TRACEN Cape May, N.J.
U.S. Coast Guard

HOTEL 182 WEEKLY JOURNAL
Graduation 10/23/2009

12 OCT 09 - Monday

HOTEL company is moving ever forward, and as we enter our seventh week of training, our first night at Cape May seems as if it is part of some distant past. With our seventh week, we hope to keep achieving bigger and better things, working always on the little details that define a good Coast Guardsman.

Today, HOTEL-182 had two first aid and CPR classes. Recruits learned methods for dealing with severe injuries, such as amputations, burns, and choking. Recruits were taught the proper method of dressing different wounds and proper/age specific approaches to performing CPR. In conjunction with this training, recruits were also taught several rescue carry techniques that may be employed to pull someone out of a hazardous environment. This exercise proved to be interesting as it included recruits crab-walking across the gym floor, carrying one another, and alternating as victims.

13 OCT 09 - Tuesday

What a day for HOTEL Company! We have been tested many times and in many different ways during our training at Cape May, but today seemed like one big test after another. Our squad bays were to be immaculate for the squad bay inspection by the battalion commander. Recruits cleaned the night before, the morning of the inspection, and sent the “rescue squad” in for final touches to the overall cleanliness of the squadbays. However, it was very difficult for HOTEL to keep this level of cleanliness throughout the day while coming and going from squadbays to classes. The battalion commander came in the afternoon instead of the morning as scheduled, which was surprising. However, because HOTEL has been striving to maintain inspection ready squad bays, we were for the most part prepared. For our inspection we received a 47/55, which proved to our company commanders that we can maintain our regular schedules and still achieve the high standards set for us in the completion of everyday tasks.

Next HOTEL was inspected in their “dress ready” tropical blue uniform by the battalion officer. Recruits were expected to have wrinkle and loose thread-free uniforms, neatly pushed back reef tucks (which push all excess material to the back of the uniform and leave a seamless flat front), shined “low quarters” or dress shoes, flawless hair, and correctly placed name tags and garrison covers. HOTEL lined up in uniform and one-by-one each recruit was looked over for errors in their dress. A few recruits needed some minor adjustments to their dress, but overall, the battalion officer said HOTEL was “awesome” in their level of readiness for this inspection.

The biggest triumph of the day was yet to come for HOTEL-182, however. It occurred during their close order drill test. Many recruits were nervous about this test because, as a company, HOTEL had done rather poorly during the manual of arms test. Recruits decided not to let that stop them, so they pushed fear aside and stepped out, marching as if they were “ten feet tall and bullet proof”—a favorite metaphor used by our company commanders to inspire us to march better. In our close order drill test, which was judged by a chief here at the Cape May training center, we were expected to perform a long list of movements. These movements included: right face, left face, right oblique, left oblique, counter march, left/right step march, change step, eyes right, about face, parade rest, and attention. All of our work has finally begun to pay off as HOTEL-182 received a 10/10 on their close order drill test—a score not easily received by any means. The chief that judged recruits’ drilling also compliments HOTEL on being so professional in their movements. We were compared to the battle droids from star wars, who all march perfectly in step and time. This was a wonderful feeling for HOTEL—the feeling of self-accomplishment for doing your part, of team accomplishment in earning our score, and the honor of making our company commanders proud.

Though this sounds like a full plate, HOTEL-182 also had their second to last seamanship class. This class was dedicated to practicals on line handling. Recruits were taught how to effectively heave mooring lines from a boat to the peer which will come in very useful for all those recruits stationed aboard cutters.

It was a very good day here at HOTEL-182. We also received our white ribbon, which attests to the fact that over 98% of HOTEL recruits have passed the physical fitness requirements as well as the blue ribbon from our lead company commander which we earned through our dedication to passing the inspections set before us today. 

14 OCT 09 - Wednesday

Recruits have been working hard to live up to the high standards they set for themselves yesterday with the good reviews they received on their evaluations. It finally feels as if our teamwork has improved in HOTEL-182. Squadbays and recruits are looking much more squared away.

We had our last seamanship class today that finished out our line handling lessons. It was our first cold day in training, and recruits were a bit rigid at the start of the lesson. Soon, however, recruits began to handle the lines more confidently, and class went smoothly. The seamanship award was calculated today, but recruits in HOTEL-182 will not know who the winner is until the company commanders announce it at an as yet undisclosed date. The winner of the seamanship award is usually the recruit with the best averaged grade between the seamanship class midterm and final and will receive a marlin spike knife with their name inscribed on it at graduation.

