Recruit Journal

16SEP12

                TODAY DELTA HAD THEIR FIRST OFF-BASE COMPANY RUN AROUND CAPE MAY WITH THE CAPE MAY RESIDENTS CHEERING DELTA AND CHARLIE ON. IT WAS A LOT OF FUN AND A PRETTY BIG RUSH OF ADRENALINE. A LOT OF US CAN’T BELIEVE HOW FAST TIME IS FLYING BY AND THAT WE’RE IN WEEK FIVE ALREADY AND CONSIDERED A SENIOR COMPANY. IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY WE WERE LEAVING SEXTON HALL FOR THE FIRST TIME AND FORMING. NOW WE’RE EXPECTED TO LEAD JUNIOR RECRUITS. IT’S PRETTY CRAZY BUT I THINK THAT’S THE POINT.

                YOU’RE EXPECTED TO LEAD REALLY EARLY IN THE COAST GUARD. A LOT OF MY SHIPMATES ARE EXCITED ABOUT NEXT WEEK SINCE WE’LL RECEIVE OUR ASSIGNMENTS. LET’S HOPE THE EXCITEMENT DOESN’T CAUSE US TO LOSE OUR MILITARY BEARING AND MAKE MISTAKES. 

17SEP12

                TODAY DELTA HAD A SEAMANSHIP CLASS ON SIGNALING DEVICES. WE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT RADIO COMMUNICATION. OUR SEAMANSHIP INSTRUCTORS MADE US SING THE ABC SONG BECAUSE DELTA KEPT MESSING UP THEIR PHONETIC ALPHABET. WE LEARNED THE BASIC ABBREVIATIONS AND PHRASES USED IN RADIO COMMUNICATION.

                WE ALSO HAD OUR FIRST UNIFORM INSPECTION BY MASTER CHIEF BERRY. DESPITE THE TIME WE’VE HAD TO PRESS AND TAPE OFF OUR OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORMS AND SHINE OUR BOONDOCKERS, DELTA FAILED THE INSPECTION. MY SHIPMATES AND I ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN OURSELVES. WE WANT TO BE A BETTER COMPANY BUT WE’RE NOT MOVING FORWARD. WE HAVE NO EXCUSE TO FAIL FRIDAY’S INSPECTION. 

18SEP12

                TODAY WE GOT OUR DRESS BLUES; LITTLE THINGS LIKE THAT REMIND US OF HOW CLOSE WE’RE GETTING TO GRADUATION.

                WE HAD A SEAMANSHIP CLASS ON RADIO COMMUNICATION AND WE ALSO GOT TO LIGHT OFF SOME OF THE SIGNALING DEVICES. WE HAVE OUR MIDTERM TOMORROW AND WE WERE GIVEN TIME TO STUDY FOR IT.

                RAMP ALSO COMMENCED TODAY. AS A RECRUIT HAVING GONE THROUGH RAMP, I AM EXCITED TO SEE MY SHIPMATES COME BACK AS CHANGED RECRUITS.

                IT SEEMS LIKE DELTA IS GAINING AND LOSING RECRUITS LIKE CRAZY. SINCE WE’RE WEEK 05 AND HELD TO HIGHER STANDARDS NOW, WE’RE ALL A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE ABOUT GETTING REVERTED.

                WE’RE ALL TIRED FROM STANDING WATCHES AND SOME OF US WAKING UP EARLY FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS ENHANCEMENT. THIS MANIFESTS IN DELTA BEING SNIPPY WITH OTHER SHIPMATES AND FALLING ASLEEP IN CLASSES. HOPEFULLY WE CAN FIND A WAY TO CONTROL THAT. 

19SEP12

                TODAY WE TOOK OUR SEAMANSHIP MID-TERM EXAM. MOST OF THE COMPANY PASSED IN THE NINETIES, BUT THERE WERE A FEW SHIPMATES WHO GOT 100%.

                CHAPLIN MILLER CAME TO OUR SQUAD BAY TONIGHT TO TELL US ABOUT THE WORLD OUTSIDE CAPE MAY. EVEN THOUGH WE’VE ONLY BEEN GONE ONE MONTH, WE’RE ALREADY WAY OUT OF THE LOOP. WE’RE ALL EXCITED TO GET OUR ORDERS TOMORROW. IT’S STILL NERVE RACKING WAITING TO FIND OUT. ONCE WE RECEIVE ORDERS, IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO PICTURE LIFE AFTER BOOT CAMP AND HOPEFULLY MOTIVATE DELTA TO DO BETTER.

