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TRACEN Cape May, N.J. |
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HOTEL 182 WEEKLY JOURNAL |
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Week 05 28 SEP 09 - Monday Pugil stick combat proved to be quite the event. As each pair of Recruits were lined up to face one another in aggressive physical combat, you could sense the energy radiating off of HOTEL-182. While other shipmates cheered on the fighters in each match, the company commanders stood in each corner of the "ring" to boost the fighters' confidence and to ignite fury into the eyes of each pugil stick warrior. Once everyone had a shot to battle in the ring, the Recruits were instructed to head over to the regiment's famous obstacle course for a lesson in rope climbing. As Recruits' eyes settled along the long lines of hurdles, walls, rope ladders, and monkey bars, mixed emotions began to stir. For some Recruits the obstacle course appeared somewhat intimidating, while others looked to it as a new, untouched territory just waiting to be discovered. Well, come week seven that is exactly the destination HOTEL-182 will be headed for. In the classroom HOTEL focused on seamanship again today, learning several important flags and pennant that will come in handy once Recruits reach the fleet. Some of these standards include the red and yellow "Oscar flag," which means man overboard and the red swallow-tailed "bravo flag," which symbolizes the transfer of hazardous cargo. Recruits also began to familiarize themselves with radio communication protocol. This should prove very useful to most of the Recruits in HOTEL-182, as their first jobs will probably involve watch standing and radio transmissions of important and even life-saving information. 29 SEP 09 - Tuesday Recruits reported to the uniform distribution center in the early morning-the objective: getting fitted for our tropical blue dress uniform. Recruits were issued dress shirts, dress slacks, bravo jackets, windbreakers, dress shoes, garrison covers, combination covers, as well as trench coats thus completing their military wardrobe. Recruits enjoyed getting their new uniforms tailored. As each member of HOTEL-182 stepped outside the dressing rooms, you caught a glimpse of a future guardian of the sea. It was then the Recruits began to realize that graduation was not merely a dream, but an event in the making. In other HOTEL-182 news, our company has recently formed its drill team, which will perform at graduation ceremonies along with any outside special events that may occur between now and commencement. The HOTEL drill team has eight members who spend two hours a day, Monday through Thursday, practicing exciting movements with their "pieces." This is all in an effort to ready the group for performances, allowing them time to practice coordination and getting in sync with one another. Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of drill team is that the Recruits themselves are the ones choreographing all the movements that will be seen in the graduation day ceremony. The Recruits involved in drill team are cautiously optimistic that they will be ready for this challenge and feel that they already are beginning to come together as a cohesive group. One challenge, however, has been the weight and cumbersome character of the "piece." Recruits have had a firsthand experience of the wear and tear on the body that can occur from doing complex, accelerated, and sometimes airborne movements with a nine and a half pound "piece." 30 SEP 09 - Wednesday HOTEL-182 began the day with a boat crewman class instructed by Coast Guard auxiliary members. The Coast Guard auxiliary is comprised of civilians who volunteer to aid and supplement the Coast Guard's efforts. The auxiliary performs tasks such as providing safety boat inspections for civilian boaters. Recruits were taught to identify auxiliary members by the distinguished features of their uniforms- all auxiliary members wear silver versions of main Coast Guard insignias. Nerves were a little on edge in the company today as we made way for our first appointment with our battalion commander for our very first uniform inspection. Recruits prepared themselves by polishing their boondockers (boots for you civilians out there), ironing and clipping off any loose threads to our operational dress uniforms, and ensuring that all personal grooming was up to par with Coast Guard standards. The battalion commander inspected each Recruit, making only minor remarks concerning uniform and personal grooming standards to just 13 Recruits out of the entire company. Overall, the company scored a 50/60 - a mark unmatched by the last four companies to be inspected. So at least we have that going for us. Later on in the afternoon, we had yet another eventful day in seamanship class. Today we were tested on our urgency with securing a personal floatation device to ourselves. This is designed to prepare us for any given emergency situation on the fleet. To make it interesting, the instructor made a slight game out of the exercise by decreasing the amount of time we were given to put on the personal floatation device each round. By the end of the game, the last Recruit standing completed the task in 07 seconds. Afterwards, the instructor asked us to remove the personal floatation devices and to build something "Coast Guard" out of the 80 something pfds. Obviously, as you can see, we had to make an anchor. 