long are they going to wait? I don't get it. I'm tired of all the frustration, though.  For the last week, I've been up and down, mostly down, on trying to help the platoon.  I hardly ever say anything to anyone any more.  In fact, I think today was probably the first time I did all week, and I immediately got told by a squad leader to shut up. 

Sgt Groomes has come in now, so I think he's on duty for the rest of the day.  No one has seen any sign of Sgt Orlovsky since he walked back from morning chow with us.  I'm going to have a long talk (at least until he throws me out of the duty hut) with Sgt Groomes about all the things that have been going on.  Johnson, AB just went up and asked to speak to Sgt Groomes in private.  I imagine he wants to complain about the cheap way he was shafted out of his job. I definitely didn't approve of him as a squad leader, because he set such a poor example, but I'm on his side as far as losing his job to DeCluette is concerned. 

I did my laundry, sewed some buttons on my shooting jacket, polished my boots, and mostly wrote in my diary and looked around and meditated on things this morning.  I can see lines forming at the chow hall, so it must be getting around time to go back there for another feeding.  Last night's supper really sucked!  The other line got half a chicken (a small one), but my line got some raunchy meatballs.  I ate my pear last night during free time.  It was great!  Well, we're going to chow now. 

After chow, we had COD for an hour or so.  At the end we got bent awhile because stupid Evans kept screwing up right in front of Sgt Groomes.  Then we spent the rest of the day doing a major field day in preparation for a big inspection tomorrow. Tomorrow's the first day on the range! During the field day, I was cleaning the wash rack with a brush and stuck a needle about half an inch up under my fingernail.  It hurt a lot, plus I was concerned about infection from such a scummy place. There was no alcohol around, so I soaked it in Listerine.  It doesn't hurt too much now. 

It’s been weird weather this afternoon; sunny, but very heavy fog rolling in from the ocean.  It was so heavy I could see the water droplets flying by just like it was raining.  Later in the day, it was just foggy, with no sun. 

We did the field day until chow time.  We didn't have any PT games today.  We had no remedial PT yesterday or Friday.  Too bad.  After chow, we had showers.  Our head and rain room (showers) were sealed off after field day for the inspection tomorrow.  So we all paraded off in our shower shoes for a very rapid shave, brush teeth, and shower in another barracks. We had 4 minutes to shave and four minutes to shower for 80 recruits.  I was the last one out of the shower, because I was the only one who took the responsibility to shut off all the showers that everyone else had left on. Sgt Groomes was at 1 or 0 on his countdown as I raced to my clothes, so, soaking wet, I grabbed my clothes in my arms and put my towel around me, and got into formation.  Then we took off back to the house.  We hadn't gone very far and the towel fell off, so I was walking along bare- assed with the towel and all my clothes bunched up in my arms. Some of the recruits started laughing because most of the others had their clothes on.  Johnson and DeCluette were screaming at everyone to shut up. Those two are another story unto themselves.  Both are loud, crude, power-mad screamers.

Then we had a BRIEF free time, then ANOTHER cleanup before hitting the rack.  During COD this afternoon, Abrams was screwing up, so he got fired.  I knew he wouldn't last very long.  He's much too casual and laid-back.  He was 1st squad leader, so the other three squad leaders shifted over one squad to the left and Johnson, who had slipped himself in right behind DeCluette, moved up one space to retake the 4th squad leadership position.  Johnson, AB and I seem to be getting along better, though.  With all these new jerks as squad leaders, constantly screaming at everyone to hurry up, shut up, look straight ahead, move, don't move, etc, whether there's a need for it or not, I feel less like doing it than when it was only my own self discipline telling me to do the same things.  It's after lights out now, and we have to get up at 0400 tomorrow to hit the range, so I gotta crash.

 

MON 11/3 T-27

We were up at 0400 and went straight to breakfast.  It was still dark after breakfast.  We marched over to the range.  It was an absolutely beautiful sunrise.  I was on the 6th relay, so I didn't fire at first, or have to work the butts (raise, lower, and mark the targets as they are fired upon).  Instead, I was sent on a work detail to the target factory with a group of others on 6th relay until our turn to fire came up.  I tore down targets for awhile, then my job was to lay a little stick of wood on each target as two other recruits laid a new target on the blocks.  This was to air them until the glue dried. 

I didn't shoot very well. The 300 meter rapid fire was the only one where I got all my rounds in the black.  Being on the 6^th (last) relay, my relay gets the maximum wind to deal with.   It was noon by the time we were all finished.  Eight hours of very busy activity before lunch! 