                WE’VE STARTED TO HAVE EVENING ROUTINE AT THE END OF THE NIGHT TO SQUARE AWAY OUR UNIFORMS AND RACKS. MY SQUAD BAY HAS BEEN WORKING ON OUR OPERATIONAL DRESS UNIFORM FOR FRIDAY’S INSPECTION. HOPEFULLY WE’LL DO BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND. 

20SEP12

                TODAY DELTA HAD A RISK MANAGEMENT AND PERSONAL FINANCE CLASS. WE’RE ALL STARTING TO HAVE A HARDER TIME STAYING AWAKE IN CLASS BECAUSE WE’VE BEEN STANDING WATCH EVERY NIGHT.

                WE ALSO HAD A BLOOD DRIVE TODAY, AND EVERYBODY SIGNED UP. A LOT OF MY SHIPMATES WERE UNABLE TO DONATE BECAUSE OF SHOTS THEY RECEIVED IN FORMING WEEK OR BECAUSE OF IRON DEFICIENCY.

                WE’RE WORKING ON OUR MANUAL OF ARMS BUT WE STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.  WE’RE STILL WAITING ON OUR ORDERS, AND IT’S DRIVING US CRAZY. WE ALL JUST WANT TO FIND OUT AND START CONTACTING OUR SPONSORS.

                TOMORROW IS OUR UNIFORM INSPECTION. HOPEFULLY WE DO BETTER THE SECOND TIME AROUND SINCE WE’VE HAD EVENING ROUTINE TO SQUARE OUR UNIFORMS AWAY. DELTA IS FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT WE KEEP FAILING; MAYBE THAT CAN MOTIVATE US TO PASS TOMORROW. WE JUST NEED TO REMEMBER IT’S NOT ABOUT ONE PERSON’S UNIFORM LOOKING GOOD, IT’S ABOUT ALL OF OURS; WE SINK OR WE SWIM AS A TEAM. 

21SEP12

                TODAY DELTA HAD A BUSY DAY. WE SPENT OVER 02 HOURS MOVING MATTRESSES BETWEEN JAMES, HEALY AND MUNRO HALL. ALL OF THE COMPANIES DID IT AND IT HELPED TO TEACH US TO WORK AS A TEAM.

                MOVING THE MATTRESSES RUINED OUR BOOT SHINES, SO WE WERE RELIEVED TO FIND OUT OUR UNIFORM INSPECTION WAS MOVED TO TOMORROW. THERE’S A LOT RESTING ON THIS INSPECTION AND WE’RE ALL A LITTLE ANXIOUS FOR IT.

                WE STILL HAVE NOT GOTTEN OUR ORDERS; HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THEM TOMORROW.  DELTA HAD A CLASS ON TRAVELING TO OUR FIRST UNIT. WE’RE ALL EXCITED TO START PLANNING IT, SO ALL WE NEED NOW IS OUR ORDERS. 

22SEP12

                DELTA STARTED OUT THE MORNING PRACTICING MANUAL OF ARMS. WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND VERY LITTLE TIME TO DO IT. WE BROKE OFF INTO GROUPS AND WERE ABLE TO HELP OUR SHIPMATES UNDERSTAND THE THINGS THEY WERE DOING WRONG.

                AFTERWARDS, WE WENT TO THE CONFIDENCE COURSE. THE CONFIDENCE COURSE WAS A LOT MORE DIFFICULT THAN IT LOOKS. WHILE SOME OF THE OBSTACLES WERE PHYSICALLY TOUGH, A LOT OF IT WAS MENTALLY TOUGH. WE’RE GOING TO GET MORE CHANCES TO FINISH THE CONFIDENCE COURSE IN LATER WEEKS.

                TODAY WE FINALLY GOT ORDERS! A LOT OF PEOPLE GOT ORDERS EXACTLY  TO WHERE THEY WANTED, BUT SOME RECRUITS GOT THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE. FOR THE MOST PART, EVERYONE SEEMS HAPPY WITH THEIR ORDERS. WE’RE EXCITED TO START THE PROCESS AND REPORT TO OUR FIRST UNIT.

                WE ALSO PASSED OUR UNIFORM INSPECTION AND MASTER CHIEF BERRY SAID WE DID A SOLID JOB. WE WERE GLAD NOT TO FAIL AGAIN. WE’RE STILL GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET AN EVEN BETTER SCORE NEXT TIME.