15 OCT 09 - Thursday

The tone of the day for HOTEL-182, set by classes like work-life, make it seem as if recruits are now moving towards the transition of being once again in the wide world outside of the training center here at Cape May. We have had much more time to monitor the steps we must take to transition into our new units. Recruits spent much of the day contacting unit sponsors and recruiters, making travel plans, and filling out their first unit reporting guides which serve as a “how-to” manual to steer new seaman apprentices and seaman through the process of reporting in.

Recruits also competed in the manual of arms showdown, pitting each recruit against the next to find out who is the best at manual of arms. The showdown was based on very detailed examination of each recruit as they performed movements dictated by one of our company commanders.

As a company, HOTEL-182 has added yet another merit to its name. We have been awarded the green seamanship pennant for our Guidon by the seamanship instructor. Several things can qualify a company for the green pennant. Scores on the seamanship midterm and final for HOTEL Company were not high enough to qualify recruits alone. However, the seamanship instructor decided to award the pennant because she felt that our company had improved so much in the areas of teamwork, listening, following instructions, and overall participation in and excitement about seamanship.

16 OCT 09 - Friday

Today really made HOTEL-182 feel like a “grown-up” company. With the end graduating ceremonies for Golf Company, HOTEL official became the most senior company on the regiment, and it feels great! We are still striving every second of the day to keep our military bearing and the good graces of our company commanders, and so far it’s paying off. We took our “pieces” back to the armory today, marking the farewell to a training implement that has been both a foe during intensive training and a friend during manual of arms.

Tonight we were able to have a “de-briefing” session with one of our company commanders during which he discussed his experiences in and his life before the Coast Guard, while also taking the time to answer any questions we had about the training process we are going through. This unique opportunity really allowed us insight into the nature of ourselves as recruits, the tough position that good company commanders have to navigate, and how the two interact to make the future of the Coast Guard. As training moves further along, we have all really come to understand just how fortunate we have been to be trained by our three company commanders.

17 OCT 09 - Saturday

HOTEL Company had a wonderful day of freedom today as they partook in week 07 off-base liberty. There was a feeling of celebration throughout the company—celebration of some much desired de-stressing time, of course, but also a time to celebrate all the hard work and time we have spent earning the uniforms we so proudly wear. This was a time to show the community of Cape May what the core of the Coast Guard is made of. In the morning before leaving our company commanders inspected each recruit to insure that the Coast Guard was being represented by recruits who had taken the time to clip each and every loose thread, ironed each pocket fold, shined their “low quarters” to a high gloss, and squared each “gig line” from shirt-to belt-to trouser seam.

It was a bit rainy and windy today in Cape May, but recruits wearing trench coats made the best of their day participating in everything from ordering pizzas, to watching movies, to walking around the Rio Grande area of Cape May. Most recruits made a “b-line” for Wal-Mart, which served as a sort of jumping off point for some of recruits’ junk food and entertainment needs. At the movies, recruits saw films like Couple’s Retreat and Zombieland which drove home the realization of how thankful we all were for media based solely on entertainment, especially when that media is accompanied by junk food.  All-in-all it was a much appreciated day of relaxation.

18 OCT 09

Rain along with cold, gusty winds ruined recruits’ chance at their last scheduled off-base run today. However, this gave recruits some much needed catch-up time. Week 08 is almost upon us, and we can scarcely believe that we’ve made it this far in what feels like a million years in the blink of an eye. They have a saying here at Cape May, “the days last forever, but the weeks fly by.” Most recruits in HOTEL-182 would agree with this saying. We’re all wondering just how long the days will seem to us in this upcoming week, as all of us are so very anxious to graduate, see family and friends, travel home and/or to our new units, and finally feel as if we can just relax for a bit. Many recruits have a “top ten” list of sorts of things they want to do when they get out of training. Things that top these charts include getting massages, gorging on junk food, catching up on movies and music, and stretching out on the couch for a long nap.

Simultaneously, HOTEL recruits are trying not to get ahead of themselves. We still have a very full week ahead of us, and now is not the time to lose the composure we have worked so hard to gain. We still have things to do like “the Guardian challenge,” which is completely shrouded in mystery for recruits. It should prove to be an interesting and full week for recruits, many of whom are still trying to make finalizations to arrangements such as travel, first unit reporting, family visits, and relocation preparation.

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