After lunch, we had a review of our shooting, shot recording, and range operations by our coaches.  Then we were marched down to the pistol range for an introductory class on the M1911A1 .45 cal pistol, followed by an introductory firing of the weapon.  First we dry fired it, then we fired one round, then 4 more rounds in single fire mode, then a magazine of 5 rounds, then another.  Each shooter had his own coach/keeper, who kept one arm around the shooter and the other one hovered just behind the pistol, to make sure none of the spastic bozos got out of hand. 

It was cloudy with a moderate breeze in the afternoon.  So, it's been a busy and interesting day.  The guide and squad leaders have FINALLY gotten up enough nerve to start taking recruits' names for screwing off.  So, after pistol shooting, while waiting for the rest of the platoon to finish shooting the pistol, Sgt Morris was bending a group of recruits whose names were turned in to him by the squad leaders.  I went up to Sgt Morris, requested permission to speak to the Drill Instructor, and told him Sgt Groomes had said I could bend with them for remedial PT if I wanted to.  As expected, he told me to get the hell away from him, so I did. 

Then we had rifle cleaning until supper time.  As we went to chow, and as we came from it after eating, I had a deep appreciation for the fantastically beautiful bright pink sunset.  It started off as a bright, but localized, sunset.  Then it grew until the whole sky for 360 degrees was all pink clouds.  It was very nice.  Too bad I didn't get to see it more thoroughly (while I was in the chow hall). 

After chow, we had a review in the classroom of today's shooting, followed by remedial PT.  I did 64 situps and 7 pullups on the first series of repetitions and 62/4 on the second set.  My shoulders need a lot of work.  I also did some pushups which were very difficult.  Now I really regret not doing situps and pushups on my bicycle trip, as I had originally planned.  I guess it's because the first part of the ride was so difficult, it was all I could do just to do the pedaling.  Later on, I could have stopped and done some every 10 miles or so, but when I'm bicycling and on a roll, I hate to stop and break the momentum.  I would do a lot better on the PFT now if I had stopped and done them, though. 

There was no mail call tonight.  We had free time right after PT. I had planned to talk to Sgt Groomes about making me the guide during free time tonight.  Unfortunately, as soon as free time started, another Senior DI came in and Sgt Groomes left with him.  He didn't come back until a few minutes before inspection, which is NO time to go up and request permission to speak to the Senior DI.  At the inspection, my shave didn't pass.  I did a sloppy job under my chin.  I'll try to approach Sgt Groomes tomorrow about the guide billet. Otherwise, I'll definitely do it next time he's on duty during free time.  If I try to approach him about something personal like that during any of our training time, I'll just get screamed at and bent for bringing it up on "his time".  My cough is better tonight.  The night before last, I coughed a LOT.  Last night, I coughed for awhile.  Tonight, when I laid down, I haven't been coughing.  Many of the other recruits have coughs, too.  Lights were out at 2000 (8PM), and 0400 comes very early, so good night!

 

TUE 11/4 T-28

I coughed quite a bit last night after I went to sleep.  After awhile, it subsided.  It's still dark out and just beginning to get slightly light when we arrived at the range. 

I went back to the target factory.  I worked on making target frames for awhile, then I was placed in charge of a group putting cheesecloth on the frames.  The two Corporals who work there talked with me at length yesterday.  They were quite amazed by me and what I'm doing.  One of them commutes from Placentia every day, which is about 75 miles! 

Shooting is over now. I shot rather well today.  The positions finally fell into place and worked OK.  Right now, we are all expecting to get thrashed.  No one was pulling together after shooting, and Sgt Orlovsky was getting more and more pissed off.  So we're all expecting a major thrashing in the dirt after lunch.  Anyway, the positions worked well for me, and I had the procedures down better than yesterday, so it was all smoother and less frantic.

OOOH SHIT!  Did we ever get it!!!  The platoon wasn't sounding off and, particularly, some bozos in first squad were screwing up column turns.  On the way back from chow, Sgt Morris got mad because many of the recruits weren't putting any effort into it.  After chow, everyone knew what was coming, and they STILL didn't put any effort into what we were doing.  So Sgt Morris herded us heel-to-toe back to the house.  UNREAL!!  I had sort of expected the "human tornado", but it was a lot worse than I expected.  Every single thing in the place was torn up!  Every rack was tipped over and broken apart, mattresses and blankets scattered, boots and shoe displays all in a big pile in the classroom.  Sgt Orlovsky had taken several boxes of foot powder and dumped them all over the squadbay.  There were trash cans dumped and spread all over.  All the footlockers were tipped over and scattered.  The platoon was getting rather panicky and Sgt Orlovsky was screaming at us.  He herded us to and from the head until he decided we were doing it fast enough and sounding off loud enough.  Then he said we had 15 minutes to get it 100% squared away.  We just grabbed any set of foot gear to remake the shoe displays. We quickly reassembled the racks and remade them.  15 minutes later, it looked rather normal. 