01OCT09 - Thursday Our first payday has arrived! Woohoo! Despite the fact we're physically unable to actually handle our first military paycheck, just knowing it's somewhere nestled in our bank accounts is enough for us to feel pretty excited. Just as we should be, given that as our company commanders would say, we earned it with "blood, sweat, and tears." Tension levels remained pretty high for a good part of the morning. We were expecting to receive our orders to our first unit following graduation. Unfortunately though, when it came time to hear the announcement, we were stunned to discover that the only thing announced was that our orders have yet to come in. Upon hearing this, you can imagine how the enthusiasm in the room rapidly deflated, as if a bald tire just ran over a rusty nail. Disappointment shot through our eyes. Apparently, Lady Liberty wishes to keep us on our toes for yet another day. Some of us honestly do not care where we end up. We will go wherever the Coast Guard needs us to go. While others at their wit's end, completely overtaken by the defining suspense pounding in our minds. Well, as some would say, "there's always tomorrow." 02OCT09 - Friday Orders still have yet to come in; however, we were told they will most likely be in by tomorrow (we'll keep our fingers crossed). Today though was interesting to say the least. We began the morning at the medical building, getting both our flu shots, as well as our smallpox vaccination shots. I think it's safe to say we've had our share of needles for quite a while now. HOTEL-182 seemed to be in somewhat of a funk today. Ever hear of the week five dive? Neither have we until recently. So with that, we spent a good chunk of the day relearning the basics we had to learn during indoc weekend in week 01. Many Recruits felt embarrassed marching around the parade field like a 01 week Recruit; however, it was necessary to let us know that we need to stop making the same little mistakes over and over again. What we learned today was the importance of being self-aware and put forth effort into action. Many times, a Recruit could be instructed a simple task over and over again and still fail to make application of that instruction. This is where motivation and being self-aware come into play. Hopefully after today, we start concentrating more and focusing on our actions in respect to meeting the standards of a military lifestyle. 03OCT09 - Saturday A momentous occasion today for HOTEL-182-Recruits finally received their orders! Tensions and expectations were high as each Recruit stood in formation while the company commanders announced one-by-one each person's orders. Recruits had filled out their "dream sheets," a list of preferred stations, last week, and ever since then that is just what HOTEL company has been doing-dreaming of where they would end up. We were required to keep our military bearing during this emotional event; however, behind our stoic composure, the majority of us are extremely excited about reporting to our first unit in the united states Coast Guard. Recruits were ordered to report to stations as diverse as Honolulu, Hawaii; key West, Florida; New Orleans, Louisiana; Kodiak, Alaska; San Diego California; Baltimore, Maryland; and Bay City, Michigan. HOTEL-182 is proud of two of its members who found out they have been accepted into the honor Guard in Alexandria, Virginia. This great credit to the Recruits' performance during training will continue to bring them prestige in their Coast Guard careers as they participate in highly respected ceremonial duties involving a wide variety of diplomats, including the possibility of performing for president of the united states. Art crew, which consists of seven Recruits, was also formed for HOTEL company this week. Their jobs will include designing our company t-shirts and our graduation week banners, which will be hung in the galley for all other companies to view. 04 OCT 09 - Sunday Recruits enjoyed their divine hours as usual today, which includes everything from church services to uniform and boondocker maintenance. However, at the end of divine hours, Recruits were treated to a new event in their training schedule-the off-base company run. After chow, Recruits changed out into their physical fitness gear and formed up outside. After a good stretch, HOTEL-182 (along with several other companies) was marched outside the gates to the cape may training center by their company commanders. Once outside the gates, the company commanders increased the Recruits' gate to a "double time" pace. This was a real treat for Recruits as it was their first time to get to call cadence as a company. Cadence compliments the art of marching, helping Recruits to focus on their timing and teamwork. As the Recruits "double-timed" the company commanders called cadence, which often resembled song lyrics, and the Recruits would repeat or answer with the correct chorus. All-in-all Recruits ran a little over two miles through the neighborhoods surrounding the cape may training center. Many a bystander came to their curb to get a glimpse of HOTEL-182 running behind their guideon carrying their company colors. Recruits even received a few handclaps of applause, which made them feel even more like a team and certainly very proud to be on their way to serving their country. |
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