More Journal Entries

16Nov10
Today was much better than yesterday. we had our swim test this morning, which was easy. We had to jump off a 10 ft. platform, which is just like the diving boards at the Fargo pool, swim a length of the pool, tread water for five minutes and self inflate our coveralls. today is the only day of swimming I will do. We also had to IT this afternoon. Chief had a row of about 5 girls and 4 guys who were reported of cussing at other recruits, pushing while marching and talking back to our leaders, that had to stand and watch all of us work out because of them. It  sucked. Hopefully they felt bad enough to get their shit together. Or so we thought but alas it ended up being the same girls screwing around before taps (bedtime) that caused us not to get any mail tonight. The males got their mail and we didn't because the females were too slow getting ready for bed. That made me sad because I am really longing for the comfort of home. I'm starting to over analyze things and starting to get paranoid that Michael is going to send me a letter ending things with me. I would be heartbroken. I know this is just as hard on him, if not more hard on him, than it is on me. Believe me this is extremely hard for me, but at least I'm doing something brand new everyday. I can't imagine being in Fargo waiting for the person I love. Hopefully I'm still that person for him. I miss his voice. Just about every entry I talk about the things i miss. I'll try and talk about more things that are happening here.




19Nov10
Today was a pretty good day. I traveled around base by myself to my security clearance interview and didn't get lost or in trouble. I also got to talk to my mom on the phone for a little while. It was awesome to hear her voice. I'm starting to get really worn down. I keep thinking about home and how I'm constantly tired, constantly sore and ready to leave. But we got our first batch of letters yesterday and it was AMAZING! It helped so much to hear from Erin, Michael, my mom and dad, Linette and Duane and Grandma and Grandpa Nies. Their encouraging words really make a difference. I hope to keep getting letters from everyone! Two days ago I saw SR Auer in the galley (cafeteria) and almost started crying. She was in DEP with me right before I left for boot camp and is here at basic. We became pretty good friends. We gave each other a quick thumbs up and a smile since we never allowed to talk. She was a little piece from home that I needed. Luckily for her she graduates next week if she didn't today actually. I know I'll stay in contact with her because she was my first Navy friend.


24Nov10
Crazy how busy I've been the last few days. Monday was our first inspection where we were inspected on our uniforms and bunk drill. everything is timed! We start off in PT shirt and shorts and have 20 minutes to put on our NWU (blue camouflage) the precise way. We then stand at attention while the inspector asks you a question and looks at every detail. If something is wrong you get what is called a "hit". Three hits and you fail. The same goes for the bunk drill which consists of 2 minutes to strip your bed, then 12 minutes to put it together. I completely kicked ass and was 1 of 6 out of 80 recruits who had absolutely zero hits on both parts. Then Tuesday we spent all day studying and folding because today we had our first academic test and zone inspection where they check to see how meat your locker is. I, again, kicked ass! I only got 2 hits for zone when the division average was 6 hits and I was in the top ten highest scores of the division on our test. I'm so proud of myself! Other crazy news is that our division gets to perform drill and drum line at graduation and i get to be 1 of 4 snares. we also will perform at a graduation a few weeks before ours and it will be in front of MCPON; Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy who is 4 steps below the President in the Chain of Command. He is the highest enlisted rank and there can only be one. It's a huge honor! This makes me so motivated to be here; that I'm doing things no one else I know will get to do. I like that I'm not just going through things to just pass but to try and get 100%. I also work my ass off all day to make sure I don't screw up so it's nice to see the rewards of my efforts. Bradford and Lopez are the same way. We work hard, don't get daily recognition but it shows in our individual scores. Just gotta keep on truckin'! All the letters I get really help with the motivation. we finally get to receive our letters daily but can only send out on Sunday still. I figured out it takes about a week for the letters to get here. it will be screwed up tomorrow since it's Thanksgiving. It doesn't feel like it at all. Some of the girls are really sad about it, which I'm sad too, but I just don't focus on that. This is my family right now and we will have Thanksgiving together. It's all good! I hope everyone at home enjoys the holidays enough for me. It's so funny to me that I hate the winters but while I'm down here every time we got outside and I smell that 30 degree air it makes me miss home. while I miss it though, I know I won't when I'm in Florida in January, February and March!
I hope I get more pictures from people. Krissy sent me a picture of the kids and it is so cute. also the card smells like a nice clean house and Bradford, Lopez and I couldn't stop smelling it. My mom's letter also made me laugh with quotes of Legally Blonde and Michael's with a drawn picture of Homer Simpson as a Petty Officer. Things like that definitely make me smile after a long day of yelling. It's weird how when you first get here the yelling is scary but you truly get used to it. Our RDC's are just starting to lighten up a little but ours are also known to be the toughest ones on base. Our Chief is awesome though. Chief Dobbs pushes us like nothing you've seen before and he says he does it so we can be the type of sailors that get early promotions. Those ones are called EP Sailors and they are elite. They are the ones that earn ribbons, medals and promotions. That's my goal too so it's nice to have the person heading who is leading to push you  to that goal. I know I can do it. I feel like this is where I'm suppose to be finally.