Then the PMI gave us a review of the morning's shooting, so that was a sudden change of pace. That's where I am now.  Who knows what will happen when this review is over. Platoon 1111 above us got the human tornado last week because the firewatches forgot to wake their DI up in the morning. The DIs are supposed to be woken one hour before the privates.  I guess we'll have to get the shoes, boots, and shower shoes straightened out later.

After the shooting review, we went outside for snapping in.  The sun was getting low and finally setting while we were doing that.  It was surprising how fast the afternoon went! I guess our minds were well occupied! In the snapping in session, I got my positions pretty well squared away.  I feel good about them for a change.  I tried a little different offhand position and found it to be quite steady.  My left arm hooks on some stuff in my jacket pocket, and the rifle almost lays there balanced in my left hand.  We'll see how it works with live ammo.  

In the PMI's review, he said we're the best shooting platoon he's ever had.  Actually, he probably says that to each platoon he has.  He said all we need to do is settle our nerves down, which I know is happening with me.  The first day was rush rush rush, filled with confusion and uncertainty, and I think I was looking at the target too much.  Now it's getting more routine every day, and I just focus on that front sight tip, get some fuzzy black behind it, and ease the round off.  I had some saved (unfired due to insufficient time) rounds today, but there were less than I had yesterday.  Tomorrow, I'll have to make sure I don't have any. The key is getting into a good position immediately. 

After lunch, before Sgt Morris brought us back to the house, we had a shakedown inspection in the formation outside the chowhall.  He was looking for crackers.  We all had to empty our pockets into our covers and get patted down by the squad leaders.  At supper, a deck private (recruit on mess duty) said he saw someone take some crackers, so we had another inspection, but it was less thorough than at lunch.  Again, none were found.  They're really cracking down on that.  I honestly don't understand what the interest is in dry old soup crackers. If they were making us eat them, they'd have to have inspections to make sure everyone HAD their crackers, and everyone would be conniving ways of getting rid of theirs. 

After the shooting review, it was just Sgt Groomes on duty.  That's how it was yesterday, too.  I still didn't get to talk to him.  By the time I decided what I'd say and I'd shaved (no time for a shower), we only had a couple minutes before hygiene inspection.  I have GOT to make time to talk to him. 

After dinner tonight, which we were late to because Sgt Groomes had us make racks then tear them up several times, we did a quick rifle cleaning.  It was dark going to chow.  We made racks after snapping in.  We took too long, though.  I know I was, and I think others were too, taking a little extra time to do a really nice job.  So he made us tear them down, then run to the back and hold up a fitted sheet, then run to the front and hold up a blanket, then run to the back and hold up a flat sheet, and on and on. So, in a few minutes, all the sheets, blankets, and pillows were totally scattered all over the squadbay.  Then we had 4 minutes of perfect silence in which to get them ALL made COMPLETELY.  We nearly made it, then he gave us an extra 60 seconds and we finished the job.  I ended up with a different mattress and some ratty torn linen.  At the start of the snapping in session, first the guide, then the squad leaders were bent quite a while in the pit.  Then they called up everyone whose names had been turned in.  Lots of deserving zeros like Johnson, MA and Anderson, AL were bent. 

Oh, also at the target factory, I heard rumors that some Senior DI said we may get out of boot camp a few days early due to Christmas.  We'll see.  A lot of people are saying it.  Personally, I doubt it.  If so, I hope they let us know early, so we can let our friends and relatives know when graduation will be.  At mail call, I got a letter from Mom.  I was ticked at still not getting a letter from Chris.  People like Smith, Barrett, Davis, Regalado, etc got their usual half dozen letters. 

