Week 06-

Charlie-182 is finally in the home stretch towards completing recruit training. In a matter of days we will be heading out into the fleet to fulfill our dreams and obligation to our country by serving as young men and woman of the United States Coast Guard. Six weeks have gone by, and now with 02 weeks to go, Charlie is feeling really proud...and a little worn out. Nevertheless, us here at Cape May are ready for the next challenge.

Week 06 was full of learning about fire fighting techniques and preparing for our first units. Last week, everyone in Charlie received their orders. Recruits are headed to a wide variety of locations; serving on large Cutters to tiny small boats or working on land, and from working in warm waters to icy rivers. Recruits are serving a few miles from home, and some thousands of miles away. Unit locations varied from Alaska to Puerto Rico, and Charlie-182 suddenly realized that in a few short weeks everyone would be headed to places they'd never been to, and they especially realized that they had to really bring the game on, since everyone here at Charlie will have to apply everything they learned and experienced at Cape May at their first unit. This is the real deal. Most in Charlie are excited, some nervous and some disappointed about their first unit, but the general feeling was "We're actually going to be in the real United States Coast Guard soon..."

Fire fighting training began on Monday, with a class on basic fire terminology and the science behind fires and how to extinguish them. After everyone had a basic understanding of fire fighting, Charlie headed down to Goff Hall on Tuesday morning to learn about fire extinguishers and how to suit up properly. Everything got to take a fire extinguisher and learn the proper methods for identifying and reporting a fire on a ship, and then how to extinguish it. Yes, we actually put out real fires (though they were small and very well contained), and the experienced gained made Charlie realize how likely a simple accident can occur and how ready we have to be. Asides from fire extinguishers, Charlie learned how to don a SCBA tank and breathing mask, as well as a fire helmet and fire suit/boots. Charlie also learned how to handle a fire hose and spray water into compartments and spaces on a ship. With this basic introduction, it was time to put everything to the test. The company was split up on Wednesday and Thursday and while one half went to go take care of Admin things, the other was at Goff Hall. The fire fighting practical was basically a culmination of the last several days. Recruits had to rush into a dark and foggy room, suit up in a fire suit then rush and put on the SCBA tank and breathing mask and top it all of with a red fire helmet. Then Charlie got to the ground and crawled over into fire simulator. It was dark and simulated smoke shot out everywhere making visibility limited. As soon as everyone found the end of the hose we picked it up and sprayed into the compartment with the simulated fire. After the fire was put out everyone rushed back out and took off all the gear.

This was probably the most intense realistic simulator and real life situation recruits had been through so far at Cape May. It was really something that Charlie-182 might encounter in their future Coast Guard career, so everyone left with an important "wake-up call" about the real life dangers and accidents.

While half of Charlie was learning about fire fighting, the other half was being issued their military identification card. Having an actual card with our picture on it saying that "Yes, I work for the military" was another reminder of how close Charlie is to graduating and working in the Coast Guard. Recruits also got in touch with their first units. Everyone here is making travel arrangements to get home and to get to their first unit. Charlie also learned about the G.I. Bill, and the educational opportunities and benefits available to them as a Coast Guardsman. We here in Charlie are very blessed to have such a wonderful amount of opportunities available to us, from being able to earn bachelor degrees underway to having 36 months of college paid for.

Also throughout the week, Charlie-182 learned how to properly maintain and wear the dress uniforms of the United States Coast Guard. Although the company commanders disagree, everyone looked in the mirror with a sense of pride as they wore their "Dress Bravo" suit jacket and necktie. Probably the general thought among the recruits was "Yeah, I look good", but everyone was wearing a uniform of the United States Coast Guard, which in the mirror was yet another reminder of how close Charlie is to being out in the working Coast Guard.

Probably the biggest achievement was on Tuesday. For weeks Charlie-182 has been working on their Manual of Arms, which by definition "is used to demonstrate teamwork and instill pride in the company." Standing at attention, recruits have to perform drill movements with their piece (A demilitarized rifle) and maintain a uniform execution of movements. Petty Officer Vedder saw a lot of potential in the early weeks of recruit training, and his motivation and teaching brought Charlie to the final demonstration of everything they learned. Charlie formed up in front of Chief Bou and performed their Manual of Arms test. After the test Chief Bou gave some advice and critiquing, and concluded that Charlie should earn a 9 out of 10. This made Charlie very proud of themselves and their shipmates, but it also made Charlie excited since by passing the test they were allowed On-Base liberty the following Saturday.

