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March 29, 2008
Leave? Who knows.
I put in for leave from end of business Monday (31st) for a week, in order to fly back home and get my vehicle and some necessities (DVDs, etc ;). I put it in sometime last week, but haven't received an absolute positive response yet. I went ahead and got my ticket, though, in the hopes that noone is going to be unreasonable. If all goes well, I'll get into Houston on Tuesday in the early afternoon.
From there I'll have until about Sunday to get back to California, so shoot me comments if you're going to be around H-town/BCS/wherever and want me to come by and say hi :)
Posted by jeff at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)
March 22, 2008
May you come to the attention of those in power...
The group I'm with until I pickup classes has apparently come to the attention of those in power. Everyone knows this is a Chinese curse, but I'll give you a detailed explanation of why it is a Bad Thing ™:
Friday morning, our hardy group of 25 or so did landscaping duty. Not a big deal, the weather was close to perfect and the work needed to be done. I also managed to snag the lawn mower with a working self-propel drive.
We broke for lunch, and were told to come back in woodland trousers and our sweatshirts. Kinda odd, but several of us figured it was probably for painting. And then, when we got back, we were told to hydrate. And then told to go grab flak vests and rubber rifles.
Well crap, it looked like we were going on a run. And then an officer came out. And then a sergeant explained that we were doing fireman team carries a quarter mile up a hill to where the running track is here. Well, that sucked (I insisted on not being carried, being heavier than the other guys in my team. So myself and the 150lb guy traded off carrying the 140lb guy). After we got to the track, we ran around and did pull-ups, flutter kicks, bicycles, and jumping jacks. Then we did prone buddy drags across the soccer field. And then we did this godforsaken excersise known as a barracks crawl (I can't find a description online - basically, 25 people form an arch on their hands and feet, side by side. The person at one end crawls through and continues the line) back across the field. Then we did squad fireman carry races up an even steeper hill, then squad pull-ups (100 pull-ups done by a 12 man squad, in this case).
Yeah. So never come to the attention of those in power, it's just painful.
Posted by jeff at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)
March 13, 2008
Barracks sweet barracks
I arrived in Monterey on Tuesday evening, and I'm checked in to the barracks. I found out that despite being assigned Arabic in my MOS, it's not actually that certain of a thing. I'll probably find out Monday from the gunnery sergeant what language I'll actually be learning. It can take classes a while to pick up here, too, and I'm hoping to get permission to take leave before classes to get my vehicle and personal effects. Who knows, at this point though.
I do have regular interweb access again, but until I suck it up and buy a laptop, probably no gaming.
Posted by jeff at 02:36 PM | Comments (0)
March 09, 2008
Almost done with MCT
I graduate Tuesday, hurray! The final field exercises were fun, the final 15k hike sucked. I've gotten to fire a M203 grenade launcher (with training rounds full of orange death dust), a M240B machine gun (which rocked awesomely), the M-16A4 with an ACOG... I've gotten to do live fire buddy team rushes, combat patrols, defense emplacements, entry control points, grenade throwing, room clearing... MCT has basically been full of win.
Tuesday I should be heading up to Monterey for 581 days. I'll write more later :) Leave comments with laptop suggestions...
Posted by jeff at 04:47 PM | Comments (1)
March 02, 2008
MCT et cetera
So I lucked out, and my MCT training cycle is only 3 weeks. The poor bastards in the cycles after me (well, not the very next cycle, but all after) have to be here for 4 weeks. I'll graduate March 11. If you know the significance of that, shaddup :)
Regarding pictures of my high speed low drag hairdo: that'll probably have to wait until I get to Monterey. Yes, I could take pictures right now, but honestly I can't be bothered. Too much other stuff to do on my precious liberty time.
EDIT: Here, I put a pic up
I found out that I did get Arabic as my language, and I'll get my orders March 10. I don't know when the next Arabic cycle starts at DLI, so I don't know if it'll be possible for me to take any leave to bring my truck up to Monterey. I really hope I'll get some time, as I have dick for civilian clothes handy. I do plan on linking up with Baby Phil, so he can introduce me to hot Air Force womens.
Posted by jeff at 06:02 PM | Comments (1)