I'm on firewatch now, recapping the day's events.  I'm on my usual 1130-1230 time slot, the worst possible for me.  Regalado takes someone's firewatch nearly every night. I don't know if it's to kiss up to Sgt Groomes, or to get stuff done.  Tonight, he took the first watch, and you can't get anything done then (like writing this), because the DI doesn't hit the rack until an hour after lights out. So, today's been quite the fun and games day.  Apparently so for the other platoons, also.  When the guide and squad leaders were bent, the guide and squad leaders from another platoon were just finishing up their "fun in the pit".  Then, after they were bent in the pit quite a while, they were sent into the classroom to bend some more to make room in the pit for the guide and squad leaders from YET ANOTHER platoon.  I've never bent in the pit.  I've only bent once here anyway, and that was for having a pocket unbuttoned, which no one else has ever been bent for before or since.  The "sandbox" here is much smaller than the ones back at MCRD, so they can only bend a few people at a time in it. I really don't care to "go play in the sandbox", either.  Thrashing and getting sweaty is one thing, but getting sweaty AND covered with sand is quite another.  Well, I've used up more than my firewatch catching up on my diary notes, so I have to hurry up and shine my boots and hit the rack. 

 

WED 11/5 T-29 

This morning, I was so tired I never even heard the DI calls.  The first thing I knew of was reveille sounding.  Usually, the DI calls wake me up, so I must have been really zonked.  I'm getting low on knowledge book paper again, so maybe I can borrow a few pages here and there, and keep my supply maintained.  Most of these recruits certainly don't use them for class notes.

 

THU 11/6 T-30

It was a VERY busy day yesterday.  I'll try to recap. 

After breakfast, I went to work the butts, instead of going to the target factory.  It was very hectic.  I worked a target with Clark.  He was overly hyper about it, being more concerned with getting the target back up quickly than with getting all the holes pasted over.  Then, I shot quite well.  Things are improving.  I only dropped 13 points out of 250, so my expert badge is in the bag.  My goal is to hit that magic perfect 250!  I'll be a hero if I do, probably even if I get very close to a 250. 

After chow, we had our shooting review by the coaches.  We did some snapping in and rifle cleaning.  I got some mail at mail call!  I got 2 letters from Brenda, one from Mom, and a big one full of all sorts of goodies from Chris.  Working the butts was a different experience.  I had figured that the bullets themselves would make noise as they passed overhead, as they are well over supersonic, but someone had said they don't make any noise.  Well, they sure do!  They make a loud SNAP!!  as they pass overhead, then a little SPLAT when they hit the sand bank on the other side of the butts. 

Today is pre-qual day, and tomorrow is the biggie.  Today is like a dress rehearsal for tomorrow.  We had a class yesterday on all the additional procedures for recording accurate scores on Thursday and Friday.  If we are prevented from shooting on Friday for some reason, our scores from today will be our official scores.  I meant to stay up late last night and catch up on my writing, but there was no time.  I didn't even have time to thoroughly read my letters.  I got some nice pictures of BC in the letter from Chris.  Several people looked at them and admired him. Jackson asked for one of the pictures. The squad leaders are finally starting to turn in names of the goof-offs, so there has been quite a bit of pit bending going on.  Thrashing is just another way of referring to bending.  Actually, BEND is just one fun exercise of many in the thrashing process, although we used to refer to thrashing in general as bending. "Bend" is stand up straight, squat, hands on the deck, kick the legs straight back to the upper pushup position (leaning rest), back to a squat, then back to upright.  It is used to correct such highly undesirable behavior as the use of first person or second person words like "I", "you", "me", "my", or talking, moving, etc.

Well, it's square-away time again, and I haven't had a chance to write anything more all day. I can't write in formation any more because of the increased emphasis on discipline and being "locked up", which is good for a change.  Back at MCRD, there was more emphasis on learning the knowledge they were teaching us, so I could stand in formation and write while I pretended to be studying my knowledge.  Here the emphasis is on shooting skills, so there's no need to be "studying" knowledge in formation.

In the last few days, the platoon has come a long way.  At dinner chow, everyone was doing especially well.  I worked in the butts this morning, then did my shooting.  I had a rather poor start, especially on the first relay at 200 meters.  I put the first 5 rounds all in around 6 o'clock, and didn't think to make a dope (sight settings) change.  So, I dropped a lot of points there.  I had several 4s, a 3, and possibly even a 2.  After that, I buckled down and shot fairly well the rest of the day.  I ended up with a 229, which the PMI said was the highest score he'd seen today.  Later, in talking with the other recruits about scores, it was the highest, until I ran into Smith.  He said he shot a 231 today and a 238 yesterday.  So, I've really got my work cut out for me to come out as the top shooter tomorrow.  I just have to RELAX and CONCENTRATE on the fundamentals, and I'll come out of it as the top shooter. Being top shooter is a great honor. To me, it's the greatest honor here. I can shoot all bullseyes.  I certainly have the capability.  I just have to apply myself fully and smoothly.

