Coast Guard Recruit Company Foxtrot 186 weekly journal posted Feb 15, 2012

06FEB12 Monday Week 03

 Today was very eventful. Foxtrot Company started remedial swim today. Remedial swim is an amazing opportunity to be taught to swim by some of the best instructors the Coast Guard has to offer. It’s also not half bad not being woken up by “ FIRE FIRE FIRE” every morning. The fun continued at the pool during a survival float class. We learned about the dangers of hypothermia and got to jump in the water wearing bright orange Mustang suits. The learning didn’t stop there. We were instructed on the differences between the Montgomery GI bill and the Post 9/11 bill. Hopefully week 06 everyone will know to opt out of the one that costs $1200.00 and just use the tuition assistance which is free. We ended the day with a pep talk from our squad leaders. We are week 03 now; it’s time to step up our game and start working as a team. We are no longer individuals. We are Foxtrot 186.

 07FEB12 Tuesday

 Foxtrot had its last Core Strength class today. Hopefully we have tightened up for the soon to come Physical Fitness Assessment. Later in the day we embraced the history of the formation of the Coast Guard. Taking five services and combining them into the United States Coast Guard that each of us recruits is striving to represent. Taking our pieces, a new object to most, close to nine pounds and practicing Manual of Arms can be challenging to some. Foxtrot time to shape up and get loud and proud. We are Foxtrot 186!

 08FEB12 Wednesday

 Today was another busy note taking day. We had three classes; Roles and Missions, Advancement, and Leave and Liberty. Something interesting we learned: We receive 2.5 days of leave each month. So by the end of basic training we will already have 05 days! We also had a nice workout session at the gym today. A company junior to us ( Golf 186 ) was there on the bikes while we were on the Cybex machines and it was fun to challenge ourselves and see if we could sound off louder than them. We ended the evening with a visit from the Chaplain, which we look forward to every Wednesday. He teased us with talk of off base liberty. Everyone is excited about starting Seamanship tomorrow and the fact that we fill out our dream sheets next week. No more hiccups Foxtrot, its time start dressing to impress! Hotel and Golf companies behind us we are no longer the newbie’s on the regiment.

 09FEB12 Thursday

 Today we began our Seamanship classes with Petty Officer Foley. Seamanship is important because we will be learning things we will be responsible for in a few short weeks once we join the fleet, such as helm commands. This afternoon we added a few new words to our vocabulary (examples include leeward, starboard quarter and bitts ). When we see our families again in March we will know so much nautical terminology mom and dad will feel like we are speaking in a different language.

 10FEB12 Friday

 Today was another day full of Seamanship classes. Subjects included units, vessels, and aircraft and types of line. From this day forward we are not to use the word “ rope “, if we are using it to tie knots it is called line. Foxtrot has a lot of tests coming up. We have a squadbay inspection, physical fitness test, and out mid-term exam. We are determined to work hard, study hard and get everything squared away ( spic and span ) so that not only will we make our Company Commanders proud, we will impress everyone on the regiment and make ourselves proud.

11FEB12 Saturday

 We experienced our first Cape May snow fall today, it was exciting to see but Foxtrot managed to keep our military bearing and kept our eyes in the boat instead of checking to see if it would stick. We spent the majority of the day in Seamanship classes practicing tying knots like the Bowline and Clove hitch. We also worked on our helm commands using the training centers new state of the art helm simulators. Everyone is excited about starting week 04; we all have our photos taken, go to the range, and fill out our dream sheets. Foxtrot is really starting to come together as a team and feel like a family