Now, those at home should know that Charlie-182 aren't just sitting around. Since Week 01, recruits have been working hard on physical fitness. Charlie goes to the gym every week several times to work out with weights and to work on core strength. Every few days Charlie runs a mile or two (or better yet, in the company commander's opinion, 3 miles). As a whole everyone is starting to feel stronger and more flexible. Many of the recruits who were struggling in the early weeks of training with meeting physical fitness standards passed their tests and grew a lot stronger. The whole company is motivated by our company commanders, who are always at our side working out with us or behind our backs trying to get us to push harder and reach the finish line.

The culmination of all the physical fitness would eventually lead to some friendly company competition on Thursday- pugil sticks. Pugil stick fighting is where recruits suit up in protective gear and joust in a "ring" with padded sticks. Charlie was given a chance to let out all of the stress built up in the previous weeks and bash it out against each other. Everyone had a great time and fought hard.  Petty Officer Vedder thought everyone looked like 13 year old girls at a slumber party pillow fight but Charlie still had a great experience with mock combat.

Come Friday, Charlie got the opportunity to represent the general public at Alpha-182's graduation. Recruits were tasked with security and door holding for families of Alpha-182. Everyone looked sharp and performed their tasks well. After that Charlie went for a run and spent the rest of the day cleaning and working on uniforms.

Saturday finally arrived, and that meant two things- operational tours, and on-base liberty. Charlie-182 marched down to the piers and got the opportunity to visit the Coast Guard Cutter Dependable and also Station Cape May. Everyone got to see what their first units would be like, what kind of equipment and people they would be working with, and ask any questions about Coast Guard life. Everyone had a great time, and it was outstanding to see what real life in the Coast Guard is like. After operational tours, Charlie was awarded on-base liberty. For a few hours, recruits called home, went to the exchange and buy junk food and candies and soda or head up to the harbor view club and relax to a jukebox and eat pizza or cheeseburgers. There were arcade games and pool tables and big screen tv's with football games on. Later in the evening, a movie was shown at the auditorium. Overall it was a nice break from the intensity of recruit training.

Sunday ended week 06 with divine hours. Charlie-182 is operating more and more on its own without it's company commanders, so we had to wake up on our own and go to chow on our own. Charlie developed a heightened sense of pride knowing that the company commanders trusted us to perform on its own. After several hours of cleaning and working on uniforms (Charlie is beginning to really get the knack of shining boots and ironing uniforms) the company merged with Bravo to become: Charvo company. Off they went with Charlie and Bravo's company commanders into downtown Cape May for an off base run. Along the streets civilians and locals lined up to watch and cheer everyone one with thank yous and "Keep it up you're almost there!" Such advice was very motivating as Charvo ran on and sang cadences.

Overall, Charlie has been pushing hard. While at Cape May, everyone must stand watch, which in the Coast Guard is a very vital aspect. Here at Cape May we only have to stand one hour watches (A watch is basically where you maintain a military presence to ensure the safety of your ship, property, and shipmates), while in the fleet we stand four hour watches. However, recruits only get 5.5 hours of sleep here if they stand watch, and having to wake up at an odd hour has been messing with sleep schedules. As a result a lot of recruits are very fatigued in the daytime, but their shipmates push to ensure everyone is awake and operating safely and respectively. Recruits are still getting over colds and the Cape May Crud, and a good amount of recruits had their wisdom teeth pulled, so it's been a soft struggle to keep up with the pace of recruit training. Still, Charlie's spirits have grown stronger, and with the realization that we have two weeks left, recruits are working harder and pushing harder towards being locked on. Regardless of sleep and sickness, Charlie must overcome everything. The Coast Guard tackles hurricanes and drug runners, and Charlie-182 must be ready to face those challenges. Charlie has finally realized that, and is doing their best to answer their calling as future men and women of the Coast Guard.

What's next for Charlie-182? More practical training with first aid and CPR, as well as seamanship and line handling. There are more inspections lined up and we must pass our Close Order Drill test, which is the ultimate demonstration of uniformity, comprised of marching and movements. If we pass this, we not only get further respect of our Company Commanders and the regiment, but we will be awarded Off-Base liberty. Despite the epiphany of having two weeks left, Charlie must realize that as they get every reminder of how "We're almost in the Coast Guard", we're also being reminded that we really need to step our game up and push strong to the very end. Hopefully Charlie won't lose steam and slack off, but with two weeks left, anything can happen. And in two weeks, Charlie-182 will become working members of the United States Coast Guard.