Then we had lunch and weapons maintenance, followed by coach and PMI reviews.  Basically, they said all the things I just said here.  The PMI says we're clearly the best shooting platoon here.  The platoon who takes the range gets its choice of mess or maintenance duty. I've already heard we have maintenance anyway, which is fabulous.  It's 8 hour days vs 16-18 hour days on mess duty.  

Sgt Orlovsky was on duty all afternoon, so everyone has been acting rather straight, to avoid his wrath.  One thing that makes my shooting a little trickier is the wind.  It builds as the day goes on, which is why we get up so early and get on the range ready to fire as soon as it gets light enough. By the time I get around to shoot on the 6th (last) relay, it's a definite factor, and by the time I'm back to the 500 meter line, I've got 5 or 6 clicks of additional windage dialed into the rifle to compensate.  I got 9 fives and a four from the 500m today.  The last one was squeezed off fast because I heard the control guy key his mike, and I thought he was about to call "cease fire".  He didn't.  All my rapid fire shots were fives.  It's funny; I get my saved rounds on the slow fire relays, rather than the rapid fire ones.  On the 200 this morning, I nearly ran out of time.  Later, though, I found out they've been giving us short slow fire times all week, so tomorrow it should be better.  There's been plenty of bending going on.  The squad leaders are finally under lots of pressure to turn in names or bend themselves.

 

FRI 11/7 T-31

I wanted to write more last night, but I fell asleep before I could.  Last night, we took everything out of our footlockers, and stuffed it all into our seabags in preparation for today's departure for RFTD, Recruit Field Training Detachment.  It's somewhere else here on Camp Pendleton.  I got a letter last night from Rusty. 

This morning, we were all frantically trying to stuff all our sheets and blankets into our already full seabags, with Sgt Orlovsky screaming at us that if we weren't done soon, they'd all be dumped out into one big pile.  I finally got mine partially closed, and I took off with it, running out to the parking lot.  When I returned, there were still many clowns who still hadn't even left the squadbay yet, so Sgt Orlovsky was really fired up about that.

Whew!  What a day it's been!  I'm at RFTD now.  Shooting went quite well.  I dropped 14 points for a 136 - a very high expert.  Sgt Orlovsky said the butts scored me a 131, so there's still some controversy over what I'll end up with.  At 136, I'm platoon high shooter, which is a great honor.  At 131, I'm tied for second with Sommers, behind Smith at 132. 

Later, I was talking to Stenvoldt, and he said he was in the butts on my target.  He told me the verifier in the butts had said my first shot (a 5) was to be thrown out (for no apparent reason), and that I had to reshoot it.  Fine, except neither he nor any of the idiots running the show bothered to tell me or my coach.   I do remember there was a very long delay in getting my target back up after my first shot.  I tried to talk to Sgt Groomes about it before we got on the cattle car to go to RFTD, but he just screamed at me to shut up and get away from him. I'm afraid that if it isn't straightened out right away, right here, it never will be.  Once the final official score is posted, I'll go see him about it again if it's a 131.  If he gives me a hard time about it, I'll go to the Commanding Officer.  They can fuck me out of the guide billet, but no one is going to take my High Shooter from me without a big fight.  Working the butts this morning went fast, then I shot. These "verifiers" they drag up out of somewhere are about useless.  They're there to verify each recruit's scoring of the other recruits' shooting.  When I was in the butts, the one we had, a Staff Sergeant, was such an ignorant bozo that I had to explain to HIM that a shot outside the ring that cracked the edge of the ring is counted as being inside the ring.  He wasn't sure.  And he's there to verify us!?! Who knows what the idiot, who decided without telling anyone that my first shot didn't count for some reason, was thinking when he came up with that flash of inspiration.  My shooting went really well.  I shot all fives, except 14 fours, which were very tight fours (nearly fives).  I sure wish some of those fours had been fives, but I am pleased with how I shot; no stupid screwups.

GO TO RFTD

                USMC DIARY TABLE OF CONTENTS:

                                    1.  INTRODUCTION

                                    2.  PROCESSING

                                    3.  PHASE I

                                    4.  RANGE

                                    5.  RFTD

                                    6.  PHASE III

                                    7.  EPILOGUE